EADGENE

From 2004-09-01 to 2010-02-28, closed project
Strengthening the implementation of durable integration of EADGENE

By integrating the key European teams in genomics, bioinformatics, animal health and animal models, EADGENE has enabled:
- The gathering of a critical mass of scientists and a unique access of complementary resources across host and pathogen models.
- The development of innovative functional genomics so that it has become a powerful tool in veterinary molecular medicine and has contributed to a better understanding of host-pathogen interactions, for the improvement of animal health and food safety. 
Successful examples of animal health genomics in salmon, pigs and chicken

Brochure ethics in animal genomic research

Partners:

- INRA, France
- Wageningen University, Netherlands
- Animal Sciences Group Lelystad, Netherlands
- Institute for Animal Health, United Kingdom
- Roslin Institute and R(D)SVS, University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom
- University of Aarhus, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, Denmark
- Liège University, Belgium
- Ljubljana University, Slovenia
- Cordoba University, Spain
- Norwegian School of Veterinary Science, Norway
- Research Institute for the Biology of Farm Animals, Germany
- Parco Technologico Padano, Italy
- European Forum of Farm Animal Breeders, Netherlands
- University of Copenhagen, Denmark
- Institute for Pig Genetics, Netherlands

Achievements of EADGENE's Integration Activities:

  • Database of available resources
  • Provision and annotation of chicken, pig, and bovine DNA micro-arrays
  • Provision of SNP panels for large scale genotyping
  • Provision of 60K SNP chips
  • Development and distribution of bioinformatics tools
  • Promotion and organisation of workshops and courses
  • Sharing and publication of analytical approaches
  • Mobilisation of scientists
  • Guidelines for addressing Intellectual Property issues





Achievements of EADGENE's Technology Transfer Activities:
  • Club of Interest: over 70 industry members
  • Collaborations between research and industry
  • Technology Transfer working party
  • Knowledge Management working party
  • Industry-Academia conferences (2005, 2009)
  • Animal Trait Ontology project
  • Data comparison project
  • Poultry disease resistance project
  • Phenotypic database
Achievements of EADGENE's Research Activities:
​
  •  Inventories of genetic resources and recorded disease traits
  • Working groups and research projects on Salmonella, mastitis, E.coli, and the fish pathogens ISAV/IPNV
  • Phenotyping of immune responses in genetic models for disease resistance
  • Comparative transcriptomic studies in hosts and pathogens
  • Identification of relevant (signaling) pathways and gene networks
  • Identification and characterisation of virulence factors
  • Large scale SNP discoveries and genotyping
  • Identification of candidate genes and QTNs
  • Integration and meta-analysis of gene expression data
  • Genotyping using whole genome and targeted approaches
  • Maps and annotation of animal and microbial genomes improved
  • Mathematical models of disease
  • Identification of regulatory elements and miRNAs
Achievements of EADGENE's Communication Activities: 
  • Public information website: www.eadgene.info - this website is offline since 2015
  • Intranet for EADGENE Partners
  • Organisation of EADGENE conferences
  • Ethical guidance
  • Production of newsletters, leaflets and posters. 

Read the EADGENE success stories brochure about what the EADGENE project has achieved.


Research vs. Industry
Benefits from collaboration between research and industry

The distance between new knowledge and new product is called the Technology Transfer (TT) ‘gap’.  It is clear that the ‘gap’ can only be ‘bridged’ by truly effective collaboration between research and industry working together. The Technology Transfer Working Party has produced a document exploring incentives and motivation behind research and industry collaboration to get a clear view of how the problems might be addressed.

Read the whole document here.


Do’s and Don’ts Protocol Technology Transfer 

The Do’s and Don’ts protocol for Technology Transfer has been set up as a guide for research institutes, scientists, and industry with the objective of making them aware of common problems, so that efficient collaborative research activities can be established efficiently in the framework of current legislation. It contains several documents which can be of great help when setting up cooperations between industry and research institutes.

Read the whole protocol here. 
Animal health genomics: new solutions for animal & human health

Animal health genomics can play an important role to prevent and control animal diseases, and must be part of future animal and human health strategies. 

Animal health genomics is an integrated approach that intelligently combines breeding and genomics technologies with animal health. The EADGENE and EADGENE_S networks worked from 2004-2010 & 2010-2013 to find new solutions for animal diseases through breeding and genomics. Such integrated approaches are more needed in the future to secure animal and human health in Europe and the world.

Improving animal health will remain an important issue for ensuring a sustainable livestock sector in Europe. Integrated and innovative approaches are needed to realise improved animal health. Cooperation between scientists, policy-makers and industry is necessary to share knowledge and put animal health high on the policy agenda.

This site offers information on the results of the European research project EADGENE as well as on its successor EADGENE_S. It provides more information on the successfull examples of fighting animal diseases through breeding and genomics, and the power of industry and science working together.

Both projects, EADGENE & EADGENE_S, has come to an end. Partners of the project will continue to work together to find solutions for other diseases. 
For more information about EADGENE, visit http://cordis.europa.eu/project/rcn/74158_en.html.