The VirHoX project, coordinated by the Department of Biology at the University of Padova, aims to fill a significant gap in virology: the precise association of viruses with their hosts within complex ecosystems. Although advances in sequencing and metagenomics have expanded our understanding of viral diversity, it remains a challenge to accurately determine the relationships between viruses and hosts across domains of life. To address this challenge, VirHoX proposes a novel approach involving ribosome "manipulation" to develop a pioneering method of host assignment, applicable to diverse biological systems from human microbiomes to environmental samples. The project has received €3 million in funding from the European Innovation Council, underscoring the importance and innovative potential of the research. The DSV will focus on the development of advanced biomolecular tools and genomic analysis, contributing to the identification of virus-host associations through innovative sequencing and bioinformatics techniques and applications on environmental matrices.


PROJECT DURATION: 2025 - 2029

research groups:

Genomica applicata e comparata (Prof. Pallavicini)

Laboratorio di Microbiologia ambientale (Prof.ssa Malfatti)

 

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