MultiOmicsTox | Multi-view learning and quantitative genetics to identify the molecular basis of adaptation to chemical pollutants

Summary
My project proposes to understand what genetic and functional genomic variation contribute to the process of adaptation and to the evolutionary fate of natural populations when confronted with modern threats, such as multi-generational exposure to a chemical pollutant in the environment. The current environmental health policies and regulatory decisions are based on ad hoc methods and do not reflect true population susceptibility. My solution is to apply multi-view machine learning, combined with quantitative genetics, to analyse a huge volume of multi-omics data to advance Precision Toxicology that brings greater certainty in the causal links between chemicals and their adverse effects. My project focuses on the multi-generational effect of pesticides in shaping genetic variation and the molecular evolutionary trajectory of Daphnia obtained from resurrected subpopulations from within dated lake sediments spanning 120 years. The adaptive phenotypes at different doses of pesticides were scored in common garden experiments and samples were taken to produce associated multi-omics data (genomes, transcriptomes, regulomes and metabolomes). I propose utilizing this data to meet the following two objectives:(1) To use quantitative genetics for the determination of genetic susceptibility of the subpopulation to pesticide exposure; (2) To identify the mechanisms and forms of evolution that result in adaptation, by integrating multi-omics data using multi-view machine learning. Expected outcomes of this work will (a) fill a gap in mechanistic understanding of the adaptive responses of natural populations, (b) identify segregating genetic variation within genomes that regulates the pace and magnitude of an adaptive response to chemical pollutants, and (c) discover putative biomarkers that estimate exposure-related genetic susceptibility of populations to the multi-generational harmful effects of chemicals for setting site-specific controls on chemical pollutants.
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More information & hyperlinks
Web resources: https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/101028700
Start date: 01-05-2021
End date: 09-05-2023
Total budget - Public funding: 224 933,76 Euro - 224 933,00 Euro
Cordis data

Original description

My project proposes to understand what genetic and functional genomic variation contribute to the process of adaptation and to the evolutionary fate of natural populations when confronted with modern threats, such as multi-generational exposure to a chemical pollutant in the environment. The current environmental health policies and regulatory decisions are based on ad hoc methods and do not reflect true population susceptibility. My solution is to apply multi-view machine learning, combined with quantitative genetics, to analyse a huge volume of multi-omics data to advance Precision Toxicology that brings greater certainty in the causal links between chemicals and their adverse effects. My project focuses on the multi-generational effect of pesticides in shaping genetic variation and the molecular evolutionary trajectory of Daphnia obtained from resurrected subpopulations from within dated lake sediments spanning 120 years. The adaptive phenotypes at different doses of pesticides were scored in common garden experiments and samples were taken to produce associated multi-omics data (genomes, transcriptomes, regulomes and metabolomes). I propose utilizing this data to meet the following two objectives:(1) To use quantitative genetics for the determination of genetic susceptibility of the subpopulation to pesticide exposure; (2) To identify the mechanisms and forms of evolution that result in adaptation, by integrating multi-omics data using multi-view machine learning. Expected outcomes of this work will (a) fill a gap in mechanistic understanding of the adaptive responses of natural populations, (b) identify segregating genetic variation within genomes that regulates the pace and magnitude of an adaptive response to chemical pollutants, and (c) discover putative biomarkers that estimate exposure-related genetic susceptibility of populations to the multi-generational harmful effects of chemicals for setting site-specific controls on chemical pollutants.

Status

CLOSED

Call topic

MSCA-IF-2020

Update Date

28-04-2024
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EU-Programme-Call
Horizon 2020
H2020-EU.1. EXCELLENT SCIENCE
H2020-EU.1.3. EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
H2020-EU.1.3.2. Nurturing excellence by means of cross-border and cross-sector mobility
H2020-MSCA-IF-2020
MSCA-IF-2020 Individual Fellowships