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Nutritional epigenetic programming of gut mucosal health in first-feeding fish

Project description

A dietary intervention approach to improve the innate immunity of fish

The use of diet to "programme" young fish could prove to be an important step towards improving their health management and intensifying production. Research suggests that the effect of certain nutrients on intestinal microbiota can induce epigenetic reprogramming of innate immune cells with long-term positive effects on health. The EU-funded Reprogram project will assess early epigenetic nutritional programming by butyrate in the first feeding stages of Nile tilapia to determine the potential of this dietary additive to enhance gut mucosal health in a fish species important to aquaculture. Researchers will use different techniques, including fish immunology, nutrition and microbiology, and employ advanced biological approaches to assess dietary effects on the gut microbiome of fish.

Objective

The growing world population, combined with over-exploited fisheries, indicates that by the year 2030 aquaculture should provide 70% of the fish protein required for human consumption. The potential of early life programming of fish health, by diet-induced changes, could be an important step towards better health management in aquaculture and to promote the need for intensification. The aim of Reprogram is to epigenetically program fish health during the critical early life window to maintain broad immune competence. Evidence suggests that the effect of certain nutrients on the intestinal microbiota can induce epigenetic reprogramming of innate immune cells with long-term positive effects on health. Early epigenetic nutritional programming by butyrate, will be evaluated in first-feeding stages of Nile tilapia, exploring the potential of this dietary additive to enhance gut mucosal health in a fish species important to aquaculture. The project will integrate research methodology relevant to several disciplines including fish immunology, nutrition and microbiology and employ advanced biological approaches such as a germ-free system, to assess dietary effects on the gut microbiome. Reprogram will familiarise the candidate with state-of-the-art genomic approaches, for transcriptome and epigenome by next-generation sequencing nanopore and chromatin immunoprecipitation technology, and with effects on the fish immune system. Hosting, by both a world-class university and at one of the world’s first certified sequencing providers of Oxford Nanopore Technologies (secondment), will increase the potential of the researcher to reach professional maturity during the fellowship. Dissemination of the project results to a wide audience, including a non-profit organisation relevant to worldwide aquaculture, will complement the already excellent career path of the candidate and facilitate her acquisition of a stable research position in Europe.

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MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF)

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Call for proposal

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(opens in new window) H2020-MSCA-IF-2020

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Coordinator

WAGENINGEN UNIVERSITY
Net EU contribution

Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.

€ 175 572,48
Address
DROEVENDAALSESTEEG 4
6708 PB Wageningen
Netherlands

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Region
Oost-Nederland Gelderland Veluwe
Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
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Total cost

The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.

€ 175 572,48
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