Unibo Team Leader: Prof. Paolo Bosi, Dip. di Protezione e Valorizzazione Agro-Alimentare-DIPROVAL
Low input farming occurs under non-SPF (specific pathogen free) conditions. The European ban on in-feed antibiotics exposes the piglets to a higher microbial environmental pressure. The postnatal priming of piglets with a diverse microbiota may affect the development of the piglet's host-defense and gut functionality. By reversal, the piglets developing host-defense may affect the development of the gastro-intestinal microbiota. Moreover, this intricate interplay between gut microbiota and its host during the early phases of life is expected to also affect animal health and performance later in life. The gut microbiome is an immensely diverse ecosystem that has co-evolved with its host. Recent research on microbe-host interactions has provided novel insights into the role of commensal intestinal microbes in several physiological processes, i.e., from epithelial barrier development to immune development as well as neurological aspects. Nevertheless, we only start to understand the molecular mechanisms of the host microbe cross-talk. Recent conceptual as well as technological advances have set the stage for the integrated application of a complementary set of high throughput approaches for the
comprehensive profiling of GIT microbiota composition and functionality as well as the animal's intestinal function. In a multidisciplinary consortium, comprising 11 public and private partners from across and beyond Europe with complementary expertise in gut microbiomics, immunology and physiology, and animal genomics and nutrition, INTERPLAY will apply an integrated approach to arrive at a sound understanding of the interaction of early colonization of the intestine and the development of gut function. This knowledge will be exploited for the identification of innovative management strategies that address host genotype as well as nutritional means to provide a framework for sustainable animal production at high food and consumer safety and improved animal health and welfare.
Coordinator
WAGENINGEN UNIVERSITEIT (The Netherlands)
Other participants
ALMA MATER STUDIORUM-UNIVERSITA DI BOLOGNA
- Dip. di Protezione e Valorizzazione Agro-Alimentare-DIPROVAL
- Resp. Scientifico: Prof. Paolo Bosi
UNIVERSITY OF BRISTOL (UK)
INSTITUT NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE AGRONOMIQUE (France)
OTTO-VON-GUERICKE-UNIVERSITAET MAGDEBURG (Germany)
ISTITUTO NAZIONALE DI RICERCA PER GLI ALIMENTI E LA NUTRIZIONE (Italy)
ASG VEEHOUDERIJ BV (The Netherlands)
NANJING AGRICULTURAL UNIVERSITY (China)
PARCO TECNOLOGICO PADANO S.R.L. (Italy)
MIKROBIOLOGICKY USTAV - AVCR, V.V.I. (Czech Republic)
HELSINGIN YLIOPISTO (Finland)
ID-LELYSTAD, INSTITUUT VOOR DIERHOUDERIJ EN DIERGEZONDHEID B.V. (The Netherlands)
Start date 01/09/2009
End date 31/08/2013
Duration 48 months
Project cost 3.965.435 EURO
Project Funding 2.999.711 EURO
Subprogramme Area Improving production animal health and food safety through investigating the gut function of farm animals, the gastro-intestinal microflora and their interactions
Contract type Small or medium-scale focused research project