Researchers from the Research Institute in Hunting Resources (IREC) which depends on the University of Castilla-La Mancha (UCLM), have received over 1.6 million euros to participate in three new European research partnerships within the framework of Horizon Europe. The areas of work for the projects are environmental toxicology, livestock biosecurity and controlling African swine fever.
The Research Institute in Hunting Resources (IREC) a mixed centre from the Higher Council of Scientific Research (CSIC), the University of Castilla-La Mancha (UCLM) and the Castilla-La Mancha regional government will participate in three new European research projects on environmental toxicology, livestock biosecurity and controlling African swine fever, which will be funded by Horizon Europe, the main programme from the European Union for research and innovation for 2021-2027.
As the UCLM has received funds of over 1.6 million euros to carry out three projects during the period 2024-2026, the IREC researchers will carry out their work in partnership with some of the best international research groups in their sector and will spearhead work packages in each of the participating projects. Towards a SYstems-Based, holistic Environmental Risk Assessment of Chemicals (SYBERAC), the European Partnership for Health and Animal welfare (EUP AH&W) and Understanding performance characteristics of live attenuated vaccines for the prevention and control of African swine fever in wild boar and domestic pigs (ASFiVIP).
Project details
SYBERAC, is made up of ten members and will study the exposure of land biodiversity to different chemical pollutants, and how such exposure affects the different components of the ecosystem (plants, invertebrates and vertebrates) and on their functions. The project will provide innovative tools which help change the regulatory framework for evaluating environmental risks from land contamination, implementing a procedure based on a set of systems for replacing the current ones in order to assess the risk without bearing in mind the interaction between different parts of the ecosystem. To do so, the project has an inter-sectorial network in which academic researchers join governmental agencies, the chemical industry, farmers and naturists. The IREC, whose budget is 300,025 euros, is spearheading the work package and is responsible for coordinating the case studies with which the data for the risk assessment tools will be created and will be headed by the main researcher Manuel Ortiz.
The European Partnership Animal Health and Welfare (EUP AH&W) is a research and innovation association created in the context of Horizon Europe. Some of its main aims are to drive Europe towards healthy and sustainable systems for rearing livestock, both for land and marine animals. This includes reducing the use of antimicrobial agents and improving welfare for productive animals in line with the European Green Deal. In this project the six IREC researchers involved, and headed by Joaquín Vicente, whose funds amount to 526,875 euros, contribute their experience in the fauna-livestock interface and development of biosecurity measures. It has 31 members.
ASFiVIP has ten members and aims to understand the features of live attenuated vaccines for the prevention and control of African swine fever in boars and domesticated pigs in order to maximise their efficiency and security. To administer the vaccines to boars under field conditions appropriate baits must be developed and strategies for distributing them be tested. The IREC researchers headed by Christian Gortázar, and with funds of 789,875, will contribute to the project by providing his knowledge and experience in developing baits for controlling animal tuberculosis.
UCLM Communication Office Ciudad Real, 25th of September 2023