Semarang – Diponegoro University’s Biotechnology Study Program on Wednesday, November 1, 2021 held a Visiting Professor event with the title ” Development of Mucoadhesive Nanovaccine Against Columnaris Disease in Red Tilapia (Oreochromis sp)”. This topic was delivered directly by Dr. Channarong Rodkhum who is a researcher and lecturer from the Center of Excellent in Fish Infectious Diseases (CE FID), Department of Veterinary Microbiology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Chulalongkorn University, Thailand.
Dr. Channarong Rodkhum explained that the red tilapia (Oreochromis sp.) has many advantages as a food source such as high nutrition, good protein source and promising economic assets. However, this fish sector faces the threat of infection by Columnaris disease which results in a decrease in fish productivity. Columnaris infection that attacks the gills and skin, makes it difficult for fish to take oxygen from the environment which in the long term can reduce fish productivity and result in death.
Dr. Channarong Rodkhum continued that the Mucoadhesive Nanovaccin being developed aims to fight Columnaris infection and increase fish immunity against this disease. Based on the immune response of the fish, it was shown that the ability of Tilapia to fight Columnaris disease increased after administration of the vaccine. The results of the study indicated that immersion vaccination with mucoadhesive nanovaccine can be used as an effective method to prevent and control Columnaris disease in Tilapia.
This event was moderated directly by Dr. rer. nat. Anto Budiharjo, M.Biotech, who is a lecturer in Biotechnology at Diponegoro University. This event lasted for 2 hours and was enthusiastically attended by more than 200 participants from various institutions until the end of the event.