SOIL2GUT · Impact of soil microbiodiversity on the development of wild mammal gut biota and immune function
Horizon Europe — Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
- Duration
- 2023-11-01 → 2025-10-31
- EU contribution
- €172,750
- Participants
- 1
- Scheme
- HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF
Lines connect the coordinator with its partners.
Results in brief
Impact of soil microbiodiversity on the development of wild mammal gut biota and immune function
Healthy gut microbiota is essential for immune balance and overall well-being. Yet, modern urban lifestyles often limit contact with natural biodiversity, which may contribute to rising rates of immune-related conditions such as allergies and inflammatory diseases. The SOIL2GUT project set out to explore whether exposure to soil microbial communities during early development can influence gut microbiota and immune function. Our objectives were twofold: 1. Determine if soil microbes affect not only gut bacteria but also gut fungi (mycobiota). 2. Assess whether the origin of soil—urban versus natural—leads to distinct impacts on gut microbiota and immune responses. By addressing these gaps, the project aimed to provide evidence for nature-based strategies that promote health and resilience. The findings have implications for public health, urban planning, and biodiversity conservation, supporting EU priorities on sustainability and well-being.
Data: CORDIS, © European Union
Project objective
The biodiversity hypothesis asserts there is a link between the diversity of environmental and host-associated microbes and civilization diseases', such as asthma and allergies, the result of immune dysfunction and chronic inflammation. Using a well-studied rodent model, the bank vole, SOIL2GUT will test for the first time whether exposure to natural communities of soil microbes during development can improve individual health by promoting microbiota function at the host-microbiota interface (ileum and colon mucous layers) and reduce the risk of immune-related diseases. SOIL2GUT will take advantage of tissue samples generated by an ongoing intervention experiment, promoting the 3Rs policy, but also providing a unique opportunity for omics integration (metataxonomics + MTX). Innovatively, this project will focus on the function of gut flora (not merely taxonomical characterization), in both bacteria and fungi (the latter is particularly unusual), using recent developments in metatranscriptonomics (MTX) to explore functional activity, and combining metadata and metatranscriptomes in statistical models to identify critical factors determining health. Since 68% of the human population will be urbanized by 2050, SOIL2GUT will contribute significantly to the WHO OneHealth framework. This project will also provide data that can be used to plan urban greenspaces, enhance rewilding interventions and improve domestic and zoo animal wellbeing. The researcher will build on his previous experiences and solid publications as a PhD/postdoc, receiving advanced personalized training in bioinformatics and soft skills, including writing grant applications for expanding to other tissues (lung, skin), and rendering him highly employable. In exchange, the researcher will bring methods for measuring individual health and immune gene expression to the hosting lab, among others. A synergy of expertise in microbiota research is envisaged, leading to future collaborative endeavors.
Original text from CORDIS.
Participants
- FONDAZIONE EDMUND MACH · San Michele All'AdigeCoordinatorItaly
Links
- View on CORDIS
- DOI: 10.3030/101110279
- https://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/documents/downloadPublic?documentIds=080166e50be2ec21&appId=PPGMS
- https://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/documents/downloadPublic?documentIds=080166e5129cf1e4&appId=PPGMS
Data: CORDIS, © European Union