The Institute of Nutrition and Genomics was established in 2021 as a result of the restructuring of the Faculty of Agrobiology and Food Resources. Within the internal structure, the institute is organized into three thematic workplaces focused on animal nutrition (Department of Animal Nutrition), human nutrition (Department of Human Nutrition) and animal breeding and genetic evaluation (Department of Genetics and Breeding Biology). With its staff, material-technical and project support, the institute fully covers the process of education and scientific research in the field of animal nutrition in accordance with the current genomic approach used in breeding procedures aimed at producing and improving the quality of animal food and human nutrition, taking into account the latest knowledge in the field of functional genomics of human. As part of the pedagogical process, it prepares graduates with the required knowledge, skills and competencies for the production of quality animal food resources through animal nutrition and breeding and their use in human nutrition, for the creation and implementation of nutrition programs taking into account nutrigenomic interactions for healthy nutrition of human. The profiling of the department enables the education of students in all study programs implemented at the faculty in accordance with the relevant profile of graduates. The project focus of the department and the connection of research in the fields of nutrition and genomics expands the research potential of the faculty and enables the creation of broad international cooperation and the creation of quality scientific outputs.
Education activities
The Institute of Nutrition and Genomics provides teaching of subjects focused on the importance of nutrients in nutrition and their determination, energy and metabolism, biochemistry and physiology of nutrition, principles of various methods of feed treatment and preservation, application of animal nutrition systems in practice, teaching subjects focused on human nutrition, prevention the emergence of diseases, especially civilization through proper nutrition, as well as the treatment of established diseases through dietary measures. Within the genetic part, teaching is focused on genetics and breeding of livestock, biometrics and biodiversity of livestock, as well as nutritional genomics and human genetics using information obtained through the newest methods in genomics.
Research activities
The research activities of the Institute of Nutrition and Genomics, supported by grant schemes APVV, VEGA, KEGA, GA SPU, as well as demand-oriented projects supported by the European Union, are divided into three basic research areas, which are characteristic of individual workplaces. In the field of animal nutrition, research priorities are aimed at increasing the use of domestic sources of nutrients and energy in animal nutrition; increasing the conversion of nutrients from domestic feed and reducing the share of imported components; balancing animal nutrition and stimulating their active health with reducing environmental emissions; analysis of fibre feed complex in relation to animal nutrition as well as its use for bioenergy purposes; the gaining new knowledge about the possibilities of regulating the conservation fermentation process; determining the effectiveness of various nutritional additives in animal nutrition on nutrient utilization and production quality; determination of species spectrum and concentration of field and storage mycotoxins in feeds; qualification of external and internal effects on nutrient digestibility, reduction of the environmental burden by guided nutrition. As part of scientific research activities in the field of human nutrition, the institute focuses on monitoring the eating habits of selected population groups; the prevalence of nutritional diseases related to nutrition; for prevention and treatment by nutrition and proper lifestyle; to monitor risk factors and evaluate nutritional status in individual population groups. The research activity is further focused on verifying the effects of bioactive substances on the human body; the study of the importance of natural substances with antioxidant effect in plant sources; the monitoring and evaluation of the antioxidant activity of various plant sources and their impact on human health. Within the diseases of civilization, research is focused primarily on obesity, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes mellitus, osteoporosis, food allergies and intolerances, chronic lung and other diseases. The research activities of the institute in the field of breeding, genetic evaluation and genomic analyzes are focused on genetic evaluation of production and reproductive traits of livestock; estimation of breeding values and breeding of livestock; genetic evaluation of horse predisposition for showjumping; evaluation of genetic diversity of individual breeds of livestock, as well as companion and wild animals using advanced genomic mapping techniques. Last but not least, the research also focuses on the identification of genetic factors in the field of personalized human nutrition and genetic evaluation of the predisposition to obesity in humans.
Cooperation with practice
The Institute of Nutrition and Genomics, consisting of three specific workplaces, provides a wide range of cooperation with quality animal nutrition practices with a focus on achieving quality animal products, modern procedures incorporating the latest knowledge in molecular genetics for livestock breeding and animal biodiversity protection, nutritional assessment of innovative products in human nutrition and dieting for specific groups of people, as well as targeted advice on healthy human nutrition. The cooperation of the animal nutrition department with praxis is focused on feed companies and agricultural enterprises, where the latest knowledge in the field of balanced feed ration and specific conditions of technological modifications and feed ration composition for a specific type of animal are applied. The specific department of human nutrition actively cooperates with organizations and private companies whose goal is healthy human nutrition in order to reduce the burden of diseases of civilization. Using modern devices, they provide testing of innovative nutritional products in selected cohorts of individuals. Within the specific department of the institute focused on genetics and animal breeding, the cooperation is focused on organizations and individual associations of breeders. The department focused on the use of genetic markers and genomic data provides valuable information for breeders not only for the breeding of livestock and companion animals but also for monitoring and determining the degree of biodiversity in endangered animal populations. The department is actively involved in the genetic evaluation of livestock using biometric and statistical analyzes and provides advice in this area. Knowledge of molecular techniques in the detection of genetic markers as well as complex bioinformatics and statistical analyzes allow constant cooperation with individual breeders based on their requirements.
