Novel technologies for early detection and monitoring of fish pathogens

水产养殖是增长最快的食品行业之一，鱼类是人类蛋白质的最重要来源，全球水产养殖业雇用了约5480万人。野生鱼类和养殖鱼类面临的最大挑战之一是疾病。事实上，决定一家公司是否盈利甚至“保持浮存”的关键因素是传染病造成的损失。英国渔业最近的疾病问题暴露了我们对卵菌感染的流行病学知识的巨大差距，以及我们保护食品供应免受新出现的病原体的能力，如由入侵的Aphanomyces引起的流行性溃疡综合征（EUS）。该奖学金将建立在环境署和卡迪夫大学之间的现有项目的基础上，该项目收集了30多种英国水霉属菌株，并在宿主特异性方面进行了评估。为了利用这项长期投资，首先，学生将开发和优化冷冻保存技术，以创建卵菌国家档案馆。然后，将评估疾病监测方法，以确定无人机是否可以有效地监测岸边鱼类死亡率。第三，学生将开发新的和快速的分子方法来筛选鱼类宿主和水样中的卵菌。eDNA方法的验证将涉及实验室挑战实验，这些实验也将产生关于不同卵菌菌株/种的毒力的有价值的信息。这将有助于确定潜在的感染途径以及野生鱼类种群和水产养殖之间的相互作用。由于新出现的病原体的快速检测对于控制至关重要，这些分子标记物也将作为检测新出现的EUS的早期预警试剂盒。最后，疾病监测记录将与环境/水质和宿主基因型数据相匹配，以确定影响宿主种群、自然栖息地和水产养殖设施中水霉属爆发风险的潜在因素。这些将通过实验研究进行验证，以确认宿主和环境变量（例如温度）对水霉属的生长、发育和毒力的影响。学生将获得一系列分子生物学和寄生虫学技能，并与创新的实地调查方法（无人机到eDNA）和数据解释的数学方法相结合。与工业和渔业部门合作，该项目的产出不仅有助于减少养鱼场的经济损失，而且将有利于未来管理、监测和保护野生、本地鱼类种群。

Aquaculture is one of the fastest growing food sectors, fish is the most important source of human protein and globally the industry employs an estimated 54.8 million people. One of the greatest challenges facing wild and farmed fish stocks is disease. Indeed, the key factor determining whether or not a company is profitable or even 'remains a float' is the loss incurred by infectious disease. Recent disease problems in UK fisheries have exposed substantial gaps in our knowledge on the epidemiology of oomycete infections, and our ability to protect food supplies against emerging pathogens, such as epizootic ulcerative syndrome (EUS) caused by Aphanomyces invadans. This studentship will build on an existing project between the Environment Agency and Cardiff University in which over 30 UK strains of Saprolegnia have been collected and assessed in terms of hostspecificity. To capitalise on this longterm investment, first, the student will develop and optimise cryopreservation techniques to create an Oomycete National Archive. Then, disease surveillance methods will be assessed to determine whether drones can effectively monitor bankside fish mortalities. Thirdly, the student will develop novel and rapid molecular methods to screen for oomycetes on fish hosts and within water samples. Validation of eDNA methods will involve laboratory challenge experiments that will also generate valuable information on virulence of different oomycete strains/species. This will help identify potential pathways of infection and interactions between wild fish stocks and aquaculture. As rapid detection of emerging pathogens is critical for control, these molecular markers will also serve as an early warning kit for detection of emerging EUS. Finally, disease surveillance records will be matched with environmental/water quality and host genotype data in order to identify potential factors influencing the risk of Saprolegnia outbreaks in host populations, natural habitats and aquaculture facilities. These will be validated through experimental studies to confirm the influence of host and environmental variables (e.g. temperature) on the growth, development and virulence of Saprolegnia. The student will acquire a range of molecular biology and parasitological skills to be combined with innovative field survey methods (drones to eDNA) and mathematical approaches to data interpretation. In collaboration with industry and fisheries sector, outputs from this project will not only help reduce economic losses on fish farms, but will benefit future management, monitoring and conservation of wild, native fish populations.