Before you embark on this project, I suggest that you acquaint yourself with some of the concerns that many researchers have with heuristic and meta-heuristic algorithms. In short, there have been literally dozens of algorithms that claim to be novel but on closer scrutiny have been found to be variations on well-known, established algorithms.

This paper by Kenneth Sörensen is available here on ResearchGate:

Metaheuristics -- the metaphor exposed

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/237009138_Metaheuristics_--_the_metaphor_exposed

Good luck with your research!

Leo.