Novel Molecular Approaches for Advancing Prediction and Mitigation of Disease Outbreaks in Aquaculture for Small Scale Farmers
Lead Research Organisation:
UNIVERSITY OF EXETER
Department Name: Biosciences
Abstract
Aquaculture contributes significantly to global food security and poverty reduction. In Bangladesh and India shrimp culture sustains the livelihoods of hundreds of thousand of poor people. Finfish culture too is fundamental to the lives of small scale farmers in India and in developing countries around the world, including Bangladesh and Malawi. Disease is the biggest single factor limiting growth in aquaculture (with associated annual losses estimated at >$6bn globally) and combating disease is critical for both the protection of the livelihoods of small scale farmers and for achieving national /global targets for aquaculture growth in support of poverty alleviation.
The proposal will develop and apply of modern molecular methods for use as early warning tools for the avoidance of disease outbreaks in low income food deficit countries. Our central theme is the alignment of the efforts of farmers, Aquatic Health Professionals, researchers and national Competent Authorities to help avert disease outbreaks.
Disease and health status of host organisms is not determined by individual pathogens alone, but by a combination of local abiotic and biotic factors including the environmental microbiome, pathogen assemblages, and pathogen loads in host tissues. We will apply and develop molecular biology methods to identify pond microbiome conditions and biological indicators ('biomarkers') associated with health status and disease outbreaks in key crop species (shrimp and finfish) in aquaculture ponds in India, Bangladesh and Malawi. We will identify pond microbiomes that signal for an impending disease outbreak. We will furthermore determine how the microbiome relates to a variety of pond variables, including the use of probiotic treatments currently used by farmers to improve crop health and increase yield. Models will then be developed using these data and applied to predict the drivers of disease outbreaks.
We will use this information to develop simple but accurate molecular assays for use by farmers on individually-owned farms, enabling them to pre-empt and avoid the impacts of disease events by intervention methods triggered by monitoring carried out on-site. Development of an inexpensive but accurate early-warning measurement of pond/crop health status will demonstrate proof-of-concept for a set of tools/methods that can be applied more widely and further developed by industry investment.
We will engage and train farmers in accurate disease diagnostics and in the importance of managing the microbial-molecular aspect of pond aquaculture and host health, and establish communication and training networks that will disseminate the outputs of the project to other farmers, communities, and research centres working with them, with an emphasis on engaging women. Communication conduits will include Mobile APPs, focused local workshops, information videos, social media and a designated project website. We will assess the impacts of our project for small scale farmers on disease mitigation and crop enhancements adopting DFID's Livelihood Framework for assessing the impacts of agricultural technologies in developing countries.
Our proposal addresses the GRP Aquaculture Call priority areas of Healthy and nutritious aquaculture, seeking to understand, manage and mitigate for some of the most important diseases in aquaculture, in turn increasing productivity for the health and well being of poor small scale farmers. Our proposal is also relevant to the GRP priority area of resilient aquaculture as the ability to predict disease outbreaks will allow for harvesting at an earlier time point before disease onset and/or other interventions to prevent crop loss for small scale farmers. The project proposed furthermore is relevant to the strategic research priorities of various national Research Council and government initiatives relating to food security and poverty alleviation.
The proposal will develop and apply of modern molecular methods for use as early warning tools for the avoidance of disease outbreaks in low income food deficit countries. Our central theme is the alignment of the efforts of farmers, Aquatic Health Professionals, researchers and national Competent Authorities to help avert disease outbreaks.
Disease and health status of host organisms is not determined by individual pathogens alone, but by a combination of local abiotic and biotic factors including the environmental microbiome, pathogen assemblages, and pathogen loads in host tissues. We will apply and develop molecular biology methods to identify pond microbiome conditions and biological indicators ('biomarkers') associated with health status and disease outbreaks in key crop species (shrimp and finfish) in aquaculture ponds in India, Bangladesh and Malawi. We will identify pond microbiomes that signal for an impending disease outbreak. We will furthermore determine how the microbiome relates to a variety of pond variables, including the use of probiotic treatments currently used by farmers to improve crop health and increase yield. Models will then be developed using these data and applied to predict the drivers of disease outbreaks.
We will use this information to develop simple but accurate molecular assays for use by farmers on individually-owned farms, enabling them to pre-empt and avoid the impacts of disease events by intervention methods triggered by monitoring carried out on-site. Development of an inexpensive but accurate early-warning measurement of pond/crop health status will demonstrate proof-of-concept for a set of tools/methods that can be applied more widely and further developed by industry investment.
We will engage and train farmers in accurate disease diagnostics and in the importance of managing the microbial-molecular aspect of pond aquaculture and host health, and establish communication and training networks that will disseminate the outputs of the project to other farmers, communities, and research centres working with them, with an emphasis on engaging women. Communication conduits will include Mobile APPs, focused local workshops, information videos, social media and a designated project website. We will assess the impacts of our project for small scale farmers on disease mitigation and crop enhancements adopting DFID's Livelihood Framework for assessing the impacts of agricultural technologies in developing countries.
Our proposal addresses the GRP Aquaculture Call priority areas of Healthy and nutritious aquaculture, seeking to understand, manage and mitigate for some of the most important diseases in aquaculture, in turn increasing productivity for the health and well being of poor small scale farmers. Our proposal is also relevant to the GRP priority area of resilient aquaculture as the ability to predict disease outbreaks will allow for harvesting at an earlier time point before disease onset and/or other interventions to prevent crop loss for small scale farmers. The project proposed furthermore is relevant to the strategic research priorities of various national Research Council and government initiatives relating to food security and poverty alleviation.
Technical Summary
Environmental DNA (eDNA) methods will be applied to identify pond microbiome conditions and biological indicators (' molecular biomarkers') associated with health status and disease outbreaks in key crop species (shrimp and finfish) for use in early warning to avoid impacts of disease outbreaks in small scale farms.
Sequenced metagenomes (via Illumina sequencing) of environmental samples will be correlated with host infection status and pathogen diagnoses (via histology/sequencing) for ponds across India, Bangladesh and Malawi. Environmental samples collected temporally for crop species (together with observational data) will be used (incl. modelling) for assessments on how pond and host microbiomes change before, during, and after disease outbreaks for the identification of microbial indicators of host and pond health status and as predictors of disease outbreaks.
Experiments will establish how probiotic treatments used to improve crop health and increase yield impact on the pond (eDNA) microbiomes and disease prevalence.
Recombinase Polymerase Amplification (RPA) assays will be designed for biomarker lineages to determine their sensitivity for detecting these lineages in environmental and organism-derived samples.
Molecular biomarkers of disease risk (together with other observational data) will be communicated to an extensive network of small scale farmers across India, Bangladesh and Malawi for application to assess their value in mitigation strategies to prevent crop losses.
Communication systems will be set up for the exchange of data and knowledge between the project investigators, local research institutes, and individual farms including via APPs, histoPATHway, Facebook, twitter, and a dedicated project website.
Impacts of our project for small scale farmers on disease mitigation and crop enhancements will be undertaken adopting DFID's Livelihood Framework for assessing the impacts of agricultural technologies in developing countries.
