Projects

Last modified: 28. June 2022

Our department is currently involved in the following projects:

H2020 grant agreement no. 818036: Intelligent Fish feeding through Integration of Enabling technologies and Circular principles (iFishIENCi)

iFishIENCi is an EU Horizon 2020 project bringing together 16 partners in a trans-disciplinary effort aimed at making genuine improvements to aquaculture management and practices. The overall goal of the iFishIENCi project is to provide new intelligent feeding technologies to support ambitious, but sustainable growth for the European aquaculture industry.

NKFI Alap (NKFI_K_ 135824): Fish propagation by using sperm insemination into ovarian lobes

There are difficulties to propagate several economically important or endangered fish species by using tradional method (based on gamete collection). In that case induced spawning/tank  spawning, pen spawning the only way to reproduce them. Ou rnewly developed method, which based on sperm insemination into ovarian by using catheter, allows targeted breeding work, which has so far been limited to induced spawning method. As a result, genetic diversity can be increased - in case of spawning fish, targeted crossings can be performed, insemination can be carried out with qualified or manipulated semen. A further result of the work is that we better understand the physiological features of the infertilized fish and the process of fertilization of the fish (possibly including the initial or complete process of embryogenesis), which provides answer for important evolutionary development.

NKFI Alap (NKFI_K_129127): A halserma mélyhűthetőségének öröklődése

Sperm cryopreservation is a world-wide used assisted reproduction method that allows the storage of sperm cells for an infinite period of time. The use of this method is increasing in animal production including aquaculture. However, cryopreservation causes damages to some cells that results in their death. To date we do not know the reasons why some cells survive cryopreservation while others do not. In addition, research results indicated that survival of cryopreservation, resistance to the damages associated with cryopreservation were heritable. In our research, we would like to confirm or refute the aforementioned hypothesis (that resistance to cryopreservation is heritable) and to investigate the changes occurring in cells and subsequently embryos following cryopreservation. Envisioned results will allow selection of individuals with higher survival using methods of classical animal husbandry.

NKFI Alap (NKFI_K_138425): Research towards in vitro gonads in freshwater fish

The objective of the project is the development of artificial gonads (testes, ovaries) in freshwater fish. To this end, germline stem cells of the given species will be studied, cultured and their development into functional sperm and eggs will be induced using a suitable hormonal environment. Artificial gonads will be developed both in two-dimensional culture (involving one or two layers of cells) as well as in a multilayered three-dimensional culture. Developed artificial gonads have the potential of application in numerous fields. In toxicological tests they can replace living organisms. They can help in the induced spawning of fish species that produce low volumes of sperm and eggs. Finally as a long-term solution, they can help to completely or partially replace broodstocks in fish hatcheries (stocks held for the production of sperm and eggs) reducing associated costs, assist in the off-season spawning of species that have a seasonal pattern of reproduction and reduce the pressure on natural stocks of the given species.