Immunology and Genomics of Animals of Interest in Aquaculture
We work on Immunology and Genomics of organisms of interest in aquaculture, focusing on how animals respond to infectious diseases to identify both common and specific strategies, as well as key genes involved in resistance to these diseases.
Our research primarily targets fish and bivalve mollusks. Due to the lack of data for these non-model organisms, we have developed genomic resources for the species we study. For example, we have sequenced the complete genomes of two species: turbot (Scophthalmus maximus) and mussel (Mytilus galloprovincialis). The turbot genome was the first vertebrate genome sequenced in Spain, while in the case of the mussel, we discovered a pangenome with massive presence and absence of genes. We routinely perform transcriptomic and genomic studies that support further research, such as identifying genes or processes associated with disease resistance.
Our studies enable us to:
-Apply our research to the study of diseases in mollusks and farmed fish, developing strategies to enhance resistance to infectious diseases. Diseases are a significant bottleneck in aquaculture. For mollusks, we have also served as the National Reference Laboratory for Bivalve Mollusk Pathology since 1996 (Council Directive 95/70/EC; Royal Decree 1043/1997, BOE 9.7.97).
- Identify bioactive substances with high biotechnological potential.
- Use zebrafish as a model organism to study the molecular basis of pathogen responses, leveraging its many advantages. Additionally, it allows us to use a whole organism for drug or bioactive substance screening and toxicity studies, which is also a key component of our research.
- Develop diagnostic methods for diseases in aquaculture.
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