SciLifeLab site Umeå and Umeå University host international metabolomics conference
On 27–28 January 2026, Umeå University hosted the second edition of the conference Metabolomics in Life Science. The event brought together researchers and industry representatives from Sweden and internationally at the Väven Conference Centre in Umeå.
The conference was jointly organized by SciLifeLab units in Umeå, the Swedish NMR Centre (SNC) and the Swedish Metabolomics Centre (SMC), together with the Computational Analytics Support Platform (CASP) at Umeå University. Together, these infrastructures support metabolomics research from data acquisition to advanced computational analysis.
Broad scientific programme
The programme highlighted recent developments in NMR- and MS-based metabolomics and covered areas such as clinical and precision medicine, plant metabolomics, exposomics, and AI-driven approaches. Six invited keynote speakers from European research institutions contributed to the programme.
Participants also presented their work during poster sessions, which supported discussion and exchange across disciplines and career stages. The relatively small format enabled close interaction between participants.
Exchange and collaboration
The conference was well received, with participants highlighting the scientific quality, diversity of topics, and the interactive atmosphere.
“It was a fantastic experience, and I truly enjoyed meeting everyone and learning more about the metabolomics work being done in Sweden,” said Dr. Qing Zhao from the National University of Singapore.
In addition to the scientific programme, the conference included industry exhibitions, where companies presented technologies and services relevant to metabolomics research.
A recurring meeting
Reflecting on the event, the organizers emphasized its role in bringing together the metabolomics community across disciplines and countries, and in supporting collaboration and exchange of ideas.
The conference continues to develop as a recurring meeting, contributing to collaborations within the SciLifeLab community and beyond.
Pictured in the main photo: Ilona Dudka and Kate Bennett
