Professor Soheil Saeedi Appointed Vice-President of the International Society of Microbiota
Strengthening the Bridge Between Microbiota Science, Aging, and Precision Medicine
The International Society of Microbiota (ISM) is pleased to announce the appointment of PD. Dr. Soheil Saeedi, University Hospital Zurich and University of Zurich, Switzerland, as Vice-President of ISM.
This appointment reflects ISM’s commitment to strengthening scientific excellence and supporting a new generation of internationally recognized scientists who are advancing microbiota research toward clinical translation and precision medicine.
PD. Dr. Saeedi is Group Leader and Head of the Cardiovascular Aging Laboratory at the University Hospital Zurich and University of Zurich. His research focuses on the complex interactions between gut microbiota, cardiovascular aging, and longevity. His lab explores microbial metabolites as biomarkers of aging and develops microbiome-based anti-aging strategies.
Over the past years, he has established himself as an emerging leader in translational microbiome research, combining large-scale aging and cardiovascular disease cohorts with high-throughput technologies, cellular and molecular mechanistic studies, and systems biology approaches to understand how microbial ecosystems influence aging process and age-related cardiovascular diseases.
His work has contributed to the growing recognition that microbiota-derived metabolites are not merely biomarkers but active contributors to vascular senescence, dysfunction, and cardiovascular aging. His research has been published in leading international journals, including Nature Aging, Journal of Clinical Investigation, and Cell Reports, and has attracted increasing attention from both the aging and cardiovascular research communities.
Dr. Saeedi's scientific vision aligns closely with the future direction of ISM: moving microbiota science beyond association studies toward causality, prevention, and therapeutic innovation.
As Vice-President, he will contribute to identifying emerging scientific priorities, strengthening international collaborations, supporting young investigators, and promoting the integration of microbiome science with aging biology, metabolism, cardiovascular medicine, and precision health.
“Microbiome research is entering a transformative period where understanding mechanisms will become essential for developing meaningful interventions,” said Dr. Saeedi. “The future lies in connecting microbial ecosystems with host physiology and metabolism to develop preventive and personalized medicine.”
His appointment comes at a time when ISM is expanding its international activities and scientific ambitions through the RIKEN–ISM Tokyo 2026 Meeting and the 13th World Congress on Targeting Microbiota, to be held in Málaga, Spain, on November 4–5, 2026.
Together with President Professor Alain Stintzi, Professor Saeedi will help lead ISM’s mission to strengthen microbiome science, foster innovation, and accelerate the transition from mechanisms to medicine.
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