In response to increasing societal demands for sustainable animal production and the challenges posed by climate change and environmental fluctuations, GEroNIMO seeks to improve livestock breeding in pigs and chickens by integrating comprehensive genetic, epigenetic, and phenotypic data. GEroNIMO approach aims to unravel the biological mechanisms driving efficient and resilient livestock production and to develop advanced genomic selection models that enhance breeding accuracy and sustainability, maintaining genetic diversity.
A central focus of the project is understanding how organisms respond to environmental variations through epigenetic modifications that influence gene expression and shape phenotypes. Environmental factors during various life stages, including prenatal development, can have long-lasting effects on production traits, behaviour and adaptive capacity. To investigate these processes, GEroNIMO uses diverse experimental strategies across species, including chicken, pig, and quail, to identify epigenetic signatures of environmental stressors such as changes in feed composition, heat stress, and seasonal fluctuations in outdoor farming. GEroNIMO results will advance our understanding of how the breeding environment affects DNA methylation patterns and regulatory elements involved in stress response and resilience, ultimately providing insights into how breeding and environmental exposures influence traits variation over time.
Beyond scientific and technical advances, GEroNIMO addresses ethical and societal implications of emerging genomic technologies. The project emphasizes transparent communication, stakeholder engagement, and aligning breeding innovations with public values on sustainability, animal welfare, and food security. By fostering open dialogue among researchers, breeders, policymakers, and the wider public, GEroNIMO aims to maximize its findings’ practical impact, ensuring responsible and socially acceptable improvements in livestock breeding and production systems.
