Since the Asian Seabass project kick-off meeting held in January, the teams across the various key work packages have made several progress. The teams recently convened through two topic meetings: Nutrition & Physiology and Health. This format allowed teams to present their latest progress, align on shared priorities, and identify new opportunities for collaboration across disciplines.
Some of the key progress made in the past months include:
• Identification and confirmation of Neobenedenia spp. as the principal parasite target in Asian seabass
• Establishment of laboratory culture of Neobenedenia spp. for controlled infection studies
• Initiation of a carbohydrate-based juvenile feeding trial to establish baseline
• Identification of starch-degrading bacteria as probiotic candidates
• Establishment of molecular markers linked to bone formation and skeletal health
• Completed first round of sampling at partner farms enrolled under the pathogen and parasite surveillance programme
• Development of immunostimulant candidates for trials
• Establishment of baseline nutritional, yield and sensory profiles of Asian Seabass fillets
These meetings reflect the momentum, innovation, and strong collaborative spirit driving the project forward.