Project description
Uncovering the roots of civilisation diseases
A silent threat lurks in our modernised world – civilisation diseases like asthma and allergies, fuelled by a disrupted balance in environmental and host-associated microbes. The biodiversity hypothesis posits a direct link between this microbial imbalance and immune dysfunction. With the support of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the SOIL2GUT project pioneers a transformative initiative, using the bank vole model to explore whether exposure to natural soil microbes during development can reshape health outcomes and mitigate the risk of immune-related diseases. This groundbreaking endeavour not only probes the roots of our health challenges but also paves the way for innovative solutions in a rapidly urbanising world.
Objective
The biodiversity hypothesis asserts there is a link between the diversity of environmental and host-associated microbes and civilization diseases', such as asthma and allergies, the result of immune dysfunction and chronic inflammation. Using a well-studied rodent model, the bank vole, SOIL2GUT will test for the first time whether exposure to natural communities of soil microbes during development can improve individual health by promoting microbiota function at the host-microbiota interface (ileum and colon mucous layers) and reduce the risk of immune-related diseases. SOIL2GUT will take advantage of tissue samples generated by an ongoing intervention experiment, promoting the 3Rs policy, but also providing a unique opportunity for omics integration (metataxonomics + MTX). Innovatively, this project will focus on the function of gut flora (not merely taxonomical characterization), in both bacteria and fungi (the latter is particularly unusual), using recent developments in metatranscriptonomics (MTX) to explore functional activity, and combining metadata and metatranscriptomes in statistical models to identify critical factors determining health. Since 68% of the human population will be urbanized by 2050, SOIL2GUT will contribute significantly to the WHO OneHealth framework. This project will also provide data that can be used to plan urban greenspaces, enhance rewilding interventions and improve domestic and zoo animal wellbeing. The researcher will build on his previous experiences and solid publications as a PhD/postdoc, receiving advanced personalized training in bioinformatics and soft skills, including writing grant applications for expanding to other tissues (lung, skin), and rendering him highly employable. In exchange, the researcher will bring methods for measuring individual health and immune gene expression to the hosting lab, among others. A synergy of expertise in microbiota research is envisaged, leading to future collaborative endeavors.
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.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques.
- medical and health scienceshealth sciencespublic health
- medical and health sciencesclinical medicinepneumologyasthma
- engineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringecosystem-based managementecological restoration
- natural sciencesbiological sciencesecologyecosystems
- medical and health sciencesclinical medicineallergology
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Keywords
Programme(s)
- HORIZON.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Main Programme
Funding Scheme
HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - European FellowshipsCoordinator
38098 San Michele All'Adige
Italy