Integrated-omics modelling on feed efficiency in beef cattle

• Grant number: 16/16214-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Master's degree
• Start date: October 15, 2016
• End date: April 14, 2017
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Animal Husbandry - Genetics and Improvement of Domestic Animals
• Principal Investigator: Heidge Fukumasu
• Grantee: Francisco José de Novais
• Supervisor: Mark Philip-Walter Styczynski
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Zootecnia e Engenharia de Alimentos (FZEA). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Pirassununga , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Georgia Institute of Technology, United States
• Associated to the scholarship: 15/01059-4 - Analysis in serum metabolomic associated with feed efficiency in Nellore, BP.MS

Abstract

Feed efficiency (FE) of beef cattle means to increase the beef productivity with less expenditure of feed. Our group have been working with feed efficiency in Nellore cattle for years performing the detection of molecular markers associated with the phenotype. Nowadays we are developing experiments working on multi-tissue omics and blood metabolomics on this important phenotype. Therefore, this proposal aims: (1) training on the basis of bioinformatics analysis of blood metabolome to characterize the serum profile of divergent animals selected for feed efficiency; (2) to perform network analyses using the metabolomics data and (3) to discuss and develop an integrative-omics model for FE in beef cattle. To achieve these objectives, we initiate a research collaboration with the Mark Styczynski group at Georgia Tech that have great knowledge and experience on metabolomics, systems biology, bioinformatics and statistical modelling.