Higher Council for Scientific Research

The IATS Fish Pathology Group has two main objectives: 1) To comprehensively understand the most important parasitic diseases affecting farmed fish, and 2) To coordinate prevention and control measures in aquaculture. To this end, it applies multiple techniques in the fields of microscopy, epidemiology, histology, immunology, cellular and molecular biology, and more.

The main lines of research are:

• Development of advanced parasitological diagnostic methods, including their application on farms.
• Development of methods for controlling parasitic diseases, including testing of compounds and bioactive substances.
• Development of prevention methods, including vaccines.
• Study of the life cycles of parasites, vectors, and risk factors involved in transmission.
• Description of new parasite species and detection of emerging and re-emerging parasites in aquaculture facilities.
• Evaluation of the effects of feed components and additives on immune status and susceptibility to parasitic infections.
• Study of the microbiota of fish mucous membranes and its modulation by pathogens.
•  Study of the immune response of fish to parasitic infections, both locally and systemically, using histopathological, immunohistochemical, serological, and "omic" studies.