Making sense of microbiome testing: From data overwhelm to clinical clarity
EVENT DATE:
25 November
2026
-
DURATION:
1
day
-
CPD:
BANT, ION
NNA
-
EVENT TYPE:
Live,
Online
-
LECTURER:
Hannah
Braye
-
EVENT DATE:
25 November
2026
-
DURATION:
1
day
-
CPD:
BANT, ION
NNA
-
EVENT TYPE:
Live,
Online
-
LECTURER:
Hannah
Braye
-
Continue your professional development with our Fasting in clinical practice: Making sense of microbiome testing: From data overwhelm to clinical clarity course
This course focuses on how to use functional stool and microbiome testing confidently in clinical practice. It explores what different testing methods can, and cannot tell us, how to recognise clinically meaningful patterns, and how to translate complex results into actionable clinical insights.
Stool testing can provide a valuable window into gastrointestinal physiology, microbial ecology and clinically relevant patterns, but the expanding range of tests and volume of data can make both test selection and interpretation challenging. Practitioners are often faced with apparently conflicting markers, long lists of microorganisms, and uncertainty about whether a detected organism is clinically meaningful. This course aims to build confidence in selecting appropriate, high-quality testing, critically interpreting results in context, and looking beyond individual organisms to understand the microbiome through a functional lens.
The course will begin by exploring the evolving landscape of stool and microbiome testing, examining how different testing methodologies, technologies and quality standards influence what can be detected and reported. It will then explore how key gastrointestinal health markers can be integrated with microbiome findings to identify patterns of physiological and microbial imbalance, using examples such as intestinal inflammation, impaired barrier function and slow transit. The course will consider pathogens and pathobionts through this wider ecological and clinical context, exploring when detection is clinically meaningful and how this can inform management. Finally, participants will take a deeper dive into functional dysbiosis and use case-based learning to translate patterns within test results into prioritised, personalised and evidence-informed interventions.
Course details
Course trailer
What will I learn?
- Critically compare and select tests with greater confidence based on the clinical question, methodology and limitations
- Integrate key gastrointestinal health markers with microbiome findings to identify coherent patterns rather than interpreting results in isolation
- Evaluate potential microbial contributors to physiological imbalances such as intestinal inflammation, impaired barrier function and slow transit
- Differentiate between pathogen detection and context-dependent pathobiont findings and assess when a microbial result is more or less likely to be clinically meaningful
- Recognise common functional dysbiosis patterns and develop prioritised, personalised and evidence-informed management plans, while avoiding common interpretation and treatment pitfalls
Full Agenda
Who is this course suitable for?
- Qualified nutritional therapy practitioners
- Nutritionists
- Dieticians
- Naturopaths
- Other qualified healthcare practitioners
- Final year nutrition students will also be welcome
With
Hannah Braye
Registered Nutrition Practitioner
Hannah Braye is a Registered Nutrition Practitioner accredited by the British Association for Nutrition and Lifestyle Medicine (BANT). She holds a Master’s degree in Personalised Nutrition, with her research focused on the gut microbiome, alongside a Clinical Practice Diploma in Naturopathic Nutrition.
Hannah Braye
Hannah Braye is a Registered Nutrition Practitioner accredited by the British Association for Nutrition and Lifestyle Medicine (BANT). She holds a Master’s degree in Personalised Nutrition, with her research focused on the gut microbiome, alongside a Clinical Practice Diploma in Naturopathic Nutrition. Hannah currently works as Clinical Education Director at Invivo Healthcare and UK Education Lead at Microba, working at the intersection of microbiome science and clinical practice. Her expertise spans microbiome diagnostics, clinical interpretation and nutritional therapeutics, with a particular focus on translating complex and emerging microbiome science into practical, evidence-based approaches for healthcare practitioners. Prior to her current roles, Hannah was Head of Technical Advice at probiotic specialists ADM Protexin (Bio-Kult) and ran her own nutrition practice specialising in gut health. She is an experienced clinical educator and scientific communicator, supporting practitioner education and professional development in evidence-based gut health and microbiome science.
Course information
Cost | £130 |
Date | Wednesday 25th November 2026, at 10:00am – 4.30pm |
CPD | BANT, NNA, ION CPD 5 hours |
Study mode | Live online course, with the ability to ask some questions (within set times) |
Materials | PDF of course presentation upon registration |
Recording | Edited recap post course, available to view up to 20 times |
Course timeline
Book course ticket
One-use registration link sent via email
Course materials released week prior to course date
Live course takes place
Edited course recap video released within two to three days post course
On-demand course version released within three weeks post course
Good to know
Bookings
- Please check you have read ION’s FAQs including our cancellation and refund policy before booking
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Registration links and materials
- If you successfully book on a course, you will be automatically sent a link to the course when you register. Please do not share this with anyone. This is set up to only allow entry to the first user that clicks it. Further links cannot be generated.
- Approximately 1 weeks before the course you will be sent an email so that you can access course materials.
- Where indicated in the programme, a recording of the course will be available after the course to view up to 20 times
CPD
- Participation in an ION CPD course forms part of a practitioner’s or individual’s ongoing learning. It does not qualify a non-clinically trained practitioner or individual to work in a clinical setting. Individual’s boundaries of safe work, advice or practice are primarily determined by their formal qualifications and related personal insurance.
- ION does not send out certificates for live online courses.
- ION will send an automatic confirmation of attendance providing ION CPD hours when a participant has been present for the duration of the course (as reported via the online platform)
