Unlocking Population Health: How Cross-Species Genomic Analyses at Purdue Are Revolutionizing One Health Research

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Unlocking Population Health: How Cross-Species Genomic Analyses at Purdue Are Revolutionizing One Health Research

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Have you ever wondered what your genes say about you? Not just your hair or eye color, but your health too? A new project at Purdue University aims to explore how our genomes could help us understand health on a larger scale.

The researchers are asking big questions: What if we could use techniques from animal and plant genetics to learn more about human health? Robbee Wedow, an assistant professor at Purdue, is leading this effort. He believes there’s a lot to gain from collaborating across different fields of genetics. “What are we missing by staying in our own lanes?” he asks.

This project is unique. A team led by Wedow plans to utilize methods used in animal science to analyze human health data. For instance, they’re looking at how exercise affects wellness by pairing movement data from wearable devices with genetic information.

Purdue’s research taps into extensive genetic databases, including those from 23andMe and the UK Biobank. The project’s title, “Using Across-Phyla Methods to Increase Genomic Prediction Accuracy to Improve Health and Food Security,” reflects its goals of addressing health issues across humans, plants, and animals. It is part of Purdue’s One Health initiative, which aims to tackle challenges that intertwine the health of all living beings on our planet.

Kaethe Beck, assistant vice president for strategic impact at Purdue, highlights that this project’s tools can unlock insights from any genetic dataset, making it applicable beyond human health to animals and plants alike.

The study of genetics has evolved significantly. Wedow points out that while human, animal, and plant genetics have diverged, there is a wealth of knowledge in animal breeding that could benefit human health. For example, techniques originally designed for studying animal behavior can be adapted for understanding human behaviors as well.

Wedow collaborates with experts from different fields, including Luiz Brito, who specializes in animal sciences, and Mitch Tuinstra, who focuses on plant genetics. Brito emphasizes the need to breed livestock that are healthier—and more efficient—while minimizing the need for antibiotics, highlighting modern advancements in technology for determining genetic merit.

While animal genetics has rapidly advanced with the help of AI and large datasets, human geneticists face stricter ethical limitations that sometimes leave them relying on assumptions rather than concrete data. This project hopes to bridge that gap by applying successful techniques from one field to another.

A hands-on approach is underway. The team is cross-training postdoctoral researchers with expertise in human genetics alongside those knowledgeable in animal genetics. This will foster a deeper understanding of how to analyze data from both fields. They’re also reviewing what they’ve learned so far about the differences and similarities of working across species.

As they dive deeper, the researchers are already looking at innovative ways to collect and utilize data. For example, Brito is exploring how young animals recover from respiratory illness, and how that impacts their future health and productivity. The hope is to find parallels in human data to see how factors like exercise influence overall wellness and health recovery.

In the end, this project is about connection—linking genetic knowledge from different life forms to enhance our understanding of health as a whole. Whether it’s through understanding animal recovery or the health benefits of exercise in humans, the goal is clear: to improve health outcomes across the board.



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