Sequenced metagenomes (via Illumina sequencing) of environmental samples will be correlated with host infection status and pathogen diagnoses (via histology/sequencing) for ponds across India, Bangladesh and Malawi. Environmental samples collected temporally for crop species (together with observational data) will be used (incl. modelling) for assessments on how pond and host microbiomes change before, during, and after disease outbreaks for the identification of microbial indicators of host and pond health status and as predictors of disease outbreaks.
Experiments will establish how probiotic treatments used to improve crop health and increase yield impact on the pond (eDNA) microbiomes and disease prevalence.
Recombinase Polymerase Amplification (RPA) assays will be designed for biomarker lineages to determine their sensitivity for detecting these lineages in environmental and organism-derived samples.
Molecular biomarkers of disease risk (together with other observational data) will be communicated to an extensive network of small scale farmers across India, Bangladesh and Malawi for application to assess their value in mitigation strategies to prevent crop losses.
Communication systems will be set up for the exchange of data and knowledge between the project investigators, local research institutes, and individual farms including via APPs, histoPATHway, Facebook, twitter, and a dedicated project website.
Impacts of our project for small scale farmers on disease mitigation and crop enhancements will be undertaken adopting DFID's Livelihood Framework for assessing the impacts of agricultural technologies in developing countries.
Planned Impact
Ninety percent of global aquaculture is centred in Asia, most of which is in Low Income, Food Deficit Countries (LIFDCs) where disease outbreaks of endemic pathogens are the biggest single threat to food security and poverty alleviation relating to aquaculture. Improving disease prediction within aquaculture in small scale farms can lead to higher, more consistent, yields with immediate and direct benefits to low level income farmers. Our proposal aims to combine ground-truthed emergent technologies (molecular assays, gene sequencing, smartphone apps) with farmer-led environmental diagnostics to engender a grass-roots approach to biosecurity.
Developing the farmer-AHP-scientist interface in this partnership, expanding on current activities in India, will help develop the most effective surveillance strategy empowering farmers to adopt best disease management practise and a predictive basis for intervention strategies with direct benefits to their own livelihood. Efforts to mitigate poverty associated with outbreaks will furthermore have benefits at national governmental level by promoting rural livelihoods and by alignment with international objectives in food security and biosecurity. The project partners assembled traverse government and academic sectors with a collective influence over policy at the national, EU and inter-governmental levels.
Partner networking and exchanges will directly enhance organisational-level knowledge/skills exchange via training of partner research institutes in biosecurity, pathology, eDNA techniques, metagenomics, non genomic sequencing, RPA development for field use, environmental diagnostics and decision-making. UK researchers will gain specific understanding of social barriers to outbreak avoidance in real world settings. Working with commercial partners in decentralised field diagnostics, we will identify opportunities for production of rapid and economically viable molecular kits to assess pond health beyond the life of this project.
Engagement with the research proposed will centre on a series of workshops in partner home countries and specific farmer/AHP events in India, Bangladesh and Malawi. These events will engage stakeholders in the concepts inherent to the project, to summarise technologies and reporting models to be deployed, to identify key farmer/AHP contacts for pilot testing of concept and to broaden communications to the wider community (local universities, schools, authorities). We will engage local contacts in ensuring appropriate gender balance issues are addressed. Lead partners in formation of the Global Pathology Network (India/UK) will conduct training events, aimed at local AHPs for the purpose of generating competence in this skill focused on Bangladesh and Malawi.
The project is expected to generate numerous peer-reviewed publications that will engage further academics in our work. All teams will present the project through their education programmes that include web and physical outreach initiatives, and to local schools. We will also seek media engagement, as and where appropriate, to broadcast our project in all its facets. In addition, we will produce policy-related documentation, field protocols, and further farmer-oriented guidance documents (and videos) to assist data collection and field management of outbreaks within and beyond project life. The project website (linked through social media) will be the main portal for communication to partners, farmers, AHPs and country-specific Competent Authority contacts. Via secure login, it will also serve as the data repository for information emerging in-country. The overall project team, coordinated by the Project PI, will meet face-to-face at engagement events, annual meetings and during other fieldwork visits. In addition, regular meetings via Skype/teleconference will occur and will attempt to maximise contact and collaboration with other projects funded within this programme.
Developing the farmer-AHP-scientist interface in this partnership, expanding on current activities in India, will help develop the most effective surveillance strategy empowering farmers to adopt best disease management practise and a predictive basis for intervention strategies with direct benefits to their own livelihood. Efforts to mitigate poverty associated with outbreaks will furthermore have benefits at national governmental level by promoting rural livelihoods and by alignment with international objectives in food security and biosecurity. The project partners assembled traverse government and academic sectors with a collective influence over policy at the national, EU and inter-governmental levels.
Partner networking and exchanges will directly enhance organisational-level knowledge/skills exchange via training of partner research institutes in biosecurity, pathology, eDNA techniques, metagenomics, non genomic sequencing, RPA development for field use, environmental diagnostics and decision-making. UK researchers will gain specific understanding of social barriers to outbreak avoidance in real world settings. Working with commercial partners in decentralised field diagnostics, we will identify opportunities for production of rapid and economically viable molecular kits to assess pond health beyond the life of this project.
Engagement with the research proposed will centre on a series of workshops in partner home countries and specific farmer/AHP events in India, Bangladesh and Malawi. These events will engage stakeholders in the concepts inherent to the project, to summarise technologies and reporting models to be deployed, to identify key farmer/AHP contacts for pilot testing of concept and to broaden communications to the wider community (local universities, schools, authorities). We will engage local contacts in ensuring appropriate gender balance issues are addressed. Lead partners in formation of the Global Pathology Network (India/UK) will conduct training events, aimed at local AHPs for the purpose of generating competence in this skill focused on Bangladesh and Malawi.
The project is expected to generate numerous peer-reviewed publications that will engage further academics in our work. All teams will present the project through their education programmes that include web and physical outreach initiatives, and to local schools. We will also seek media engagement, as and where appropriate, to broadcast our project in all its facets. In addition, we will produce policy-related documentation, field protocols, and further farmer-oriented guidance documents (and videos) to assist data collection and field management of outbreaks within and beyond project life. The project website (linked through social media) will be the main portal for communication to partners, farmers, AHPs and country-specific Competent Authority contacts. Via secure login, it will also serve as the data repository for information emerging in-country. The overall project team, coordinated by the Project PI, will meet face-to-face at engagement events, annual meetings and during other fieldwork visits. In addition, regular meetings via Skype/teleconference will occur and will attempt to maximise contact and collaboration with other projects funded within this programme.
Organisations
- UNIVERSITY OF EXETER (Lead Research Organisation)
- Economic and Social Research Council (Co-funder)
- Department for International Development (Co-funder)
- Lilongwe University of Agriculture & Natural Resources (Collaboration)
- Khulna University (Collaboration)
- WorldFish (Collaboration)
- BANGLADESH AGRICULTURAL UNIVERSITY (Collaboration)
- Central Institute of Fisheries Education (Project Partner)
- University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore (Project Partner)
- Tamil Nadu Dr. J Jayalalitha Fisheries University (Project Partner)
Publications
Stentiford GD
(2022)
A seafood risk tool for assessing and mitigating chemical and pathogen hazards in the aquaculture supply chain.
in Nature food
Thornber, K
Antimicrobial resistance in aquaculture environments: unravelling the complexity and connectivity of the underlying societal drivers
in Environmental Science and Technology
Thornber K
(2022)
Antimicrobial Resistance in Aquaculture Environments: Unravelling the Complexity and Connectivity of the Underlying Societal Drivers.
in Environmental science & technology
Stentiford, G.D.
