Details of Award
NERC Reference : NE/N019172/1
Environmental Genomics and Metabolomics
Training Grant Award
- Lead Supervisor:
- Dr J Colbourne, University of Birmingham, Sch of Biosciences
- Grant held at:
- University of Birmingham, Sch of Biosciences
- Science Area:
- Freshwater
- Overall Classification:
- Freshwater
- ENRIs:
- Biodiversity
- Environmental Risks and Hazards
- Global Change
- Natural Resource Management
- Pollution and Waste
- Science Topics:
- Environmental Genomics
- Functional genomics
- Metabolomics / Metabonomics
- Water Quality
- Bioinformatics
- Abstract:
- Environmental Genomics and Metabolomics (ENIGMA) is a unique UK training initiative in Environmental Genomics & Metabolomics that is bolstered by the successes of three prior years at introducing modern 'omics technologies and biostatistics to over 100 course participants at understanding how gene functions and metabolism is influenced by environmental conditions while accounting for the variation that exists within and among natural populations that cope with environmental change and anthropogenic stress. This promises to transform environmental health protection by enabling scientists to gain a comprehensive and timely mechanistic knowledge of how environmental stressors - from climate change to diffuse pollution - affect biological systems. This course is built on the paradigm that the research field will most effectively grow by training early career environmental scientists to properly design and conduct comprehensive, largescale, cost effective 'omics experiments, and hence this represents our priority training outcome. This course is nationally unique because attendees will learn about the experimental and bioinformatics integration of genomics and metabolomics from international experts, and the learning experience will emphasize the application of multi-'omics technologies to environmental health and biodiversity. We propose to offer, between March 6 to 10 2017, the ENIGMA course by providing ca. 2 days of generic environmental 'omics training (single track) followed by ca. 3 days of genomics training in parallel with 3 days of metabolomics training. Besides providing more time for instruction, this course will underscore the trans-disciplinary (systems biology) attributes of the research field, and allow greater emphasis on specific case studies. We will utilise case studies using our own multi- 'omics experimental datasets. The curriculum will consist of a blend of presentations, hands-on bioinformatics workshops, lab demos, tours of facilities, and discussions and synthesis sections. ENIGMA will also be complemented by a new, much requested, short course on computational environmental metabolomics offered between between November 7-9, 2016. Importantly, ENIGMA courses target the UK and EU environmental sciences sector to utilise 21st century molecular approaches at monitoring environmental change impacts on the biodiversity of plants and animals (under the EU Water Framework Directive; WFD) and in the assessment of chemical toxicity (under the EU Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation & Restriction of Chemical Substances; REACH). Combined with the evolving environmental risk assessment practice by industry, participants are expected to be well positioned for the demand of a growing Environment Care industry.
- NERC Reference:
- NE/N019172/1
- Grant Stage:
- Completed
- Scheme:
- Doctoral Training
- Grant Status:
- Closed
- Programme:
- Advanced Training
This training grant award has a total value of £68,028
FDAB - Financial Details (Award breakdown by headings)
| Total - Other Costs |
|---|
| £68,028 |
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