Dirk Haller is Director of the Institute for Food & Health (ZIEL) and Full Professor for Nutrition and Immunology (Chair) at the Technical University of Munich. He received his academic training at the University of Hohenheim, graduating in Nutrition Science and Food Technology, and completed his education with a PhD in Microbiology and Immunology. Following periods of research in Switzerland (Nestlé Research Center) and USA (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill), he received an Emmy Noether carreer award from the German Research Foundation (DFG) to work at TUM. He declined international professorships in Canada (University of Alberta) and Switzerland (ETH Zurich) and is Kavli Frontiers of Science alumni (US National Academy of Science and Humboldt Foundation). He recently received the Main Award of the German Society of Medical Microbiology (DGHM). Prof. Haller is responsible for large scientific programs in the field of microbiome research including the Collaborative Research Center (CRC) 1371 and Priority Program (SPP) 1656 of the German Research Foundation (DFG). The main areas of research are dedicated to understand the role of microbe-host interactions (microbiome) and nutrition in the regulation of gut health and chronic disorders including inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) and colorectal cancer (CRC).