BIOGENETICS Group

Overexploitation of fisheries continues undermining the resilience of marine ecosystems, with the EU's fishing grounds being the most affected in the Atlantic Ocean. GreenFOOD allows, in a unique way, the correct identification of the fishing grounds of origin, contributing to the traceability of fishing products and combating illegal fishing.

In 2017 more than 220,000 cases of cancer were diagnosed. The estimates for 2035 are more than 300,000, with breast, colorectal, prostate and lung cancer being the most prevalent. Genetic analysis not only allows detection of cancer in advance, but also the type of treatment (greater efficacy, less adverse) and thus improve prognosis.

Conservation genetics is a key tool to determine the level of threat faced by endangered species, such as European mink. MolECOL allows us to know the situation of these populations and plays a decisive role in the success of preservation programs.

Rare diseases are defined as those that have a low incidence in the population (less than 5 out of every 10,000 inhabitants). However they affect a large number of people: more than 7% of the world population suffers from 7,000 rare diseases. With little scientific knowledge about its causes and development and a very high economic investment necessary for treatments, most cases lead to the death of the sick person.

Although it may seem otherwise at first glance, in this photo there is not just one living organism, but 100,000,000. Metagenomics allows to make them visible, through DNA sequencing, identifying new beneficial microorganisms, helping to phytopathogens control or to know the productive capability of soils.

Currently, 47 million people worldwide suffer from dementia, of which approximately 75% are cases of Alzheimer's disease. Preventive therapy may be the most appropriate way to treat this disease and minimize its progression. This requires the study and development of biomarkers that allow early detection.

80 % of autochthonous spanish breeds are in risk of extinction. In the Basque Country, 21 from 25 native breeds are badly endangered. Conservation of genetic heritage is crucial to preserve our culture and rural fabric. PROGENIEX allows to protect and improve these indigenous populations.

Genetic tests are of fundamental importance in the resolution of forensic cases, so they have become an essential tool for justice due to their proven usefulness in the clarification of crimes. Technological advances in the field of genomics have allowed the number of cases resolved in Spain thanks to these tests to increase exponentially since the 1990s (more than 25,000 annual analyses)

Recurrent food scandals expose the usual practice of marketing fraudulent food products. Both minced meat and processed foods are products that are especially susceptible to tampering or fraudulent substitution. ExcelGENE allows the genetic identification of the products´species, as well as their proportions, constituting a key tool in the fight against fraud in the agri-food industry

The ability of certain muscles to exert effort is determined genetically, as well as aerobic capacity, metabolic profile or cardiovascular capacity. Genetic sports performance tests not only determine what kind of sport is best suited for a person, but can help prevent injuries and achieve higher performance.

According to the latest report of the European Food Authority (EFSA), Campylobacter spp., being chickens the main source of infection. It is the main zoonotic agent, and is the cause of hundreds of thousands of cases of infection in Europe, which can result in very serious side-effects, such as Guillain Barre syndrome. The GenExpress diagnostic kits allow detecting the presence of this bacterium from a sample, thus avoiding contamination and dispersion along the food chain.

Aquatic sports activities are one of the main zebra mussel spread pathways, an invasive species that has had deleterious effects on local ecosystems, threaten the extinction of native species. In addition they have caused a great deal of economic damage by clogging intake pipes of water supply. The detection of mussel larvae, an early indicator of infestation, can be addressed by molecular techniques, such as PCR, offering a fast and reliable tool to control their dispersion.

More than 89% of the olive oil traded around the world is fraudulent, that is, only 1 bottle in 10 will actually contain 'liquid gold'. ExcelGENE identifies the varieties and species in a sample, discriminating those products that mix olive with other seed oils (sunflower, palm, corn, rapeseed ...)

Of the 7,000 known amphibian species in the world, around a third are threatened with extinction. One of the most probable causes is the rapid rate of pathogens spreading, such as chytrid fungi or ranaviruses, due to globalization and uncontrolled introduction of exotic species. PatoGENOM might be used as a control measure, detecting the presence of pathogens, and preventing their expansion.

In 2017 there were 135,000 cases of animal abuse in Spain, being the European country with the most cases of animal abuse. Pet abandonment and abuse is becoming more frequent and adopted legislative measures (such as economic penalties) even increase abandonment numbers. CanID enables to identify them by their DNA, avoiding devices which can be easily extracted or tampered (labels, microchips,...)