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CENTRE FOR FISH IMMUNOLOGY

Why this Centre?

With the global fish production through capture fisheries reaching its maximum due to over exploitation, a major source of food/dietary protein for the teeming millions of people in the new century will be aquaculture. Present aquaculture production has almost surpassed that of capture fisheries. At least 50% of the fish consumed by humans are farm- reared. China accounts for about two-thirds of the world’s total aquaculture production followed by India with far less production than China. India has the potential for producing culture fish, many more times of what it is actually producing. One of the main reasons for this failure is the large scale mortalities of fish due to aquatic environmental pollution, crowding other stressors leading to immunosuppression and the consequent microbial infectious diseases. While global annual loss to aquaculture industries due to diseases was estimated to be US$6.5 billion per annum (nearly 40% of the production). Though no clear estimates annual disease loss are available for Indian aquaculture , the % loss of production can be equal or more than that of global average. Fish diseases can be controlled by immunological and other ways such as by using antibiotics and immunoprophylactic measures like Vaccines and Immunostimulants. To develop efficacious immuno-prophylactic and immunotherapeutic measures for fish diseases, better understanding of fish immunity is an important prerequisite. The centre provides the necessary facilities for training and research in Fish Immunology which is a newly emerged discipline in life sciences.

At the national level, there are only very few institutions working in the area of Fish Immunology. This situation is due to lack of trained personnel, the field being new. In the School of Life Sciences, Vels University, Immunology and Fish Immunology have been identified as an area for intensive study and research respectively.

What is the specific purpose?

Research and Consultancy

  1. Research in Fish Immunology- Immunomodulation, Immunostimulants and Immunotoxicology with reference to finfish aquaculture.
  2. Providing consultancy service to the fish farmers on fish health (prophylaxis and therapy) and the culture environment (pollution etc) and to the pharmaceutical companies on vaccine/immunostimulant efficacy (testing) and protocols for drug administration.
  3. Consultancy service to research students on methods and approaches for a research problem/topic related to Fish Immunology
  4. Providing library facilities for researchers in fish immunology from all over the country.
  5. Offering short term training in (Fish) Immunology techniques for young college/university teachers/researchers.

Who uses the Centre?

  1. On a regular basis, the university faculty and graduate students (M.Sc, and Ph.D) who are interested in the field of Immunology and Fish Immunology.
  2. Members of the institutions collaborating with School of Life Sciences,VISTAS
  3. On appointment, students, teachers and scientists from other institutions for literature search, discussion and short term study.

Who are the members of the centre?

The group normally includes Fish Immunology doctoral scholars, M.Phil. students, Technical Assistant, field/lab Assistant, collaborating faculty fellows and the Dean of Life Sciences.

What are the thrust areas for research?

What are the accomplishments?

How to contact the Centre?

Prof. Dr. R. Dinakaran Michael Ph.D
Dean of Life Sciences,
Vels University
Pallavaram
Chennai – 600 117, Tamil Nadu, India
Phone: (O) + 91 – 44 – 2266 2500 / 01 / 02 / 03 Extn: 194
(Direct) +91 – 44 – 2266 2523
Mobile: 0 – 98421 68018
Fax: + 91 – 44 – 2266 2513
Email: deansls@velsuniv.orgrdmichael2000@yahoo.co.in

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