Global researchers converge at Gastronauts Biosphere 2 to explore the gut-brain connection
More than a symposium, Gastronauts Biosphere 2 was a celebration of curiosity, collaboration and the limitless potential of human discovery.
Held Oct. 26-29, 2025, Gastronauts Biosphere 2 was more than a symposium — it was an immersive scientific experience that redefined how researchers explore the connections between food, the gut and the brain. Set inside the iconic glass domes of Biosphere 2 north of Tucson, the event brought together 70 scientists, clinicians, engineers and innovators from around the world to share new discoveries about how the body and brain communicate. The setting — a 3.14-acre, self-contained world designed to study complex ecosystems — underscored the symposium’s central theme: interconnectedness.
A global community of Gastronauts
The Gastronauts community is an international network of scientists and thinkers united by curiosity about food, the gut, and the brain. Founded by Diego V. Bohórquez, Ph.D., of Duke University, and directed by Maya Kaelberer, Ph.D., of the University of Arizona, Gastronauts fosters collaboration across disciplines including neuroscience, gastroenterology, immunology and even the arts.
The event featured speakers from more than a dozen countries, representing leading institutions such as Stanford, Yale, Tel Aviv University and the Mayo Clinic. Through sessions on topics such as “Life at the Epithelium,” “The Call of Hunger” and “It’s a Visceral World,” presenters explored how gut biology influences everything from emotion and behavior to evolution and empathy.
“The goal of Gastronauts is to promote connection and diversity of thought,” Kaelberer said. “By bringing together experts who normally work in separate fields at the iconic Biosphere 2, we promote scientists to imagine the impossible, uncovering new ways to think about human health — from the cellular level to society.”
Joining Kaelberer and Bohórquez in planning the symposium were Mayo Clinic’s Arthur Beyder, MD, PhD, and David Linden, PhD, and Baylor College of Medicine’s Kara Marshal, PhD.
Immersive science in an iconic environment
The program opened with an introduction to the current and ongoing research at Biosphere 2, as participants were welcomed to a place designed for exploration and imagination. Between sessions, attendees joined self-guided tours of the facility, played soccer under the Biosphere 2 dome, practiced yoga at sunrise and gathered under the desert night sky with the Tucson Astronomy Club, and even gathered to welcome a SAM team member emerging after a two-week, solo sealed stay — experiences that made the science come alive.
Discussions ranged from nanotechnology for nerve repair to the psychology of cravings, with researchers presenting findings that may one day inform new treatments, technologies and health insights. The interdisciplinary approach sparked collaborations that extended well beyond the conference walls.
A fusion of science and art
The symposium concluded with a closing banquet and special performance that captured the creative spirit of the event. Kaelberer collaborated with Kay He, from the University of Arizona School of Music, on an original piece that transformed gut-brain communication into an evocative musical experience. The performance left participants inspired and emphasized the symposium’s theme that science and art share a common language of discovery.
A defining moment in gut-brain research
With its mix of scientific depth, artistic imagination and environmental wonder, Gastronauts Biosphere 2 stands as a defining moment in the exploration of the gut-brain connection. As participants departed the glass-enclosed world of Biosphere 2, they carried with them not only new research insights but also a renewed appreciation for the complex systems — within and around us — that sustain life.
More than a symposium, Gastronauts Biosphere 2 was a celebration of curiosity, collaboration and the limitless potential of human discovery. Learn more about Gastronauts.