Project description
Epigenetic biomarkers of chemical toxicity
Testing chemical toxicity is central to safeguarding public health, biodiversity and future generations. While acute toxic effects are often identified, subtle long-term and transgenerational consequences frequently go unnoticed. This is particularly concerning for widely used chemicals such as herbicides. With the support of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the XENOSEQ project addresses this challenge by exploring whether small regulatory RNA molecules can serve as early biomarkers of long-term toxicity. By comparing healthy systems with those exposed to chemicals, the project aims to detect early molecular changes that indicate chronic stress. Using fruit flies as a model, this approach could establish a new, sensitive tool for assessing chemical safety across species.
Objective
The XENOSEQ project aims to develop tools for detecting epigenetic changes caused by chronic toxicity of chemicals by sequencing small non-coding RNA (sncRNA) profiles. Xenobiotics, including herbicides like glyphosate, have raised concerns regarding their possible effects on human and environmental health, but chronic and especially transgenerational effects are often ignored due to limitations of time and resources. This research project seeks to study whether the newly developed PANDORA-seq unveils subtle changes in sncRNA profiles that may serve as early indicators of chronic toxicity. PANDORA-seq utilizes two RNA modifying enzymes, T4 polynucleotide kinase and AlkB demethylase, to extend the repertoire of detected sncRNAs to an unprecedented world. Comprehensive sequencing of sncRNA profiles may reveal chronic toxicity associated with xenobiotic exposure. Here, we aim to 1) characterize baseline sncRNA profiles in healthy systems, offering a reference point for comparison; 2) expose biological systems to potentially toxic agents and track changes in sncRNA expression using PANDORA-seq; and 3) detect early indicators of chronic toxicity, allowing the development of a complementary tool for the assessment of chemical toxicity.
PANDORA-seq's precision and sensitivity make it a promising tool for studying epigenetic regulation, which may cause chronic and transgenerational diseases. As this MSCA project is a first effort to use sncRNA for chronic ecotoxicology, we open the research field by using the fruit fly as a model organism, but the technique can be easily adapted for studying other relevant organisms, such as honey bees and mammals.
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.
- medical and health sciences health sciences public health
- agricultural sciences agriculture, forestry, and fisheries agriculture horticulture fruit growing
- natural sciences biological sciences genetics RNA
- natural sciences biological sciences zoology mammalogy
- natural sciences biological sciences biochemistry biomolecules proteins enzymes
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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-2023-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.
40100 Jyvaskyla
Finland
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.