DANIO-CODE - the next frontier: Decoding transcription regulation in regeneration by advanced genomics and computational tools

The principal objective of DANIO-ReCODE is to provide world-class doctoral training to a new generation of early-career researchers interested in understanding the complex and multilayered process of tissue regeneration.

DANIO-ReCODE will combine the multidisciplinary expertise of 15 research laboratories at renowned EU and UK scientific institutions to unravel the regulatory mechanisms of heart, brain, and eye regeneration by employing the unique and highly tractable zebrafish model system. Unlike humans, teleosts can repair damaged tissues or even regrow entire appendages.

In mammals, regeneration is rare, limited to skin, liver, and toes.

Regenerative medicine, however, promises to restore tissue function via the use of stem cells, tissue engineering, and the production of artificial organs, with its importance being recognised as one of the EU strategic missions.

A fundamental gap of knowledge is the understanding of the shared and distinct regulatory mechanisms defining regeneration in highly regenerative species and those with lower regeneration potential such as mammals.

Since the vertebrate gene complement is highly conserved, applying the knowledge of regeneration mechanisms from non-mammalian models such as zebrafish could identify genetic underpinnings, which when manipulated in mammals, could strongly boost the mammalian regenerative potential.

DANIO-ReCODE will thus nurture a cohort of exceptional doctoral candidates and turn them into interdisciplinary experts in computational and developmental biology, providing comprehensive training that spans experimental work, bioinformatics, visualisation, and industry applications.

Through the integration of state-of-the-art genomics, computational, and data visualisation techniques, DANIO-ReCODE will result in an enhanced understanding of molecular determinants implicated in vertebrate regenerative processes while providing new avenues for the repair or replacement of damaged or diseased tissues and organs.