Development of next-generation probiotics for aquaculture

Originating from the European Commission's strategic measure to make aquaculture more sustainable and competitive in Europe, this project addresses the disease challenge in oyster farming. Despite considerable progress in reducing infectious diseases, oyster production is still significantly threatened during various phases. Measures to counteract outbreaks sometimes exist, but treatments address just some specific infectious agents, and in some cases, are not sustainable. With this project, we want to investigate a relatively new perspective: the use of probiotics to control diseases in aquaculture. Probiotics have gained popularity as beneficial microbes to maintain aquatic animals' health conditions and well-being. However, it is not entirely clear how these probiotics can prevent or treat infectious diseases. Knowledge gaps, such as the probiotics' mode of action, viability, and inclusion level remain. The methodology involves the isolation of new probiotic candidates from the host itself and its surrounding environment as these strains - unlike probiotics of terrestrial origin - occupy the same ecological niche as the pathogens of interest. This research project involves the isolation of probiotics from oyster aquaculture followed by in vitro experiments to allow the identification of the possible probiotics' benefits against infectious agents, up to clinical experiments with the animals themselves. As still much needs to be explored, the present research will increase the understanding and development of probiotic application in aquaculture.