Project description
Chicken for the future: new methods of cryopreservation
In view of the climate change crisis, safe food consumption will soon rely on genetic improvement and sustainable farming. The first obstacle humanity faces in this direction is maintenance of genetic diversity. Currently available cryopreservation methods for chicken breeds are not applicable to female germplasm cells, while glycerol used for preservation of semen compromises its fertility. The CRYOCHICK project, funded by the European Union HORIZON scheme, aspires to develop new effective methods to conserve both male and female chicken germplasm with cost-effective materials. The perspective of gene banking offered by the project is more than attractive in the context of urgent calls for biodiversity preservation.
Objective
Poultry products are the most consumed source of animal protein globally. To enable current and future poultry genetic improvement towards climate adaptation and sustainable farming practices to meet future nutritional demands, it is essential to maintain and make available the existing genetic diversity within and between the breeds. Gene banks can assist in conserving genetic diversity and reintroduction and implementation of important traits or genetic variants into poultry lines. The main goal of CRYOCHICK is to develop effective cryopreservation methods for ex-situ conservation of male and female chicken germplasm. Existing strategies and methods for gene banking of chicken reproductive material are not adequate for several reasons such as poor fertility rate of cryopreserved semen, the contraceptive effect in hen of glycerol (the most effective sperm cryoprotectant), the current impossible cryopreservation of chicken oocytes due to its telolecithal structure, while semen alone does not capture genes of mitochondria and the W sex-chromosome. Therefore, new effective cryopreservation methods for both male and female chicken germplasms, as well as new strategies for maintaining and using the stored cryopreserved materials for cost-effective gene banking are required. The methods and strategies developed will likely also benefit other poultry species and conservation of wild relatives. CRYOCHICK comprises a high level training program for Dr. Bernal and different coordinated actions performed by prestigious institutes from different countries and research fields promoting international collaboration, interdisciplinarity and transfer of top knowledge to the private sector. The European competitiveness will be reinforced by addressing, with the highest level of knowledge, important global scientific and societal concerns such as maintenance of biodiversity and food security, both serious threatened by climate change.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- natural sciences biological sciences biochemistry biomolecules proteins
- social sciences sociology demography fertility
- natural sciences biological sciences biochemistry biomolecules lipids
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) HORIZON-MSCA-2022-PF-01
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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.
6708 PB Wageningen
Netherlands
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.