Humans, animals, and plants constantly face a myriad of environmental challenges, including pollutants, drugs, and viruses. While science often divides these problems into separate fields, the universal need to adapt to these agents has tied all species together since the beginning of time. Today more than ever, predicting early enough how organisms adapt to their environment is crucial for developing more effective drugs, safer chemicals, and successful public health interventions.
In her doctoral research, M.Sc. Giusy del Giudice explores the complex responses of biological systems to environmental changes using innovative computational techniques that reflect the interconnectedness of life itself.
“Since each organism is incredibly complex, it’s understandable why scientists have traditionally studied them separately. This complexity is like a fractal pattern: no matter how deep you go, there’s always another layer to explore. But to truly understand how organisms adapt and survive, we need to consider these multiple scales, and look at the ecological impact along with the molecular details,” del Giudice explains.
Her dissertation emphasises the importance of "multiscale models" and "network-based algorithms" to bridge the gap between the microscopic molecular world and large-scale biological effects.
One of the most significant outcomes of her research is the use of these models to understand the prolonged impact of COVID-19 on human health. At FHAIVE, the Finnish Hub for Development and Validation of Integrated Approaches, her team created the first knowledge graph to characterise the response to the virus.
“It’s like tracing the butterfly effect – from molecular changes to patients’ responses. A knowledge graph is essentially a "smart map" that connects data and helps to understand relationships between things, making it easier to find and use information. Here, the goal was bidirectional: studying the disease to get the knowledge of how humans respond, and then using this new data to develop better treatments,” del Giudice dissects.
The epigenome helps to understand long-term effects
But it is not only about humans. The emerging "One Health" concept, recognizing the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health, is the foundation of del Giudice’s dissertation. Her thesis is the first doctoral dissertation on the topic, and her work at FHAIVE contributes to the creation of safer chemicals and drugs while minimising reliance on animal testing.
“Evaluating the safety of chemicals across species is like solving a massive puzzle, but we have found a way to see the whole picture at once”, del Giudice says.
Central to the One Health model for chemical safety is the epigenome, a critical layer of molecular information which goes all the way back to the DNA.
Giusy del Giudice stresses, that in health data science we can no longer afford to overlook long-term effects on humans and other species. Thus, her thesis puts the epigenome in the spotlight as the key to understanding potential long-term responses on a planetary scale.
“One Health is the paradigm we must develop to study the ecosystem as an intertwined system where effects propagate over time. By focusing on the epigenome, we discuss a way to holistically predict these complex effects, leading us toward a healthier, more sustainable future. Science often oversimplifies the view of health as if species were not all connected in a bigger picture. Maybe we need to start embracing its complexity,” del Giudice concludes.
Public defence on Friday 4 October
The doctoral dissertation of M.Sc. Giusy del Giudice in the field of Computational Biology titled Navigating Complexity - Multiscale Models of Responses to Environmental Exposures: Towards a One Health Paradigm will be publicly examined at the Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology at Tampere University at 12:00 on Friday 4.10.2024 at Kauppi campus, Arvo building, Jarmo Visakorpi auditorium (Arvo Ylpön katu 35, Tampere). The Opponent will be Prof. Francesco Dondero from Università del Piemonte Orientale “Amedeo Avogadro”. The Custos will be Prof. Dario Greco from Tampere University.