Periodic Reporting for period 3 - TransGeno (The ERA Chair for Translational Genomics and Personalized Medicine)
Período documentado: 2018-07-01 hasta 2020-12-31
Specific objectives include:
-To initiate the structural changes required to establish the ERA Chair within the University
-To recruit and hire a high level researcher who will recruit a team of researchers with expertise needed to conduct top level research.
-To increase the number of successful research applications for funding in translational genomics and related fields of clinical genomics and personalized medicine;
-To increase the number of peer-reviewed articles in translational genomics and related fields in which UT staff serve as lead authors/investigators;
-To produce knowledge and tools that could potentially be used to develop a wide range of (commercial) products such as databases and integrative analytical platforms that link genomic transcriptomic and metabolomics data from human and animal samples
-To raise awareness and support for translational genomics and personal medicine in the general public, the business sector and among policy-makers.
A Data Management Plan was created and systems established for data collection and processing. We applied for approval to conduct specific experiments planned in the project and we received it. The ERA Chair recruited a research team that by May of 2017 included 4 Research Fellows, 2 Jr Researchers and 1 lab specialist. By early 2018, 6 PhD students were recruited under the ERA Chair’s supervision (and he will supervise 2 others). PhDs are co-supervised with other senior researchers in UTARTU, a way to increase collaboration as specified in the Research Integration Plan created during this period. The ERA Chair has also refined the focus of the team on 2 goals: 1) to seek genomic biomarkers for chronic inflammatory (skin) disease (such as Psoriasis) for clinical diagnostics and treatment 2) seek genomic biomarkers based on Extracellular Vesicles (EVs) for chronic inflammatory diseases such as skin diseases (psoriasis), joint chronic diseases (arthritis) and infertility (embryo implantation failure).
TransGeno hosted or co-hosted several different events in Tartu as well:
• Hosting Symposium ''Extracellular vesicles: small bags with potential impact in health and disease''
• Co-hosting winter school “Molecular Biology in Animal Sciences”. The TransGeno team conducted training on RNA/DNA extraction and data analysis. 24 people with 17 PhD students completing the school.
• Co-hosting CellFit COST Action “In vitro 3D Total Guidance and Fitness” and “Intercellular Epigenomics.” 67 researchers from 20 countries participated in the event.
In the final period, the TransGeno project:
--Provided training and workshops for hundreds of students, researchers, clinicians and entrepreneurs on our research success.
--Produced over 30 journal articles
--Established stronger linkages between the TransGeno group and units with UT, with the Estonian University of Life Sciences, regional fertility and dermatological clinics
1. Increased attractiveness of the institution, region and country for internationally excellent and mobile researchers
2. Increased research excellence of the institution in the Translational Genomics, in particular linking animal models with human clinical data.
3. Improved capability to compete successfully for internationally competitive research funding
4. Institutional changes within the ERA host institution to implement the European Research Area priorities (including open recruitment policy, gender balance, peer review, and doctoral training)
5. Contributing to the objectives of regional or national smart specialization strategies, including increased interactions with economic and social actions, and complementing support provided under the European Structural and Investment Funds
Four important scientific discoveries:
1. Multi-component Genomic biomarkers identified for Psoriasis
2. Extracellular vesicle based biomarker for embryo implantation quality validated
3.Extracellular vesicle based biomarker for psoriatic arthritis identified
4. Greater understanding of the epigenetic mechanisms and biomarkers of