FRAILTECH

The FRAILTECH consortium seeks to develop an early detection technology for frailty syndrome based on DNA arrays. DNA sequencing techniques and metagenomic analysis will be combined to create a dataset to assess frailty risk. In addition, a multiscale risk calculator integrating genetic, microbiota and clinical variables will be validated. The project also seeks to generate databases for the frailty research community.

Acronym

FRAILTECH

Reference code

PLEC2022-009352

Description

Title: High-throughput genome and microbiome genotypic screening technology for early detection, diagnosis and monitoring of frailty

Research Groups: Evolutionary Genetics and Theory, Bioinformatics and Computation

The proposal of this project is framed in the field of Geroscience and Gerotherapy. It aims to develop a procedure for the investigation of human genes and microorganisms involved in frailty syndrome and a new technology based on DNA arrays for its early detection. The technical proposal involves the combination of omics, Bioinformatics and Information and Communication Technologies to develop a rapid and low-cost solution for mass screening of frailty. The novelty of the proposal is to combine two DNA sequencing technologies: Whole Genome DNA Microarray genotyping (WGA) and Whole Exome Sequencing (WES) to build an information set that merges WES and WGA data (WESArray dataset), input from the QC-System of a high resolution WGA. Metagenomic analyses and microbial genes differentially present in people with frailty will also be incorporated. Together with the validation of a novel multi-scale frailty risk calculator that will integrate several layers of information (genetic and microbiota characteristics, anthropometric and clinical variables) into one algorithm, it will provide clinicians (mainly gerontologists, but also primary care physicians) with an easily accessible and usable diagnostic tool to assess Frailty Risk in their patients and families. In addition, the FRAILTECH consortium also proposes to generate the first databases based on genetic and microbiota information for frailty, which could be made available to the frailty research community.

Total amount: 1.113.066,55 €