Defining and averting syndemic pathways in aquaculture
in PLOS Pathogens
Stentiford G
(2023)
Defining and averting syndemic pathways in aquaculture: a major global food sector
in Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems
Title | Information Video |
Description | Through a UoE GCRF Impact Accelerator Award we have worked with WorldFish to produce a video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p9UnMHlrjBk) and electronic information for raising awareness of the impacts of antibiotic use amongst farmers for supporting sustainable shrimp aquaculture in Bangladesh. This has been communicated to the FAO, Animal and Plant Health Protection Agency, and government bodies in Bangladesh. |
Type Of Art | Film/Video/Animation |
Year Produced | 2019 |
Impact | 30000 hits in first few weeks of video posting |
URL | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p9UnMHlrjBk |
Description | Identified the first outbreak of Tilapia lake virus in Bangladesh and how analysis of different viral segments may impact on understanding where the pathogen derives geographically and reported this to the Bangladesh government authorities for them to manage as a potential major threat to their national food security. This project has played a significant part also in informing on the risks of AMR via aquaculture practices in Bangladesh and how this can be managed, including through the development of a video and its dissemination via social media. This project has made significant progress in supporting disease diagnosis and providing education on best management practices to avoid disease outbreaks in aquaculture for LMICs. Knowledge exchange has included provision of training to support accurate disease diagnosis (including molecular methods and histopathology) in country for finfish and shrimp farming. Development of a be-spoke App has enabled aquaculture farmers to access trained professionals for supporting best management practice, benefitting the livelihoods of thousands in the sector. Significant advancement of our knowledge on microbiomes, how they relate to pond health, and how changes in the pond microbiomes may signal for disease susceptibility/ onset for the crop species. High-quality research papers resulting from this work and co-authored by project partners in the different participating countries. The project has developed truly meaningful research and education partnerships with LMICs that we are continuing beyond the life of this project. Previous entry:This project has made significant progress in supporting disease diagnosis and providing education on best management practices to avoid disease outbreaks in aquaculture for LMICs. Knowledge exchange has included provision of training to support accurate disease diagnosis (including molecular methods and histopathology) in country for finfish and shrimp farming. Through the development of a be-spoke App we have enabled aquaculture farmers to access trained professionals for supporting best management practice, benefiting the livelihoods of thousands in the sector. This project has advanced significantly our knowledge of microbiomes, how they relate to pond health, and started to address what changes in the pond microbiomes may signal for disease susceptibility/ onset for the crop species, which is hugely exciting. Many high-quality research papers are resulting from this work, co-authored by project partners in the different participating countries. Working with in-country partners, we furthermore identified the first outbreak of Tilapia lake virus in Bangladesh and how analysis of different viral segments may impact on understanding where the pathogen derives geographically which was reported to the Bangladesh government authorities for them to manage as a potential major threat to their national food security. Additionally, this project has played a significant part in informing on the risks of AMR via aquaculture practices in Bangladesh and how this can be managed, including through the development of a video and its dissemination via social media. The project has developed truly meaningful research and education partnerships with LMICs that we are continuing beyond the life of this project. Previous entry: 1.Provide a meaningful and substantive contribution to the health and welfare of small-scale farmers at subsistence level and above, supporting aquaculture practices for poverty alleviation and yield increase: The project partners have implemented significant surveillance and monitoring programs which were developed in Phase I and II of the project. Programs are specific to the needs and resources available in each country as described below: Bangladesh: Sampling has been conducted in sixteen intensive finfish study ponds - eight pangasius and eight tilapia ponds. Ponds are clustered in six geographical areas: Kandulia, Malotipur, Gohakandi, Gopalpur, Jamalpur, and Fulbaria. Pond and incubation water samples were taken in triplicate from June 2016 to May 2018 (21 time points). Fish tissue samples for histology were collected sporadically and sent to CEFAS. Field sampling is now complete Automatic data loggers, recording every 10 minutes, were installed in March 2017 - 12 ponds have only temperature loggers, 4 ponds have temperature/DO/pH loggers. Data have been uploaded regularly to the project shared drive but not yet analysed. Molecular analysis is underway. For shrimp, sampling has focused on ten study ponds clustered in four geographical areas: Batiaghata, Rampal, Shyamnagar (all extensive) and one semi intensive Shrimp Culture farm. Pond water and incubation water samples were collected monthly from May 2017 to August 2018, except Jan-Feb 2018 (14 time points). Field sampling is complete. Data loggers were installed and handheld phys-chem measurements begun in May 2017. Data have been uploaded regularly to the shared drive but not yet analysed. Molecular analysis is underway. Additionally, PCR-free metagenomes have been completed for 36 samples from shrimp hatcheries: 4 shrimp guts, 8 hatchery water, 24 shrimp pond water. Malawi Seven tilapia ponds were identified and sampled in Oct 2017 for pond water, incubation water and skin swabs (212 samples) and molecular analyses have been completed. Further samples from pond microbiomes and fish tissues collected until September 2018 (Liver, Kidney, Gills, Muscle, Intestines and Spleen) have been sent to the UK for analysis including: • 234 tissue and filtered water samples • 171 tissue swabs India Work has primarily focused on developing a country-specific monitoring and surveillance program with the following objectives: 1. Development of an integrated pathology training course combining sampling (dissection, fixation, transportation), histological processing and reading, and molecular characterisation of important, notifiable and emerging disease conditions in crustacean species (farmed shrimp). E.g. WSSV, EHP, IHHNV 2. Pond genomics and molecular ecology of pathogens. Bioinformatics works is supported by cefas and these data will contribute to models predicting disease risk in Indian Shrimp Aquaculture Quantitating and extending benefit and impact of research to small scale farmers in term of disease mitigation, training and disease diagnosis toward best management practices (BMP). 2.Develop a farmer-AHP-scientist interface as an effective surveillance strategy empowering small scale farmers to adopt best disease management practise and for informing on intervention strategies (e.g. probiotics, water change, (partial) early harvest) with direct benefits to their own livelihood: Analysis of the data collected from 302 finfish farms in Bangladesh via the android-based application developed in phase 1 & 2 of the project was fully analysed in 2018. This information will be used to inform future models of disease outbreaks developed from the eDNA sequencing data currently being generated. . The android app has been modified and adapted to collect country- specific farmer and pond data including socio-economics and was rolled out to 129 farmers in Malawi. This data is currently being analysed in the UK by cefas. As part of the continued monthly monitoring regime diseased tissue samples from shrimp and finfish from Bangladesh and Malawi were collected and transported to cefas for histopathology and molecular diagnosis. Results from these analysis are contributing to the development of the histoPATHway digital pathology platform at Cefas. Findings for shrimp pathogens (monodon baculovirus, white spot syndrome virus, vibriosis, etc.) have been documented (histology and molecular analyses) and reported back to WorldFish. A publication reporting the results is being prepared. Four clinical leaflets (English and Bangla versions) on major diseases of shrimp (Penaeus monodon) and prawn (Macrobrachium rosenbergii) were prepared and distributed by World Fish Bangladesh in 2018 3.Develop, ground truth, and apply modern molecular (environmental DNA, eDNA) methods to identify pond microbiome conditions