To face human population growth, increasing environmental constraints and changes in socio-cultural values, animal breeding must evolve toward a more sustainable model that guarantees production while promoting efficient resource use, animal health and welfare, and preserving genetic diversity. Thanks to recent developments in omics technologies, it is now possible to rethink breeding, taking advantage of improved knowledge on genome-to-phenome relationships that accounts for both genetic and non-genetic mechanisms controlling traits. GEroNIMO will work on chicken and pig, the most used sources of animal protein worldwide, to provide breeders with new knowledge and tools to promote innovative genome- and epigenome enabled selection methods for traits related to production (quantity and quality), efficiency, productive longevity, fertility, resilience and welfare. A large number of animals from cosmopolitan and local breeds will be characterized phenotypically, genetically and epigenetically under different environments to i) identify underlying biological mechanisms affecting trait variation, ii) develop methods to improve selection strategies integrating genetic- and non-genetic factors, and iii) propose strategies to optimize the conservation of genetic and epigenetic diversity. GEroNIMO proposes demand-driven innovation employing a multi-actor approach through the involvement of breeders, professional associations of animal production, and scientists, engaged from the planning phase to the dissemination of results over Europe. GEroNIMO will build on existing academic and commercial knowledge and will analyze large populations to quantify the contribution of genetic and epigenetic variation in gene expression, trait variation and trade-offs between traits. GEroNIMO will also propose a comprehensive and enhanced characterization of diversity by integrating epigenetic diversity into conservation purposes, corresponding to a new integrated conservation strategy.

The SAS research team is responsible for WP5 on the societal and ethical dimensions of this project.

• prof. dr. F.L.B. (Franck) Meijboom
• dr. K. (Koen) Kramer

What can we do to feel more in touch with the natural world? Is technology a barrier, or can it help us communicate and feel empathy with other species? Could technology help foster a sense of community between humans and nonhumans? If so, what might such a more-than-human community look like—or feel like, smell like, etc.? Whom would it include? And who decides?

Our project sets out to imagine a more equitable community of humans and nonhumans and to make it a reality in our everyday lives. The project is animated by two basic premises:

1. The spaces we inhabit are already more-than-human; we just need to learn to see (and feel) that humans are not separate from nature. We want to develop awareness and ideas for how these spaces can be playfully and creatively experienced as more-than-human communities.
2. Truly unusual interdisciplinarity must be inter- and multispecies (more-than-human) and predicated on playful (open-ended) interaction, not exploitation and extraction (of data, resources, etc.).

How can we break out of our anthropocentric worldview? Drawing on our shared expertise in engineering, ethics, ethology, language and representation, we want to develop an escape room format that unites technology, sense perception, and creative problem solving to stimulate the more-than-human imagination. Ultimately, we would like to take this on the road, to engage playfully with students, academics, policymakers and stakeholders in a variety of (unusual) settings (animal sanctuaries, zoos, farms, robotics labs, etc.).

A playfully designed multimedia and multisensory more-than-human-community experience combined with facilitated discussions will enhance the collective insight in our own communities and strengthen the desire to look for multispecies alternatives for the challenges that societies face.

Betweter Festival Utrecht - Experiment High-Five with a Non-Human

On 29 September 2023, the Imagining More-than-Human Communities team ran an experiment at the Betweter Festival in Utrecht. Attendees were invited to explore a new haptic interface and imagine what it would mean to interact with a nonhuman entity remotely via the medium of technology. We asked participants to reflect on how technology can help us feel more connected with the nonhuman world.

• dr. Kári Driscoll
• dr. H.M.B. (Heidi) Lesscher
• prof. dr. Kathrin Thiele

• Clemens Driessen
• Bernice Bovenkerk
• Irene Kuling
• Luuk van Laake
• Yulia Kisora