Currently we are looking for an animal research technician to join our young and dynamic international team working on challenging research projects in shrimp aquaculture. Working alongside other scientific staff you will support our research activities through daily shrimp care, monitoring, recording and reporting on various shrimp health parameters.
TASKS
Your tasks, among others, will include:
Shrimp husbandry
Preparation, production of shrimp feed
Reporting through collection and entry of data into the electronic database
Daily care of shrimp breeding facilities and operations
Carrying out various experimental trial procedures, including preparation and clearing up of experimental facilities
Contributing to optimisation of existing standard operating procedures and work instructions
Supporting operations and project managers
REQUIRED CANDIDATE PROFILE
Bachelor degree in animal care, biology or related study fields
Experience in animal care
Experience in aquaculture is a plus
Flexible, proactive and motivated
Solution oriented
Eye for detail, precision, discipline
Resilience and strong sense of responsibility
Willing to work on weekend rotation (1-2 weekends per month)
Good spoken English
WE OFFER
An attractive salary package proportional to performance and responsibilities
Intensive in-house training and coaching
Being part of an international team of aquaculture experts at a dynamic company
Participating in exiting aquaculture research projects
Free coffee/tea/fruit
If you think you are a good match for our requirements, then please apply via this link:
IMAQUA is looking for a highly motivated and driven candidate to organise and manage the contract research activities, coordinate and supervise the team at our premises in Lochristi, Belgium.
OUR COMPANY
IMAQUA is a spin-off company from Ghent University that provides professional contract research services on shrimp health. We test the effect of products, feed formulations and genetic selection on shrimp resistance to disease, immunity and growth performance. We offer unique combinations of standardized in vivo and in vitro testing models for WSSV, AHPND/EMS and other relevant pathogens.
We offer state-of-the-art testing models and facilities for screening and validating shrimp health products in a cost-effective manner. Our services stand for quality, precision and reliability.
For more information about our company, please consult our website www.imaqua.eu
CANDIDATE PROFILE
Ideal candidate will have following competencies :
TECHNICAL
Degree in Veterinary Medicine, Bioengineering, Biology or related fields
At least 3 years of aquaculture experience
General knowledge on shrimp biology, health, nutrition, RAS and microbiology
Scientific writing
Statistics & numerical skills
MANAGERIAL
Proven people and project management skills
Driven and energetic team player
Highly motivated and autonomous
Strong sense of responsibility and attention to detail
Ability to prioritise and solve problems
Effective communicator
Perfect written and spoken English
Ability to develop procedures, draft work proposals and reports
Strong analytical skills
Good to have:
Advanced knowledge of Excel and other Microsoft office tools, statistic program;
Odoo experience
Additional languages
TASKS
Management of contract research trials and related activities:
Plan, coordinate and execute contract research trials
Solve issues and escalate complex issues to management
Liaise with clients and manage client database
Motivate, coordinate and manage day to day activities of the team
Develop and enforce research policies and Standard Operating Procedures
Analyse data, draft reports
Manage and optimise the workflows
Oversee and assist the employee training
WE OFFER
An attractive salary package proportional to performance and responsibilities
Intensive in-house training and coaching
A possibility of rapid career development
Being part of an international team of aquaculture experts at a dynamic company
Participating in exciting aquaculture research projects
Please send your CV and motivation letter to recruitment-pm032025@imaqua-cro.odoo.com before 28/03/2025
IMAQUA, a spin-off company from Ghent University, provides contract research services in shrimp health. We focus on testing the effects of compounds, feed formulations, and genetic selection on shrimp growth performance, immunity, and disease resistance. We offer unique combinations of standardized in vivo and in vitro testing models for various relevant pathogens, including WSSV and AHPND/EMS.
Role Description
This is a full-time on-site role for a Cleaning and Maintenance Technician, located in Lochristi. The Cleaning and Maintenance Technician will be responsible for performing daily cleaning and routine maintenance of equipment and facilities to ensure the smooth operation R&D installations. Daily tasks will also include inspecting and maintaining operational installations and ensuring all work areas are kept clean and organized.
