METANORUMEN · Molecular studies of the ruminal microorganisms involved in methane production: towards more environmentally friendly European livestock

This proposal aims to apply genomic technologies to improve our understanding of the microbial rumen population involved in methane production and the factors determining the variability between individuals. The professional objective is to reintegrate myself in an existing leading group in Animal Nutrition and establish myself as a researcher in my home country (Spain) in order to lead my own research activity. The research objective of this proposal is to apply genomic technologies to improve our understanding of the population involved in methane production in the rumen and the factors that determine differences between individuals. The knowledge obtained will be applied in animal production systems to reduce methane emissions and therefore increase animal productivity and greenhouse effect. The factors affecting methane production are numerous: microbial population in the rumen, type of diet, feeding pattern, compounds with antimicrobial effects and type of animal. Therefore, a multidisciplinary approach is required: anaerobic and molecular microbiology, animal physiology, plant physiology and bioinformatics should be integrated in the project.