Dietary Interactions in Ecology Through Sequencing (DIETS) Symposium

21st – 24th July 2026

Trophic interactions underpin the function, stability and diversity of our ecosystems, rendering their study vital for understanding, protecting and monitoring biodiversity. The last two decades have seen the rise and dominance of molecular methods for the analysis of wild animal diets, with widening adoption introducing greater diversity in practices, and opportunities for advancement and collaboration.

The Dietary Interactions in Ecology Through Sequencing (DIETS) Symposium, to be held at Durham University 21st-24th July 2026, will be an in-person symposium focused on the molecular analysis of trophic interactions. By sharing recent and ongoing research and ideas, DIETS will catalyse collaborative and advancement in this field whilst also identifying consensus on various practical aspects of molecular dietary analysis.

The River Wear, winding through the heart of Durham.

Durham Cathedral and the city’s picturesque riverside.

DIETS will take place across four days, including a one-day workshop, a local excursion and two days of talks from global researchers using molecular methods to study trophic interactions.

Registration will open soon.

General registration deadline: 17:00 BST, 26th June 2026.

Abstract deadline: 17:00 BST, 17th April 2026.

Stipulated registration fee: £195 standard rate and £160 student rate.

Details related to the one-day workshop (21st July 2026) and excursion (24th July 2026) will be announced soon.

The Confluence Building, Durham University, where the symposium will largely be held.

Hatfield College, where accommodation and the conference dinner can be found.

Event sponsors

Schedule

21st July: Workshop

Details to be confirmed soon!

22nd July: Symposium

All sessions take place in the Confluence Building, Durham University, unless otherwise stated (in italics).

Time	Activity
9:00	Registration
9:30	Welcome and housekeeping
10:00	Talk session
11:00	Break
11:30	Breakout session 1
12:30	Lunch
13:30	Poster session
14:00	Plenary 1
14:30	Talk session
15:30	Break
16:00	Breakout session 2
17:00	Mixer and poster session
18:30	Plenary 2, Hatfield College Chapel
19:00	Plenary panel discussion, Hatfield College Chapel
19:30	Conference dinner, Hatfield College Dining Hall

23rd July: Symposium

All sessions take place in the Confluence Building, Durham University, unless otherwise stated (in italics).

Time	Activity
9:00	Talk session
10:30	Break
11:00	Breakout session 3
12:00	Lunch
13:00	Poster session
14:00	Plenary 3
14:30	Talk session
16:00	Break
16:30	Breakout summaries and open discussion
17:00	Conference close

Breakout sessions

For the breakout sessions, three parallel facilitated discussions will take place. Attendees will have the opportunity to submit their preferences for each breakout session. The goal is to discuss current challenges, opportunities and best practices related to each of these themes.

Groupings	Breakout session 1	Breakout session 2	Breakout session 3
Group 1	Predatory dietary analysis	Experimental controls	Reference data
Group 2	Herbivorous dietary analysis	Data processing and filtering	Open research and FAIR principles
Group 3	Omnivorous dietary analysis	Merging methods	Multi-marker metabarcoding