IMAQUAVAC 2024: Advancing the Future of Fish Health and Aquaculture Vaccine Development

The Indo-German Workshop on ‘Challenges and New Opportunities in Vaccine Development for Aquaculture – IMAQUAVAC 2024’ took place from 27th to 29th November 2024 at the Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT) in Kerala, India. Organised by CUSAT’s Centre of Excellence for Aquatic Vaccine Development, in collaboration with the University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover (TiHO), Germany, and the Indo-German Science and Technology Centre (IGSTC), the workshop aimed to foster international collaboration and address the growing importance of fish vaccines in sustaining global aquaculture practices. 

The workshop brought together a diverse group of global experts, researchers, and industrial leaders, who discussed innovative research and the latest innovations in aquaculture vaccine development. With a strong focus on research, development, and capacity building, the event also aimed to empower Early Career Researchers (ECRs) by providing them with opportunities to present their work, network with prominent scientists, and explore potential collaborations. The event included insightful presentations, hands-on sessions, and discussions on the future of vaccine technology in the aquaculture industry, addressing challenges such as disease management, sustainability, and innovation in vaccine production. 

As part of its commitment to advancing the field of veterinary vaccinology, the International Veterinary Vaccinology Network (IVVN) awarded travel bursaries to three early career researchers, enabling them to attend and actively participate in the workshop. This support allowed the researchers to present their work, engage with leading experts, and establish valuable connections that will shape their future research in the field of aquatic vaccinology. 

IVVN Travel Bursary Recipients: Contributions and Reflections 

1. Dr Juan Mosqueda 
Professor, Natural Sciences Faculty, Autonomous University of Queretaro, Mexico 

Dr Juan Mosqueda presented an abstract on the development of a multi-epitope vaccine against Streptococcus agalactiae, a pathogen that affects tilapia. His work is part of the BactiVac project, which aims to improve vaccine strategies in aquaculture. 

Presenting our work at IMAQUAVAC-2024 was a rewarding experience. The workshop's interactive environment allowed for in-depth discussions, and the feedback I received was invaluable. It provided new insights that will guide future improvements in our vaccine design. I’m grateful to the IVVN for their generous support, which made my participation possible.

The workshop also provided Dr Mosqueda with the chance to engage with global leaders in vaccine research, furthering his project’s objectives of developing effective vaccines for aquaculture. 

2. Dr Le Thanh Dien 
Lecturer, Faculty of Applied Technology, Van Lang University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam 

Dr Le Thanh Dien presented a research proposal focused on the development of a mucoadhesive autogenous vaccine to prevent lactococcosis in tilapia. This research is part of his efforts to enhance vaccine development in the aquaculture sector, particularly in Southeast Asia. 

IMAQUAVAC-2024 was a great platform for expanding my professional network and gaining insights into the latest aquaculture vaccine technologies. The workshop sessions on vaccine development and immunity in fish were particularly helpful for my ongoing research. I also had the opportunity to discuss my research proposal with experts from various countries, which helped refine my ideas. I am deeply grateful for the IVVN Travel Bursary, which made my participation in this transformative workshop possible.

Dr Ravi Kant presented a poster on the application of artificial intelligence (AI) to identify vaccine candidates for aquaculture pathogens. His research aims to use AI to predict immunogenic candidates that could potentially be used in fish vaccines. 

Presenting my poster on AI-driven vaccine candidate identification was an exciting experience. The discussions around my poster presentation were insightful, and I received valuable feedback on how to incorporate AI with experimental validation. The workshop’s focus on the integration of AI and bioinformatics in vaccine development was especially relevant to my research. Thanks to the IVVN’s support, I was able to attend this event and gain new perspectives that will influence the future direction of my work.

Workshop Highlights and Insights 

The IMAQUAVAC-2024 workshop brought together 70 participants, including 23 delegates from renowned institutions across Germany, the UK, Vietnam, Mexico, Malaysia, Thailand, and Singapore. 

The workshop was inaugurated by Dr J.K. Jena, Deputy Director-General of Fisheries at the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), India. Dr Kim Thompson, Head of the Aquaculture Research Group at the Moredun Research Institute in Scotland, delivered an insightful keynote address, emphasising the pivotal role of vaccines in promoting sustainable aquaculture. 

A major highlight of the workshop was the focus on practical vaccine development methods, including the use of transcriptomic techniques, immunoinformatic approaches, and novel vaccine delivery systems. The sessions covered emerging topics such as the challenges of fish vaccination in Asian countries and the role of AI in identifying vaccine candidates, which directly aligned with the research being presented by the IVVN bursary recipients. 

Significant recommendations emerged from the workshop, focusing on both immediate and long-term strategies to address challenges in aquaculture vaccine development. These included:

• Development strategies for technology outreach through partnerships and convergence.
• Entrepreneurship and business development, particularly in vaccine commercialisation.
• The establishment of Special Aquaculture Zones to facilitate targeted research and innovation.
• Exploration of whole-cell bacterial vaccines using Whole Genome Sequencing to improve vaccine efficacy.
• Advancing in vivo expression technologies, immunoproteomics, and epitope mapping technologies for identifying protective antigens in recombinant and DNA vaccines.
• Harnessing reverse vaccinology to identify antigens without the need for isolating pathogens.
• Utilising adjuvants to enhance cell-mediated and mucosal immunity.

The workshop’s emphasis on networking and collaboration facilitated new partnerships between academia and industry, paving the way for future projects and initiatives. Dr P.V. Lalitha, Chief Scientific Officer at IGSTC, discussed Indo-German bilateral cooperation opportunities, which were particularly beneficial for early career researchers interested in international exchange programmes. 

Looking Ahead 

IMAQUAVAC-2024 was a significant step forward in the development of vaccines for aquaculture, with a focus on sustainability and innovation. Moving forward, the Centre of Excellence for Aquatic Vaccine Development at CUSAT, in collaboration with international partners, plans to continue advancing the field through interdisciplinary research, AI-driven studies, and the establishment of joint PhD programmes and laboratory exchange initiatives.  

The IVVN will also continue to support early career researchers, offering them the platform and resources to contribute meaningfully to the global discourse on veterinary vaccinology.