and biological indicators ('molecular biomarkers') associated with health status and disease outbreaks in key crop species (shrimp and finfish) for use in early warning to avoid impacts of disease outbreaks in small scale farms in India, Bangladesh and Malawi. The country project teams have been able to collect many more samples than initially anticipated. This has created a very comprehensive longitudinal data set for the microbiomes in the aquaculture ponds (both shrimp and finfish) being studied. However this has also resulted increased sample processing (DNA extraction and sequencing) requirements. Although sample processing is now well underway we now anticipate this will take considerably longer than originally planned. The use of amplicon sequencing for the majority of samples and a targeted approach to metagenome sequencing for only a selected number of samples (informed by the experimental design and results of the initial amplicon sequencing data) has provided a cost effective strategy for the molecular analysis of large numbers of samples. Molecular analysis completed to date includes: Amplicon sequencing (16S rRNA and 18S rRNA) has been completed for all samples collected in Bangldesh until the end of 2017 including both finfish (609 pond water and 97 incubations samples) and shrimp (330 pond water and 81 incubation samples) Data QC is in progress. Samples collected in 2018 will be analysed in 2019. PCR-free metagenomes have been completed for 36 samples from shrimp hatcheries in Bangladesh: 4 shrimp guts, 8 hatchery water, 24 shrimp pond water. Amplicon sequencing (16S rRNA and 18S rRNA) has been completed for 121 finfish samples from Malawi. Data QC is complete and ecological analysis in underway. When analyses are complete these data will be central to subsequent modelling work which will identify pond microbiome conditions and biological indicators ('molecular biomarkers') associated with health status and disease outbreaks aquaculture 4. Quantify how selected probiotic treatments used to improve crop health and increase yield (at a significant costs to small scale farmers) impact on the pond (eDNA) microbiomes and disease prevalence for use evaluation: We completed 16S and 18S rRNA sequencing of seven commercial probiotics in one sequencing batch (AquaPro, Super Biotic, Biolact, Pond health, Biotics, Pond Care, Citromax, (sourced by the Indian and Bangladesh teams), and a further six (more difficult ones) in another sequencing batch, though of these, only two (Biocult and Gasonex+y) gave expected numbers of sequences. The others yielded little to no detectable DNA or PCR products. . A further set of probiotics used in shrimp hatcheries and farms was obtained in September 2018 and DNA from these is currently being extracted for analysis. This will provide comprehensive data on what these probiotics contain to allow for a scientific analysis on their ability to improve crop health and support enhancement of crop yield. |
Exploitation Route | Knowledge developed through this project has helped support bio security practices in aquaculture in Bangladesh. Through this campaign, the Indian partners have identified disease presence for WSSV on three occasions and for EHP on 21 occasions. Further molecular analysis by the Indian team has identified high multiple antibiotic resistance (MAR) in bacteria isolated from some of the cultured shrimp and shrimp ponds, with potentially very significant implications for human health which have yet to be explored. |
Sectors | Agriculture Food and Drink Healthcare |
Description | With collaborators in Bangladesh, we identified the cause of a mass tilapia mortality event as tilapia lake virus (TiLV), a newly-emerged virus threatening tilapia aquaculture across the world. TiLV had not been previously reported in Bangladesh, so this finding had repercussions for the entire tilapia industry, and possibly for our Bangladeshi academic colleagues. Through careful reporting to the Competent Authorities and relevant government officials prior to publication, we successfully navigated this politically sensitive finding, and the information we provided will help raise awareness of TiLV among small-scale farmers in Bangladesh. This is covered in. other sections, but in addition to those published, we have three papers in preparation that are identifying interrelationships between pond microbiomes and fish and shrimp health: Dominique L. Chaput, Siddhwartha Kumar Basak, Meezanur Rahman, David Bass, Charles R. Tyler. Interrelationships between microbiomes and disease risk in shrimp ponds in Bangladesh. This paper seeks primarily to understand signatures of change in pond microbiomes that signal for disease emergence in shrimp Dominique L. Chaput, Md. Mehedi Alam Imran, Neaz Al Hasan, Mohammad Mahfujul Haque David Bass, Charles R. Tyler Bio- physico-chemical factors determining the pond microbiome in fish aquaculture systems in Bangladesh. This paper establishes how the physical, chemical, and biological features of finfish aquaculture ponds shape the pond microbiome in Bangladesh Kelly Thornber K, Dominique L. Chaput, Siddhwartha Kumar Basak, Meezanur Rahman Vera Fonseca, Stephen Hinchliffe, David Bass, Charles R. Tyler. Microbiome profiling and AMR risk in Bangladesh shrimp hatcheries. This paper illustrates how antibiotic usage in shrimp hatcheries may affect culture microbiomes and the risk of AMR spread This project brings together leading teams from India, Bangladesh, Malawi and the UK with expertise in environmental biology, molecular genetics, aquatic pathology, epidemiology, bioinformatics and socio economics, to advance understanding on key pathogens affecting global aquaculture. The project partners have extensive links with the requisite local farmers in the participating countries, and very strong links with national and international governments, and with industry. Due to the comprehensive nature of the longitudinal sample sets the project has produced (with >2500 samples collected in Bangladesh alone) we will create a very robust data set to facilitate modelling the factors contributing to the onset of disease in aquaculture ponds. We fully anticipate these data will lead to a number of publications in high quality journals with joint authorship across the international project team. Very significant overseas in-country training in molecular methods and partnerships development that have lead to a series of other co-funded projects, including three funded PhDs. Extensive skill sets in a very wide range of techniques in molecular biology spanning RNA seq, MinIon, to metagenomes analyses. Trained partners in molecular skills in Bangladesh. Work has lead to/continues extensive further project work in Bangladesh with Bangladesh Agricultural University and Khulna University, including student visits. |
First Year Of Impact | 2017 |
Sector | Agriculture, Food and Drink,Education,Environment,Other |
Impact Types | Economic |
Description | Bangladesh Department of Fisheries meeting |
Geographic Reach | Asia |
Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
Description | Field sampling methods and Knowledge Exchanges |
Geographic Reach | Asia |
Policy Influence Type | Influenced training of practitioners or researchers |
Impact | Field sampling methods for water and animal tissue have been implemented by the project partners at Bangladesh Agricultural University. Application of these methods enabled team at BAU to rapidly identify and respond to reports of an incident of reported fish mortality (disease outbreak) in Trishal Upazila, Mymensingh District, Bangladesh in July 2017. Knowledge exchange with Indian partners has enabled the development of robust DNA extraction techniques in the participating labs in India. High quality eDNA samples have been extracted by the project partners for sequencing using amplicon or metagenomics strategies as appropriate. Support and advice has been provided to the Indian team to identify a suitable technology platforms and commercial sequencing services in India. The Illumina NextSeq platform at Bioserve Biotechnologies Pty. Ltd. was chosen for metagenomics sequencing and thirty samples were submitted from CIFE for analysis. Preliminary data analysis suggests the data are of sufficiently high quality to move to full analysis. Thirty-five samples have been submitted from TNFU for 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing on the Illumina MiSeq platform at Sandor Lifesciences Pvt. Ltd. Following a stringent bioinformatics QC pipeline, almost 2 million high-quality sequences remained, indicating the data are of high quality. Skills in microbiome research (sample collection and storage, DNA extraction techniques, high-throughput DNA sequencing technologies, comparison of amplicon sequencing and whole metagenome sequencing) have been developed and shared with teams in India and Bangladesh. |
Description | First report of Tilapia lake virus in Bangladesh |
Geographic Reach | Asia |
Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