Qualifications
Equipment maintenance skills
Cleaning and organisation skills
Attention to detail, thoroughness and work discipline
Ability to work independently and as part of a team
Good English (able to understand and follow instructions)
Physically strong and resilient
Experience in a laboratory or research environment is a plus
A relevant technical certification or diploma is preferred
Valid work permit for Belgium is a must
We offer
Good salary package (holiday money, 13th salary, 20 days of holiday, meal vouchers, travel reimbursement)
Fruit, tea, coffee on the house
Great international team
To apply, send your CV via email to recruitment-032025@imaqua-cro.odoo.com before 21/03/2025
Meet Shangrilla Seposo, IMAQUA’s PhD candidate under the Baekeland mandate, awarded by VLAIO (Flanders Innovation & Entrepreneurship). She is embarking on her research journey with the IMAQUA/Ghent University project titled “Establishment of Innovative Immunological Techniques to Support Commercial Shrimp Health Product Development.” This project seeks to develop standardized reference values of the key immune parameters in shrimp, providing essential baseline data for more effective health product screening models.
Shangrilla earned her Bachelor’s degree in Fisheries from the University of the Philippines Visayas. She has extensive experience working with various research institutions in the Philippines, focusing on aquaculture and fisheries, including the National Fisheries Research and Development Institute (NFRDI) and the Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center (SEAFDEC). Driven by her passion and commitment to advancing the aquaculture industry, Shangrilla pursued a Master’s degree in Aquaculture at Ghent University in Belgium, supported by the VLIR-UOS scholarship.
Her dedication towards research is evidenced by receiving INVE award for her master’s thesis related to aquaculture sustainability which focused on exploring collagen and alginate from fish skin and seaweed as potential blue materials for wound dressing. Her journey with IMAQUA began as a part-time student, where she has since transitioned into a full-time role as an Animal Research Technician.
Hieu Trung Huynh – IMAQUA’s new PhD candidate under the prestigious Baekeland mandate, awarded by VLAIO (Flanders Innovation & Entrepreneurship). Hieu is embarking on a pioneering scientific journey in collaboration with IMAQUA and Ghent University through the project titled “Establishment of reproducible multifactorial challenge models for White Feces Disease (WFD) in shrimp.” This project aims to significantly advance our understanding of the etiology and pathogenesis of WFD, while also establishing validated contract research models to further explore this critical issue within the aquaculture industry.
Hieu holds a Bachelor’s in Advanced Aquaculture from Can Tho University. Driven by his passion for shrimp research, he pursued advanced studies in Belgium, obtaining a Master of Science in Aquaculture from Ghent University under the VLIR-UOS scholarship. His thesis focuses on shrimp larvae nutrition, exploring innovative microalgae-based feeds and advanced automated feeding technologies. After his master’s, he joined IMAQUA as an Animal Research Technician, where he deepened his expertise in shrimp nutrition and health.
Imaqua is attending the Larvi 2024 conference in Oostende. A lot of interesting research is being presented.
Evelien De Swaef had an inspiring talk on “Finetuning Penaeus vannamei breeding to European indoor conditions and enhancing its potential to integrate in multispecies recirculation systems”. Presentation included the results of BlueMarine3.Com project from 4 research groups of Ghent university and 6 industry partners.
Among most significant findings were that lowering water temperature has no impact of breeding success and natural inseminations are also possible in small scale housing tanks.
Currently we are looking for student to support R&D aquaculture facility during weekends.
Working alongside other scientific staff you will support our research activities through daily shrimp care, monitoring, recording and reporting on various shrimp health parameters.
