CONNECTING THE ANIMAL GENOME, GASTROINTESTINAL MICROBIOMES AND NUTRITION TO IMPROVE DIGESTION EFFICIENCY AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS OF RUMINANT LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION
8 - 10 JULY 2014.
Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Piacenza, Italy
The overall aim of the conference is to promote understanding of the role of the complex microbial ecosystems present in the digestive tract of man and animals, in maintaining health of the host. This includes elucidating links between the microbial ecology of the digestive tract and the roles of specific genes in the interplay both between micro-organisms, and between micro-organisms and their hosts. The conference is of interest to those working to improve human and animal health and nutrition through dietary manipulation.
Topics to be addressed will include:
• Microbial diversity in health and disease
• The relationship between (meta)genomic sequences and microbial activity
• Microbial metabolism of dietary components and functional foods
• Microbial interactions with the host
The Framework 7 project RuminOmics is coordinated from the Rowett Institute in Aberdeen. RuminOmics is organising a satellite workshop, together with the RMG Network and the analogous FP7 project on non-ruminant species, ECO-FCE, on the day preceding the main Rowett-INRA2014 conference. The workshop will run from 10.00-16.00 on Monday 16 June. Its aim will be to compare and contrast methodologies, results and problems from the different projects, with a theme How does the gut microbiota influence feed efficiency?
Speakers will be drawn from each of the three projects and also from outside the projects. Thus far, Graeme Attwood, Chris Creevey, Matthias Hess, Barbara Metzler, Peadar Lawlor and Katarzyna Stadnicka have accepted invitations to present.You are invited to join the workshop and to contribute your thoughts on these and related matters. A nominal registration fee of £30 will be requested, which will include teas, coffees and lunch. Financial support will be available to young delegates, particularly from Eastern Europe and recent accession states.
More details can be obtained from Sharon Huws hnh@aber.ac.uk of the RMGN and John Wallacejohn.wallace@abdn.ac.uk of RuminOmics. Early registration is advised, as numbers are limited.