Impact | We reported the first outbreak of Tilapia lake virus in Bangladesh we identified through this project to the Bangladesh government authorities for them to manage as a potential major threat to their national food security. |
Description | Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock Bangladesh |
Geographic Reach | Asia |
Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
Description | Work on identifying and sequencing TiLV shared with government authorities |
Geographic Reach | Asia |
Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
Impact | As tilapia lake virus (TiLV) had not previously been reported in Bangladesh, our work on identifying and sequencing TiLV was shared with government authorities, including the OIE representative and Competent Authorities, prior to publication, so that appropriate steps could be taken to inform farmers about this emerging virus and to implement a surveillance programme. Wide engagement with farming communities, regulators, government bodies, and other competent authorities throughout the project to facilitate the development of good practice. Dedicated project website http://www.adaproject.org.uk/ and project is featured on the SAF website https://www.exeter.ac.uk/research/saf/ Public. Through a GCRF (GRTA project) we have built on this project partnership to gain funding for promoting prudent pharmaceutical usage in Bangladesh aquaculture with Prof Mahfujul Haque (Bangladesh Agricultural University). We have worked with WorldFish and ARBAN to produce a series of video on best management practice in English ad Bangla that will be released in 2021. |
URL | http://www.adaproject.org.uk/ |
Description | Workshop : National strategy for AMR risks |
Geographic Reach | Asia |
Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
Impact | Wider and deeper understanding of antibiotics on the environmental and human health |
Description | Antibiotic exposure impacts on fish associated microbiomes and disease in aquaculture |
Amount | £0 (GBP) |
Organisation | Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 09/2019 |
End | 09/2023 |
Description | Antibiotic exposure impacts on fish health in natural freshwaters |
Amount | £70,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | Natural Environment Research Council |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 01/2021 |
End | 01/2024 |
Description | Antibiotic exposure impacts on fish health in natural freshwaters |
Amount | £70,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | Natural Environment Research Council |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 09/2018 |
End | 09/2022 |
Description | Antibiotic exposure impacts on skin microbiomes and disease resilience in fish in aquaculture |
Amount | £70,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 09/2018 |
End | 09/2022 |
Description | AquaLeap: Innovation in Genetics and Breeding to Advance UK Aquaculture Production |
Amount | £322,628 (GBP) |
Funding ID | BB/S004343/1 |
Organisation | Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 01/2019 |
End | 12/2022 |
Description | Aquatic Food Security development in Bangladesh |
Amount | £115,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | Department For Environment, Food And Rural Affairs (DEFRA) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 09/2020 |
End | 03/2021 |
Description | Aquatic Food security studentships |
Amount | £400,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | Centre For Environment, Fisheries And Aquaculture Science |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 02/2017 |
End | 01/2022 |
Description | BEIS funding for four Rutherford fellows |
Amount | £0 (GBP) |
Organisation | Natural History Museum |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 03/2018 |
End | 03/2020 |
Description | Breeding and health for improving robustness in aquaculture. |
Amount | £42,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start |
Description | Developing novel models to protect against threats from Vibrio pathogens for safeguarding aquatic food supply under future climates |
Amount | £100,686 (GBP) |
Organisation | Natural Environment Research Council |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 02/2023 |
End | 01/2024 |
Description | Developing novel models to understand threats from Vibrio pathogens for safeguarding aquatic food supply under future climates |
Amount | £80,548 (GBP) |
Funding ID | NE/X010333/1 |
Organisation | Natural Environment Research Council |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 02/2023 |
End | 10/2024 |
Description | Effects of environmentally relevant concentrations of antibiotics on the skin microbiome of Eurasian carp (Cyprinus carpio) |
Amount | £14,534 (GBP) |
Organisation | Natural Environment Research Council |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 08/2023 |
Description | Effects of probiotics on AMR in Asian Aquaculture |
Amount | £80,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | Centre For Environment, Fisheries And Aquaculture Science |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 09/2016 |
End | 03/2020 |
Description | Establishing the links between skin microbiome, pollution and disease susceptibility in a native UK amphibian species. |
Amount | £70,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | Natural Environment Research Council |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 09/2018 |
End | 09/2022 |
Description | GCRF Initiator Fund - Antimicrobial resistance in Aquaculture |
Amount | £20,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | United Kingdom Research and Innovation |
Department | Global Challenges Research Fund |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 01/2019 |
End | 04/2019 |
Description | GCRF internal fund (GRTA project): Promoting prudent pharmaceutical usage in Bangladesh aquaculture |
Amount | £29,941 (GBP) |
Organisation | United Kingdom Research and Innovation |
Department | Global Challenges Research Fund |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 06/2020 |
End | 03/2021 |
Description | Great Western Alliance- Water Security Alliance |
Amount | £250,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | GW4 Water Security Alliance (WSA) |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Start | 01/2019 |
End | 12/2021 |
Description | Improving hatchery biosecurity for a sustainable shrimp industry in Bangladesh |
Amount | £252,890 (GBP) |
Funding ID | BB/T012579/1 |
Organisation | Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 03/2020 |
End | 01/2022 |
Description | Integrating Biodiversity, Land use, Water Quality and Pollution Hazards Data for the River Exe Catchment and Lyme Baywith an On-line Mapping Tool for Supporting Government and Regional understanding of adverse coastal events of unknown cause affecting ma |
Amount | £260,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | Centre For Environment, Fisheries And Aquaculture Science |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 02/2024 |
End | 02/2025 |
Description | KE Culture Programme: Applying a positive tipping points framework for the sustainable development of the mariculture sector |
Amount | £29,746 (GBP) |
Organisation | Higher Education Funding Council for England |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 03/2022 |
End | 07/2022 |
Description | NERC |
Amount | £0 (GBP) |
Organisation | Natural Environment Research Council |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 09/2020 |
End | 09/2024 |
Description | NERC - SWEEP Project 019 Water quality management underpinning sustainable aquaculture and its expansion in SW England |
Amount | £336,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | Natural Environment Research Council |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 03/2019 |
End | 12/2021 |
Description | Production without medicalisation: a pilot intervention in global protein production |
Amount | £250,000 (GBP) |
Funding ID | ES/P004008/1 |
Organisation | Economic and Social Research Council |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 08/2016 |
End | 08/2018 |
Description | ROBUST-SMOLT Impact of early life history in freshwater Recirculation Aquaculture Systems on A. salmon robustness and susceptibility to disease at sea |
Amount | £1,000,500 (GBP) |
Organisation | Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start |
Description | Responses in invertebrate and fish populations and biodiversity to changing chemical exposures across diverse aquatic environment |
Amount | £25,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | Department For Environment, Food And Rural Affairs (DEFRA) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 12/2021 |
End | 03/2022 |
Description | Strategic Priorities Fund: Research Fund to support evidenced-based Policy Making. Developing a policy brief for sustainable aquaculture development in SW England |