TASKS
Your tasks among others will include:
Routine maintenance of experimental animal facilities
Routine shrimp care tasks
Data entry into the system
Diverse other tasks
REQUIRED CANDIDATE PROFILE
Student (preferably in aquaculture, animal care, biology or related study fields)
Experience in animal care (is plus)
Experience in aquaculture (is a plus)
Flexible, proactive and hands-on
Eye for detail, precision, discipline & sense of responsibility
Good spoken English
WE OFFER
Salary package consisting of hourly pay, meal vouchers, 70% reimbursement of home-work travel expenses
Intensive in-house training and coaching
Opportunity to be a part of an international team of aquaculture experts at a leading shrimp CRO
Free coffee/tea/fruit
If you think you are a good match for our requirements, then please apply by sending your CV to hr@imaqua.eu
At Copenhagen, European Aquaculture 2024 we presented several research updates of crucial Shrimp health topics. If you haven’t a chance to attend live presentations, here you can read the abstracts.
João Dantas Lima presentation focused on “Infection models to test the efficacy of antiviral therapies and immunomodulators against WSSV”.
In vivo white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) infection models are indispensable tools to support the development of antiviral therapies and immunomodulators against white spot disease (WSD). Still, the selection of the most appropriate models for anti-WSSV product development is typically not straightforward. The objective of this review was to further elaborate on this subject to provide investigators with solid arguments for or against the selection of certain types of WSSV infection models in specific research contexts.
A review was conducted by retrieving literature from searches of computerized databases, hand searches, and authoritative texts with the overarching purpose to synthesize the existing literature in the field (Sargeant & O’Connor, 2020).
To determine if anti-WSSV product candidates have virucidal properties, it is advisable to carry out in vivo antiviral activity tests. Multiple product candidates can be screened in parallel, which reduces the costs and the time spend in development. Since, immunomodulators target the host rather than the virus, antiviral activity testing is not applicable. Both for antiviral and immunomodulators product candidates, it is recommended to test in vivo if the chosen delivery method manages to deliver a sufficient concentration of the active substance to intended site(s) of action. Next, the efficacy of the product candidate can be tested during in vivo infection experiments. An inoculation procedure that resembles natural infection (immersion, feeding of WSSV-infected tissues) is expected to help translate study results to the field. Housing shrimp individually instead of in groups when the delivery methods and the efficacy of the therapy still need to be established, is advised, because individuals can easily be monitored and sampled. The evaluation of the product candidate’s protective properties against WSSV can be based on clinical observations (survival rates and pathogen counts), or additional health parameters that can be evaluated through the model and/or additional laboratory tests. At a later development stage, it is more beneficial for the extrapolation of the results to house shrimp in groups instead of individually. This facilitates natural transmission between hosts, which mimics the situation in the field, but in a laboratory setting the biotic and abiotic parameters can still be controlled. It is therefore recommended to test the product candidates in these controlled conditions, before proceeding to assess their effectiveness under ‘real-world’ conditions in field studies on farms.
Natasja Cox1,2, Evelien De Swaef1, Mathias Corteel1, Wim Van Den Broeck4, Peter Bossier3, Hans J. Nauwynck2, João J. Dantas-Lima1*
Evelien De Swaef presented the findings of the research project BLEUMARINE3.COM from 4 research groups of Ghent university and 6 industry partners during her presentation “Tackling the shrimp hatchery bottlenecks for European shrimp aquaculture and assessing the development of a multispecies hatchery in Europe”.
There is a growing interest in the development of local aquaculture production throughout Europe. Many initiatives exist, such as indoor penaeid shrimp farming, bivalve and seaweed culture, or restauration of the flat oyster (Ostrea edulis) reefs in the North Sea. However, one of the common problems across many initiatives is the struggle to source high quality and continuously available starting material, pathogen free and with a suitable genetic background. During the BlueMarine3.com project, the expertise of Ghent University and six Flemish companies was joined to tackle the challenges related to sourcing material. For this, hatchery protocols for shrimp, bivalves and seaweeds were adapted to the local conditions, keeping in mind economic feasibility and sustainability for the environment. The aim of the project was not only to develop a compact, closed recirculation system for larval production on land considering the high costs for land, labor and energy in Europe; but also to study and to value the synergy between hatchery techniques for the different species in terms of infrastructure, resources, breeding and management (i.e. a multispecies hatchery concept).
For shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) larval rearing, IMAQUA joined forces with the Ghent University and Proviron to tackle the current bottlenecks. During the project, broodstock diet composition and feeding schedules were optimized. The project revealed that lowering the water temperature by 3°C during the maturation of the broodstock animals, had no impact on the breeding success of the animals (up till PL1), increasing the economic feasibility of the shrimp hatchery in the European temperate climate. At the level of the larval rearing, several larval diet formulations were finetuned, ensuring high-quality postlarvae through the use of (live) microalgae. Within the project, also several seawater sources were compared, indicating that both natural and artificial seawater can be used to perform high-quality shrimp breeding and production, although the sea salt mixture source must be carefully chosen. The successful cultivation of L. vannamei under conditions more suitable for European realities laid the foundation for the successful development of the European shrimp farming industry. Additionally, this increases the possibility of incorporating L. vannamei into multispecies recirculating systems with colder water species.
Evelien De Swaef1*, Luc Roef, Peter Bossier, João J. Dantas-Lima1
This research received funding from Flanders Innovation and Entrepreneurship (Belgium).
Natasja Cox has made two presentations. The first one focused on “Key aspects of In Vivo WSSV infection model development”.
In vivo WSSVinfection models occupy a crucial first step in the research flow that tries to elucidate the infectious disease process to develop new anti-viral treatments. Thus, the development and use of standardized in vivo infection models is a necessity. This review critically examines key aspects of in vivo WSSV infection model development that are often neglected and that can greatly affect the experimental outcomes.
A review was conducted by retrieving literature from searches of computerized databases, hand searches, and authoritative texts with the overarching purpose to synthesize the existing literature in the field (Sargeant & O’Connor, 2020).
First, standardizing and reporting factors pertaining to the components of the disease trial is crucial, because each component may influence the results of the experiments that are performed (Arbon et al., 2023). Second, the characteristics of the experimental shrimp can potentially influence the dynamics of disease expression. A characteristic that is very rarely addressed specifically in relation to WSSV infection studies is the ‘shrimp seed quality’. This can vary significantly between shrimp batches, regardless of genetic or geographic origin, which could in turn cause variation between study results. Third, the choice of viral inoculum is important. The inoculum should be specific pathogen free to prevent co-infections that might influence the outcome of the study. Liquid viral stocks can be purified which minimizes potential confounding factors (Dantas-Lima, et al. 2013). Tissue inoculum is cruder and made from unprocessed or minced WSSV-infected tissues. Including a mixing or blending step in the processing procedure is advised. Fourth, the most effective inoculation method is intramuscular injection, but it artificially by-passes the host’s natural defense barriers. Oral intubation and intra-bladder inoculation mimic natural transmission routes, but regurgitation and/or perforation are a risks. Inoculations through immersion, cohabitation, or feeding are less invasive, and also represent natural WSSV transmission routes, but they risk being less controllable. Fifth, the housing conditions determine for a large part which information will obtained and possibly also its validity. Individually housing allows for collection of data in a more controlled scientific setting and clinical outcomes can be evaluated individually. Group housing simulates more closely the on-farm reality of a WSSV outbreak, which might be beneficial for extrapolation to the field.
Natasja Cox1,2*, Evelien De Swaef1, Mathias Corteel1, Wim Van Den Broeck4, Peter Bossier3, Hans J. Nauwynck2, João J. Dantas-Lima1*
This research received funding from Flanders Innovation and Entrepreneurship (Belgium).
Second presentation of Natasja Cox explored the nuances of WSSV transmission dynamics in Litopenaeus vannamei “UNRAVELLING WHITE SPOT SYNDROME VIRUS (WSSV) TRANSMISSION DYNAMICS IN Litopenaeus vannamei SHRIMP“.
Crucial knowledge gaps remain in the understanding of white spot disease (WSD) transmission dynamics. To accurately characterize these dynamics, it is necessary to first understand the time course of WSD in an individual host (Jewell et al. 2016). Then, the epidemic pattern of spread can be characterized. Studying this pattern can potentially reveal the primary transmission dynamics, aid in the determination of the point at which host-to-host transmission occurs (Giesecke et al. 2017), and which risk factors are at play (Jewell et al. 2016). The aim of this study was to analyse the horizontal transmission dynamics of WSD in L. vannamei, and to evaluate the role of some environmental components that might be involved.
