Department of Aquaculture and Fish Diseases | Τμήμα Κτηνιατρικής

Department of Icthyology, Aquacultura and Aquatic Animal Health & Apiculture

The main research activities of the Department focus on three research and teaching targets:

Management of the aquatic animal health, hygiene and quality of the final products and public health.
Development and application of effective and innovative zootechnical methods in aquaculture.
Study of the aquatic wildlife, mammals and environment & Apiculture.

The Department and its staff are well known in the Mediterranean area for the experience in fish disease research and diagnostics, and particularly in the field of parasitological diseases.

The Laboratory is a certified training point for an official European Specialty of the European College of Health Management of Aquatic Organisms - more details at www.ecaah.org

The special page of MSc Course "Aquaculture - Pathological problems of farmed aquatic organisms" is available here..

Ερευνητικές Δραστηριότητες

Teaching and Research on the diseases of aquatic animals, both wild and cultured marine and freshwater species.
Diagnosis, prevention, control and treatment of diseases and diseases of ornamental fish
The treatment of fish diseases with antiparasitic drugs and other chemotherapeutic and alternative therapies
The prevention of parasitic diseases of fish -including alternative forms- in fish farming systems and especially in farms of large species.
Study of the pathology and diagnosis of pathological conditions that appear in new farmed marine fish or freshwater species.
The study of epidemiology and certain parasites (Myxospores, Copipods, Isopods) in farmed fish farming systems and development of identification methods with molecular techniques.
The effect of diet, environment and stress on the pathology & well-being of aquatic organisms
Ethnobotany and ethnopharmacology, use of medicinal plant in the treatment & prevention of fish diseases
Bee diseases

Research projects:

«Experimental culture of dolphin fish, Caryphaena hippurus in Florida waters – A pilot study ». Enviromental Agency Grant No 342 / FL/USA. Institute of Biomedical Aquatic Studies, University of Florida, Gainesville, USA (1986). Principal Investigator.
«EEC certification for Fanad Fisheries Ltd products». ISGA& MAFF Grant, (1988). Principal Investigator.
“Development of a salmon louse vaccine”. MAFF Grant No 1569 /1991 & EEC-AQ 1258- FAΙR University of Stirling, Aberdeen & University College, Cork, Ireland.
“Treatment of salmon infested with sea lice by Hydrogen peroxide” SSGA/ Interox Grant. (1992). Principal Investigator.
«New technology for optimising fish production (Mugil cephalus and Flatfish) through non desensitising analogues of GnRH for the induction of ovulation in fish farming». GGET ” Greek Ministry of Technology & Research Program, 1993 . Co- Investigator.
“Two new candidate fish species for marine aquaculture (Pagrus pagrus and Dentex dentex).» GGET ” Greek Ministry of Technology & Research program, 1995. Co- Investigator.
Towards control of Enterococcus infections in cultured maditerranean marine fish. EEC project No: FAIR CRAFT FA-ST-8450 (1998-2000). Preliminary award. Principal Investigator.
Study of the pathology, transmission and treatment of Myxosporidiasis in intensive fish farming of marine fish in Greece” Greek Ministry of Technology & Research, ΠΑΒΕ, Α.Π. 13289. (1998). Principal Investigator.
“Dietary factors influencing the development , food digestability , the health and disease resistance of Puntazzo puntazzo in intensive farming conditions” Greek Ministry of Technology & Research, ΠΑΒΕ, Α.Π. 97ΒΕ230. (1998). Co- Investigator.
«Farmacological study of sarafloxacin in Sparus aurata and detection of tissue residues.» Grant of National Research Foundation (1995).Co-Investigator.
«Development of prevention measures and genetic control of diseases of marine fish broodstock”. Grant from the Association of marine fish farmers of Greece (1998). Principal Investigator.
«Study of the development of reared Diplodus sargus in Ionian Sea , In Argolikos and Evoikos Bay and in the Santoni Lagoon, (Corfu) in relation to the wild population” . Greek Ministry of Technology & Research. Principal Investigator.
Diagnosis, epidemiology and control of an enteric myxosporosis of commercial Mediterranean fish. EEC project Quality of life, 2002-2006). Principal Investigator for Greece.
“Study of the ecology and identification of metazoan parasites of marine mediterranean fish in relation to intensive farming conditions” Greek-Italian collaboration,GSRT, 1999-2001). Principal Investigator.
«Study of the toxicity & pathological effects of ivermectin against the parasites: Lernathropus kroyeri and Anilocra physodes, of sea bass Dicentrarchus labrax. L” Simi Fish Farm project. (1997-1998). Principal Investigator.
«Diagnosis, epidemiology and control of an enteric myxosporosis of commercial Mediterranean fish». EEC project. “Quality of life”. Principal Investigator.for Greece, 2002-2005.
‘‘Search for markers for neuronal diseases in fish with special focus on potential prion” GSRT, Greek-German collaboration 2002-2004. Principal Investigator.
«Identification of Noda virus in cultured sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) with PCR method and molecular characterization of the virus». 2002-2003. Funded by the University of Thessaly..
ΕPΕΑΕΚ «Practical experience of Veterinary Medicine students». 2002-2004. Ministry of Education. Principal Investigator.
ΕPΕΑΕΚ «Upgrading of the syllabus of the Veterinary Medicine Faculty”. .2003-2008. Ministry of Education. Principal Investigator.
Establishment of a databank of pathogenic bacteria in Greek fish farms. Ministry of Agriculture 2007- In collaboration with the University of Thessaloniki and the Marine Research Institute, Athens. Principal investigator for University of Thessaly.
Study of the residue levels of antibiotics in Greece, private company award 2009: Principal Investigator
AquaTT- EEC project: Training (undergraduate and postgraduate) in Aquaculture in Europe. Partner for Greece. (2009).
“HERACLEITUS II” -RESEARCH PROGRAM (PhD Thesis research grant), Ministry of Education (2010). «Implementation of innovative therapeutic treatments for the successful management of ectoparasitosis in intensive Mediterranean aquaculture systems». SUREVISOR
ΗERACLEITUS ΙΙ (PhD Thesis research grant): “Study of Myxobacteriosis in intensive fish farming ” 2007-13. SUPERVISOR
COOPERATION 2011-2015 : “Use of antibacterial agents for prevention and therapy of common diseases of cultured fish and determination of their affectivity of and safety” Principal Investigator
THALIS- EEC GRANT: “Mechanisms of immunopathology in natural and experimental infections of fish with Noda virus”. 2013-2016. Coordinator
PRIMA CALL 2019. Improving sustainability and performance of aquaculture farming system: breeding for lactococcosis resistance in rainbow trout. Cooperating partner, just starting
EPANEK 2014-2020. Effectiveness of terrestrial and marine plant extracts for the prevention and treatment of parasite infections (Microcotyle spp, Myxosporea) and of myxobacteriosis in cultured Sea bream (Sparus aurata) Coordinator, just starting.