Amount | £10,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | United Kingdom Research and Innovation |
Department | Research England |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 01/2020 |
End | 07/2020 |
Description | Supporting sustainable shrimp aquaculture in Bangladesh by raising awareness of the impacts of antibiotic use amongst farmers |
Amount | £20,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | United Kingdom Research and Innovation |
Department | Global Challenges Research Fund |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 11/2019 |
End | 11/2023 |
Description | Sustainable Future Global Aquaculture - Water Resources, Pollution and Biodiversity Protection. |
Amount | £70,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | Department For Environment, Food And Rural Affairs (DEFRA) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 12/2021 |
End | 03/2022 |
Description | Sustainable Future Global Aquaculture -Water, Pollution, and Wildlife Habitat Protection |
Amount | £80,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | Centre For Environment, Fisheries And Aquaculture Science |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 09/2022 |
End | 09/2025 |
Description | Transitioning towards more sustainable food systems through the application of a positive tipping points framework |
Amount | £48,186 (GBP) |
Organisation | Centre For Environment, Fisheries And Aquaculture Science |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 01/2023 |
End | 07/2023 |
Description | Translation award |
Amount | £260,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 01/2020 |
Description | UK Aquaculture initiave network - Aquaculture research collaboration hub |
Amount | £600,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 03/2017 |
End | 02/2020 |
Description | Understanding microbiomes in cultured tilapia for disease prediction and mitigation strategies |
Amount | £70,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | Worldfish |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | Malaysia |
Start | 09/2018 |
End | 09/2022 |
Description | Understanding microbiomes in cultured tilapia for disease prediction and mitigation strategies |
Amount | £0 (GBP) |
Organisation | Worldfish |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | Malaysia |
Start | 04/2020 |
End | 04/2023 |
Description | co-funded PDRF |
Amount | £200,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | Worldfish |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | Malaysia |
Start |
Title | Advances to molecular methods |
Description | Trial two novel methods (blocking primers and anit-metazoan primers) for depleting fish 18S reads to maximise characterisation of the microeukaroytic community. Showed that the full tilapia lake virus genome can be obtained by Illumina sequencing of total RNA from tissues of affected fish, without the need to propagate and concentrate the virus. |
Type Of Material | Technology assay or reagent |
Year Produced | 2020 |
Provided To Others? | No |
Impact | enabled more effective pathogen identification molecular method. Provision of full genome sequence for tilapia lake virus. |
Title | Amplicon sequencing of 144 Bangladesh finfish and shrimp pond samples |
Description | Amplicon sequencing of 144 Bangladesh finfish and shrimp pond samples was carried out in January 2017 (UoE); it showed distinct microbiome patterns in each pond, with shifts occurring when a disease was reported. This approach was scaled up in 2017 to include monthly sampling of sixteen finfish and ten shrimp ponds in Bangladesh, in order to distinguish molecular biomarkers of disease from temporal and geographical patterns. A set of tilapia pond water, incubation and skin swab samples was also collected in Malawi in October 2017. |
Type Of Material | Technology assay or reagent |
Year Produced | 2017 |
Provided To Others? | No |
Impact | Amplicon libraries from all these samples are in preparation, and will be sequenced on the Illumina MiSeq platform (UoE) in batches of 384 samples (with data from the first few batches expected in March 2018). |
Title | Collection of pond microbiome, pathogen (eDNA) and metadata from intensive study sites for the modelling work |
Description | For the modelling work, pond microbiome, pathogen (eDNA) and metadata are being collected from intensive study sites in Bangladesh and will be used to construct statistical/mathematical models including molecular data as a basis for disease risk prediction and inferring pathogen emergence (fore- and hind-casting) in aquaculture ponds. Additional physico-chemical data (dissolved oxygen, temperature, pH) are being collected from selected ponds using continuous sensing technologies and handheld meters. Data logging sensors were deployed in all intensive study finfish and shrimp ponds following a field work visit by the UK team to Bangladesh 9-17 March 2017. Full training was given to the Bangladesh teams to enable the retrieval of continuous logging data on a monthly basis. |
Type Of Material | Biological samples |
Year Produced | 2017 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Impact | . Data logging sensors were deployed in all intensive study finfish and shrimp ponds following a field work visit by the UK team to Bangladesh 9-17 March 2017. Full training was given to the Bangladesh teams to enable the retrieval of continuous logging data on a monthly basis. |
Title | DNA extraction |
Description | Standardised research protocols have been developed for: 1. Water sampling for DNA extraction and microbiome analyses 2. Extraction of high quality eDNA from complex environmental matrices for metagenomic analysis 3. Field sampling to provide and transport intact tissue samples for histology and integrated digital pathology. Knowledge exchange with Indian partners has enabled the development of robust DNA extraction techniques which are now being used by the participating labs in India. High quality eDNA samples have been extracted by the project partners for sequencing using amplicon or metagenomics strategies as appropriate. Suitable technology platforms and commercial sequencing services have been identified in India and initial samples have been submitted for whole metagenome sequencing and 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing. Preliminary data analysis suggests the data are of sufficiently high quality to move to full analysis. Following a stringent bioinformatics QC pipeline, almost 2 million 16S rRNA sequences remained, indicating the data are of high quality. |
Type Of Material | Technology assay or reagent |
Year Produced | 2017 |
Provided To Others? | No |
Impact | High-throughput sequencing approaches (amplicon versus whole metagenome) have been tested on field samples from Bangladesh, and protocols for amplicon library preparation and bioinformatic analysis are being refined. |
Title | Detailed sequencing strategy - UK |
Description | A detailed sequencing strategy has been developed in the UK, combining amplicon sequencing (16S rRNA/18S rRNA) of all samples with targeted whole metagenome sequencing of a subset of the samples. |
Type Of Material | Biological samples |
Year Produced | 2017 |
Provided To Others? | No |
Impact | Samples collected in Bangladesh and Malawi are regularly transported to the UK for DNA extraction and sequencing. |
Description | (World Fish) and the Africa Centre of Excellence in Aquaculture and Fisheries |
Organisation | Lilongwe University of Agriculture & Natural Resources |
Country | Malawi |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | In Malawi collaboration has been established between the project consortium partner (World Fish) and the Africa Centre of Excellence in Aquaculture and Fisheries based at the Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (LUANAR). |
Collaborator Contribution | In Malawi collaboration has been established between the project consortium partner (World Fish) and the Africa Centre of Excellence in Aquaculture and Fisheries based at the Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (LUANAR). |
Impact | N/A |
Start Year | 2017 |
Description | MoU established between Khulna University Bangladesh and University of Exeter |
Organisation | Khulna University |
Country | Bangladesh |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Current knowledge and research. MoU established with University of Exeter and large scale experiment recently conducted to assess the effects of antibiotic exposure on fish health in natural ponds in Bangladesh ( support through BBSRC studentship) |
Collaborator Contribution | support through BBSRC studentship |
Impact | studentships |
Start Year | 2021 |
Description | Research partnership with Bangladesh Agricultural University |
Organisation | Bangladesh Agricultural University |
Country | Bangladesh |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Enabled partners - Mohammad Mahfujul Haque, Neaz Al Hasan, Dr Md. Mehedi Alam, Bangladesh Agricultural University, to identify tilapia lake virus outbreak and inform Bangladesh government |
