Title
Genetic improvement of swine health: identification and validation of biomarkers and predictive models of immunocompetence and energy metabolism (METAPIGSEL)
Subproject 1 (PID2023-148961OB-C21): Genetic improvement of swine health: identification and validation of biomarkers and predictive models of immunocompetence (IRTA, Spain).
Subproject 2 (PID2023-148961OB-C22): Genetic improvement of swine health: identification and validation of biomarkers and predictive models of energy metabolism (UAB and CRAG, Spain).
Main objective
The main objective of the present proposal is to delve into the genetic determinism of immunometabolism and energy homeostasis in pigs, aiming to select and validate the most informative genetic variants, molecular biomarkers and immunity traits involved in the phenotypic diversity of both immunocompetence and production traits. The ultimate goal is to generate methodology and tools able to be implemented by the pig industry to enhance animal robustness and resistance to pathogens while ensuring production efficiency and product quality.
Funding and Approval Timeline
Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades (Spain); from 2024 to 2027.
257,500€ (Subproject 1).
232,500€ (Subproject 2).
Research Institutions
The project is developed by the Animal Breeding and Genetics Program of the Institute for Research and Technology in Food and Agriculture (IRTA subproject and coordinator) and the Animal Genomics group of the Center for Research in Agrigenomics (CRAG subproject).
Project Staff
Research Team Subproject 1: IP 1 (Coordinator): Dr. Maria Ballester Devis (IRTA, Spain), IP 2: Dr. Raquel Quintanilla Aguado (IRTA, Spain).
Working Team Subproject 1: Dr. Mario Calus (WUR, Netherlands), Dr. Antonio Reverter (CSIRO, Australia), Olga González (IRTA, Spain), Teodor Jové (IRTA, Spain), Carles Hernández (IRTA, Spain), Neus Torrentó (IRTA, Spain).
External collaborators: Dr. Jordi Argilaguet (IRTA-CRESA, Spain), Dr. Carles Vilalta (IRTA-CRESA, Spain), Dr. Gerardo Ceasa (IRTA-CRESA, Spain), Dr. Manuel Revilla (Hendrix Genetics, Netherlands).
Research Team Subproject 2: IP 1: Dr. Josep Maria Folch Albareda (UAB and CRAG, Spain), Dr. Armand Sanchez Bonastre (UAB and CRAG, Spain), Dr. Anna Castelló Farré (CRAG, Spain)
Working Team Subproject 2: Ferran Llobet (CRAG, Spain), Miao Zhang (CRAG, Spain).