We are active in both EU and local grant funding applications. The following is a selection of some of our funded projects.
BioGeMT merges the strengths of the University of Malta (UM) in ICT and Genomics by hosting an expert Bioinformatician and Team within the Centre for Molecular Medicine and Biobanking, that will forge collaborations with existing highly specialised molecular genetics research groups. The goal is for UM to sustainably develop the field of Bioinformatics and the knowledge base and Machine Learning skills required to translate patient derived multi-Omic and clinical data into a better understanding of disease. This project funded the hiring an ERA Chair in Bioinformatics and five bioinformaticians at the University of Malta.
The Discovery of COVID-19 inhibitors (DisCO) project aims to identify promising compounds that may be used as drugs in the fight against COVID-19 infection. This is achieved through computational Virtual Screening (VS) experiments to discover novel and active small-molecules against protein targets of interest in SARS-COV-2, the virus involved in COVID-19 infection.
The EDGE research project aimed to set up a de novo genomics assembly pipeline at the University of Malta. The pipeline was first utilised to generate the genome model of two endemic plant species, namely Limonium melitense and L. zeraphae. This was the first genome assembly project of an endemic plant species in Malta.
Genomics of Rare Diseases (GRD) continues building on work carried out through the MaltaNGS project in using High Throughput Sequencing and bioinformatics analysis to identify the underlying genetic causes of a number of conditions prevalent in the Maltese population enabling the development of new diagnostic tests and therapies. This project is funded by a research excellence grant of the University of Malta and makes use of software and pipelines set up through a variety of bioinformatics efforts at the UM.
The MetaBone project investigated the role of 270 metabolites in the pathophysiology of early-onset familial Osteoporosis in Malta. Furthermore, a multi-omics study is being undertaken by coupling metabolomics with existing genomic and transcriptomic data contributing to a holistic integrated view. The project employed two bioinformaticians.
TargetID identified genes that regulate molecules that show deranged expression after SARS-Cov-2 infection, with the aim of finding suitable drug targets that will prevent COVID-19 induced cytokine storms. RNA-Seq and whole genome sequencing data were generated from 1,000 individuals and analysed using a combination of approaches. Five bioinformatics were funded by the project.
Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) encompass various conditions affecting the heart and blood vessels and constitute a major health concern. In myocardial infarction (MI), a sudden disruption in blood flow to the heart leads to cardiac tissue damage or death. Despite research on the genetic, lifestyle, and environmental factors associated with MI, practical applications to prevent it remain limited. Researchers from the University of Malta and the Leiden University Medical Center are collaborating on the TargetMI project, funded by the Pathfinder programme of the European Innovation Council. The consortium is undertaking a high throughput multi-omics analysis on samples and data from the Maltese Acute Myocardial Infarction (MAMI) study including genomic, metabolomic, proteomic, and RNA data, to discover new drug targets and biomarkers for MI and develop novel risk assessment strategies. Machine learning algorithms are being used to analyse the multi-layered data to identify novel biomarkers and risk algorithms, including polygenic risk scores, for early risk prediction in the clinic. Quantitative targeted proteomic assays will be developed for further validation in other cohorts facilitating clinical use. Besides the increase in knowledge on the molecular aetiology of MI, this powerful integrated strategy will bring rapid clinical translation of unprecedented multi-omics data.
TrainMALTA was a project financed by the HORIZON 2020 TWINNING Programme. This 3-year coordination and support action focused on training and collaborations between the Ouwehand group at the University of Cambridge (UCAM), the Platelet Biology Research Group at the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KU Leuven), and the University of Malta (UM). As part of the project a series of training events, summer schools, exchanges and expert visits were organised with the aim of setting up expertise in Bioinformatics, Zebrafish model systems and use of Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells at the UM. As a long-term outcome a number of online repositories of training material has been set up here.