Collaborator Contribution | - Supporting in the publication of first tilapia lake virus genome from Bangladesh, after appropriate notification to Bangladesh government authorities - Provision of extensive sample set for microbiome profiling of tilapia and pangasius ponds in Bangladesh (manuscript in preparation) |
Impact | - Publication of first tilapia lake virus genome from Bangladesh, after appropriate notification to Bangladesh government authorities - Microbiome profiling of tilapia and pangasius ponds in Bangladesh (manuscript in preparation) |
Start Year | 2018 |
Description | Trained partners in molecular skills in Bangladesh. |
Organisation | Bangladesh Agricultural University |
Country | Bangladesh |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | We have trained partners in molecular skills in Bangladesh. Work has lead to extensive further project work in Bangladesh with Bangladesh Agricultural University and Khulna University, including student visits |
Collaborator Contribution | extensive further project work in Bangladesh with Bangladesh Agricultural University and Khulna University, including student visits |
Impact | further project work in Bangladesh and student visits |
Start Year | 2022 |
Description | Trained partners in molecular skills in Bangladesh. |
Organisation | Khulna University |
Country | Bangladesh |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | We have trained partners in molecular skills in Bangladesh. Work has lead to extensive further project work in Bangladesh with Bangladesh Agricultural University and Khulna University, including student visits |
Collaborator Contribution | extensive further project work in Bangladesh with Bangladesh Agricultural University and Khulna University, including student visits |
Impact | further project work in Bangladesh and student visits |
Start Year | 2022 |
Description | Worldfish Bangladesh collaboration with Muhammad Meezanur Rahman, Siddhwartha Kumar Basak |
Organisation | Worldfish |
Country | Malaysia |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
PI Contribution | - Microbiome profiling for supporting disease understanding and prevalence of shrimp ponds in Bangladesh (manuscript in preparation) - Identification of AMR risk in shrimp hatcheries (manuscript in preparation) |
Collaborator Contribution | Provision of extensive sample set for microbiome profiling to identify disease prevalence in shrimp ponds in Bangladesh (manuscript in preparation) Provision of samples to allow for identification of AMR risk in shrimp hatcheries (manuscript in preparation) |
Impact | 3 research papers in preparation |
Start Year | 2018 |
Title | A bespoke App |
Description | A bespoke App has been designed to enable communication with small-scale farmers |
Type Of Technology | Webtool/Application |
Year Produced | 2018 |
Impact | enable communication with small-scale farmers |
Description | 11th Indian Fisheries and Aquaculture forum |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | 1. Kulkarni A., Deepika A., Sanath K., Bedekar M. K., Chaput D. L., Rajandran K. V.(2017) Evaluation of genomic DNA extraction methods for gut microbiome analysis of Penaeus (Litopenaeus) vannamei by high throughput sequencing (HTS). 11th Indian Fisheries and Aquaculture Forum, Kochi, India, 21-24 November 2017 (Poster, AH PO 36). 2. Kulkarni A., Deepika A., Kohli V., Murugan A., Bedekar M. K., Sanath K., Rajandran K. V.(2017) Histological and molecular identification of microsporidian parasite, Enterocytozoon hepatopenaei in farmed shrimp, Penaeus (Litopenaeus) vannamei from the west coast of India. 11th Indian Fisheries and Aquaculture Forum, Kochi, India, 21-24 November 2017 (Poster, AH PO 44). 3. Rajandran K. V. (2017) Emerging diseases in shrimp aquaculture: need for new approach in disease management. 11th Indian Fisheries and Aquaculture Forum, Kochi, India, 21-24 November 2017 (Invited talk, AH IN 04) Invited Talk |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
Description | 26th National Conference of Indian Virological Society (IVS) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | K Riji John, M. Rosalind George and R. Dinesh, 2017. Emerging viral pathogens in fish and shellfish aquaculture in India. Lead lecture presented in the 26th National Conference of Indian Virological Society (IVS) "Viruses to Viromes in Health and Disease" at NITTE University, Mangalore, December 7- 9, 2017 |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
Description | 58th Annual conference of Association of Microbiologists of India (AMI) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | Kumar S, Vandita K, Kulkarni A, Deepika A, Bedekar MK and Rajendran K.V. (2017) Characteristics of shrimp pathogenic vibrios isolated from Litopenaeus vannamei and the pond environment. 58th Annual conference of Association of Microbiologists of India (AMI), Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, November 16-19, 2017 (Poster) |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
Description | An International Training Workshop on Methods in Histopathology and Molecular Biology for Disease Diagnosis in Finfish and Shrimp |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | An International Training Workshop on Methods in Histopathology and Molecular Biology for Disease Diagnosis in Finfish and Shrimp was held at Cefas from 30th January to 2nd February 2017 and was attended by representatives from all the project partners. Outcomes from the workshop are summarised below: 1. Training needs were met and protocols could be standardised and shared across the whole of the project. 2. Each team identified their own work plans and priorities and understood how their work fits within the whole project 3. Each team understood how to provide paired samples for histopathology and molecular analysis 4. Methods for DNA extraction from environmental samples (eDNA) were shared and placed in the project SharePoint file. 5. Importance of rigour (e.g.exact molecular grade ethanol) in field sampling was understood across all the teams and suppliers agreed. 6. Protocols for fish incubations shared and placed in the project SharePoint file. 7. A detailed summary of the workshop was provided and each team/country was encouraged to report back on the learning/knowledge/training outcomes of workshop. 8. Next annual meeting/workshop dates and location were agreed (Malawi, most likely in January 2018) |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
Description | Attendance at UK Science and Innovation Network/Indian High Commission network meeting |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | Networking conference/workshops: Aquaculture - Water and Remote Sensing. On line - UK-India Aquaculture Partnership for Research and Innovation - UK Science and Innovation Network/Indian High Commission in Dehli. 8-10th March 2021 |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
Description | Communication App for smal scale farmers in Bangladesh |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | A bespoke App has been designed to enable communication with small-scale farmers in Bangladesh. Once tested and refined in Bangladesh the App will be appropriately modified and rolled out to farmers in India. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
Description | Conference |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | Aquaculture Projects in Bangladesh. Focus: The Environment. Bangladesh Safe and Sustainable Aquatic Food Project Workshop - Embedding One Health to Support Aquatic Food Production during Covid-19. On line - 22-23 March, 2021 |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
Description | Conference |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | Presentation at international conference: Mucosal Health in Aquaculture 2nd - Madrid, Spain 4/5/6 Oct 2022 |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | Country specific surveillance programs have been developed independently by each participating country (Malawi, India and Bangladesh) during 2018. |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | Country specific surveillance programs have been developed independently by each participating country (Malawi, India and Bangladesh) during 2018. Each project team has identified and built strong links with famers enabling them to see the value of research and promote continued participation in ongoing scientific research in aquaculture. Ongoing support has been provided to the Indian teams on modern molecular methods for eDNA extraction and bioinfomatics analysis. In January 2018 training was provided in advanced diagnostics and molecular techniques in fish health in January 2018 to 4 Rutherford Fellows funded by BEIS (WF employees Camerson Ghambi and John Kandapo (Malawi), and Siddhwartha Kumer Basak and Partho Pratim Debnath (Bangladesh). A reciprocal visits was made to Malawi (March 2018) by Dr David Bass (cefas) and Dr Andrew Briscoe (NHM) to consolidate and continue the training in-country. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
