MICROGENNET

"Extension, enhancement and strengthening of established collaborations for the purpose of a community-driven knowledge base for micronutrient genomics"

 Partecipanti

Mappa

 Word cloud

Esplora la "nuvola delle parole (Word Cloud) per avere un'idea di massima del progetto.

 Obiettivo del progetto (Objective)

'MICROGENNET is a collaboration of 16 distinguished universities and research institutes worldwide. The overall aim of the exchange programme is to build, extend and strengthen sustainable collaborations between the partners so as to create a community driven knowledge base for micronutrient genomics research. Currently, the data on nutrient effects on health are scattered in publications and databases around the world. The aim of this work is to provide a public portal and bioinformatics toolbox to access and analyse collaborative and publically available data. Ultimately the goal is to develop individualized intake recommendations for specific micronutrients to promote prevention of both acute illness and chronic disease.The exchange objective is provide researchers with: an international platform to learn novel techniques and methods, the opportunity to formulate new joint collaborative research and funding proposals and international exposure and intercultural understanding. The exchange programme consists of visits ranging from 1-7 months for ESRs and ERs. The expertise and facilities of the partners are highly complementary and the synergy lies in the combination of expertise on identifying metabolic and functional target pathways for a range of micronutrients (Selenium, Zinc , Vitamins and vitamin-related compounds anti-oxidants) and bioinformatics expertise on pathway analysis and data integration. The concise work plan consists of 4 work packages, 2 related to data collection concerning minerals and vitamins, a third over-arching bioinformatic workpackage and one for management. The consortium will be sustainable through its close association with the Micronutrient Genomics Project and the Europe-led NuGO association. MICROGENNET contributes to the EC priorities because it uses mobility to transfer knowledge and will create a network through which European centres of excellence will enhanced through links with researchers from the rest of the world.'

Introduzione (Teaser)

Combining worldwide expertise on micronutrients relevant to human health with wiki-based information sharing could help prevent disease.

Descrizione progetto (Article)

Micronutrients such as vitamins, zinc, selenium and antioxidants are required in small amounts for normal physiological function. Data on the precise role, metabolism and health effects of these nutrients are, however, scattered among databases and publications worldwide, or are not easily accessible.

Through collaboration with 16 distinguished universities and research institutes worldwide, the EU-funded http://www.micronutrientgenomics.org/index.php/Microgennet (MICROGENNET) project aims to create a community-driven knowledge base for micronutrient research. This programme is closely associated with another micronutrient information portal, the http://www.micronutrientgenomics.org/index.php/Main_Page (Micronutrient Genomics Project) (MGP), for the evaluation of the relationship between micronutrients and health.

Using wiki-based tools, the expertise of consortium partners is being harnessed to create a public portal and information toolbox to collate and analyse publically available data. All partners can access and edit the wiki pages, thus creating an interactive environment within the micronutrient research community.

To aid European knowledge transfer, the project has established an exchange programme for young researchers to visit international partners' facilities.

Ultimately, MICROGENNET hopes to develop intake recommendations for each specific micronutrient. This will promote the prevention of both acute illness and chronic disease.