First, we performed a peroral inoculation with WSSV-infected tissue inoculum (Thai-1 strain) (Thuong et al., 2016) in individually housed shrimp to characterize WSD progression. Second, we developed a peroral group infection model. Third, this model was used to identify the characteristics of an WSSV epidemic. Finally, we investigated the role of molts, feces, and water from infected populations in WSSV transmission by exposing naïve shrimp.
The WSSV Thai-1 strain had an incubation period of 24–54 hpi, and an irreversible disease progression leading to death within 78 hpi. Infected shrimp were shedding viral DNA, and this shedding reached a peak within 12 h of the time of death. The threshold density for the occurrence of a WSD epidemic in a group infection model was 10 shrimp per 10 L. At this density, the first cases of host-to-host transmission occurred between 30 and 48 hpi in parallel with the occurrence of the first mortalities. Ingestion of WSSV-infected tissues did not significantly increase the number of index cases during an epidemic compared to immersion into water in which cannibalism had occurred. Moreover, the investigation of the role of water, feces, molts, showed that exposing sentinels to rearing water collected from WSSV-infected tanks resulted in a significantly higher probability of infection than exposure to feces or molts. Therefore, we postulate that the occurrence of cannibalism of infected shrimp contributes to indirect water-borne WSSV transmission by the spread of free infectious viral particles.
Natasja Cox1,2*, Evelien De Swaef1, Mathias Corteel1, Wim Van Den Broeck4, Peter Bossier3, João J. Dantas-Lima1, Hans J. Nauwynck2
This research received funding from Flanders Innovation and Entrepreneurship (Belgium).
Currently we are looking for an animal research technician to join our young and dynamic international team working on challenging research projects in shrimp aquaculture. Working alongside other scientific staff you will support our research activities through daily shrimp care, monitoring, recording and reporting on various shrimp health parameters.
TASKS
Your tasks among others will include:
Feeding the shrimp and monitoring of various shrimp health parameters
Preparation of shrimp feed
Reporting through collection and entry of data into the electronic database
Daily maintenance and support of shrimp breeding facilities
Carrying out shrimp breeding procedures
Carrying out various experimental trial procedures, including preparation and clearing up of experimental facilities
Contributing to optimisation of existing standard operating procedures and work instructions.
REQUIRED CANDIDATE PROFILE
Bachelor degree in animal care, biology or related study fields
Experience in animal care
Experience in aquaculture is a plus
Flexible, proactive and motivated
Solution oriented
Eye for detail, precision, discipline
Resilience and strong sence of responsibility
Willing to work on weekend rotation (1-2 weekends per month)
Good spoken English
WE OFFER
An attractive salary package proportional to performance and responsibilities
Intensive in-house training and coaching
Being part of an international team of aquaculture experts at a dynamic company
Participating in exiting aquaculture research projects
Free coffee/tea/fruit
If you think you are a good match for our requirements, then please apply via this link:
We are very proud to announce the publication of a fantastic review article “Experimental Infection Models and Their Usefulness for White Spot Syndrome Virus (WSSV) Research in Shrimp” in the journal Viruses MDPI by our PhD student Natsja Cox. This article critically reviews in great detail laboratory models used in White Spot Syndrome Virus (WSSV) research and describes the most important factors to be taken into account when choosing research models adapted to specific research aims and needs.
This exceptional article aims at helping the WSSV scientific community uniformizing the conditions currently used to advance knowledge on this virus, which is for more than three decades hindering the shrimp farming industry and for which there is still no cure. Although the main subject of the paper is WSSV, we believe the core principles of research model development and selection can easily be applied to research on other shrimp (and even other farm species) diseases.
We truly hope that this article can be used by the scientific community as a sort of manual for fundamental and applied research on shrimp diseases.