Description | Field work |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | Two months of field work completed in Bangladesh (Khulna University) required extensive engagement with academics, government officials, NGO staff (Worldfish) and local people engaged in aquaculture activities. This included teaching students about fish sampling, experimental study design, laboratory analysis and humane euthanasia techniques for fish. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | International Symposium on Aquatic Animal Health and Epidemiology for sustainable Asian Aquaculture (ISAAHE) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | 8. Anushalini, S.V., Mulloorpeedikayil, R.G., Kollanoor, R.J. Moihideenpitchai, M.M. and Kavitha, S.M. 2017 Comparative analysis of vibrio isolates in WSSV and EHP infected and uninfected shrimps with reference to plasmids and antibiotic sensitivity. International Symposium on Aquatic Animal Health and Epidemiology for sustainable Asian Aquaculture (ISAAHE), ICAR, NBFGR, Lucknow, India (20.04.2017- 21.04.2017) (Poster) 9. Venugopal M.N. 2017 Surveillance of Shrimp diseases in Coastal Karnataka. International Symposium on Aquatic Animal Health and Epidemiology for sustainable Asian Aquaculture (ISAAHE), ICAR, NBFGR, Lucknow, India (20.04.2017- 21.04.2017) (Poster) |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
Description | Major research meetings |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
Results and Impact | In February 2019we had two major research meetings in Bangladesh engaging with scientists, farmers, policy makers and other government officicals The first: Novel Molecular Approaches for Advancing Prediction and Mitigation of Disease Outbreaks in Aquaculture for Small Scale Farmers (Malawi, India and Bangladesh BBSRC/ Newton workshop meeting). This meeting was held at the Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh. The guests included the VC, Director General of Fisheries and BFRI, Country Director of WorldFish and Dean of FoF and pangasius and tilapia farmers, other value-chain stakeholders, project partners and other BAU colleagues. Major features were our presentations from Exeter/cefas on the surveys conducted on fish and shrimp farming practices in Bangladesh, microbiome systems and how they might be optimized in aquaculture and the development of molecular diagnostic for diseases in those systems. TV and press coverage https://www.facebook.com/JamunaTelevision/videos/2162051153858537/UzpfSTEwMDAwMzY3ODI1MjcwMTozMDYwNjExMjk0OTk0MTQ6NzU6MDoxNTUxNDI3MTk5Oi02OTE3ODUxMjYxMjU0MzEwNjY/ https://www.dailyinqilab.com/article/184732/%E0%A6%AE%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%9B%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%B0%E0%A7%8B%E0%A6%97%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%AA%E0%A7%82%E0%A6%B0%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%AD%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B8-%E0%A6%A6%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%AC%E0%A7%87-%E0%A6%A1%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%9C%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%9F%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B2-%E0%A6%B2%E0%A6%97%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B0 https://www.odhikar.news/education/campus/45071/%E0%A6%A1%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%9C%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%9F%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B2-%E0%A6%B2%E0%A6%97%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%AE%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%9B-%E0%A6%9A%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B7%E0%A6%95%E0%A7%87-%E0%A6%AC%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%97%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%A8-%E0%A6%95%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%AC%E0%A7%87/print http://www.agriview24.com/2019/02/07/%E0%A6%A1%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%9C%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%9F%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B2-%E0%A6%B2%E0%A6%97%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%AE%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%9B-%E0%A6%9A%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B7%E0%A6%95%E0%A7%87-%E0%A6%AC%E0%A7%87/?fbclid=IwAR1Wbw0d9p1biLg0EtpiGPQKwtepyBnZraAU01-bF-7PfehahXz3KbfEk98 During this visit we also spent time with fish farmers listening to them about their disease challenges and advising on approaches to combat those challenges. The second meeting was in Dhaka Workshop - "Aquaculture and antimicrobial resistance - a one health challenge" The workshop set out to disseminate and discuss relevant lessons from these projects and to develop priorities for future work and interventions. Key aims of the workshop: 1. To share and develop greater understanding of the key practices, disease issues and drivers of resistance risks within Bangladesh and within Bangladeshi aquaculture. (Presentations and discussion) 2. To discuss the utilisation of this knowledge in any public/ farmer campaign aiming to raise AMR awareness 3. To identify data needs and approaches for future characterisation of AMR issues in Bangladeshi aquaculture Many honorable quests attended including the head of WorldFish in Bangladesh and Bangladesh government officials including the Chief Fisheries Minister. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
URL | http://www.agriview24.com/2019/02/07/%E0%A6%A1%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%9C%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%9F%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B2... |
Description | Project Website ADA |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Study participants or study members |
Results and Impact | A project website has been published www.adaproject.org.uk. This will provide a platform for all participating teams to deliver content and regular updates on their research activities and publicise the outcomes of their work. Website is linked with marine research at University of Exeter https://www.exeter.ac.uk/research/marine/ |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
URL | http://adaproject.org.uk/ |
Description | Talk |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | Collaboration with international academics about aquaculture in Bangladesh |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
Description | Talk - Tackling Food and Water Security Workshop |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | International collaborations via Tackling Food and Water Security Workshop with Cefas and Centre for Marine and Coastal Studies, University of Malaysia (University of Exeter, 31st October -1 November 2023. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
Description | Talk - global sustainable aquaculture |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | Seeking Sustainable Aquaculture Futures - Globally and in the Southwest. Southwest Aquaculture Network, Exeter 4th March 2023 |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
Description | Talk at 25th UK-Japan Annual Scientific Workshop - Research into Environmental Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals & Chemicals of Emerging Concern |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | Annual international scientific workshop. In vitro systems for assessing pharmaceutical bioavailability. Hosted by defra and the MoE Japan. Contact details of institution receiving materials: Name of academic lead Harm J. Heusinkveld Name and address of institution Centre for Health Protection (GZB) | Dept for Innovative Testing Strategies (VTS) Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment Antonie van Leeuwenhoeklaan 9, 3721 MA Bilthoven, Netherlands Email harm.heusinkveld@rivm.nl Telephone number +31 88 6892179 Name and description of materials to be transferred. Tg(EpRE:mCherry), the oxidative stress biosensor zebrafish |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
Description | Talk at Cefas Annual Science Conference |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | Seeking Sustainable Aquaculture Futures UK. Cefas Annual Science Conference, London 4th October 2023 |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
Description | World Fish conference in Zomba |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | The project was featured in a media conference held by World Fish in Zomba on the importance of aquaculture and fisheries to food security and the national economy, 13th April 2017. This was opened by the Director of Fisheries and brought together all local and international media based in Malawi. News and journalism on the importance of fish and threats to fisheries and aquaculture was broadcast by 18 media companies in Malawi. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |