2023/2024 R E S E A R C H H I G H L I G H T AQUACULTURE Deputy Dean Office (Graduate Studies, Research & International) Faculty of Agriculture, UPM Presented by:
Welcome from Dean 4 Welcome from Head of Department 5 Our Expertise 6 Research Highlight 10 Community & Industry 43 Facillities & Services 50 Product 51 Contact Information 55 TABLE OF CONTENTS
We ensure a variety of initiatives to expand our capabilities through industry partnerships and collaboration among researchers, and to serve the public and industry as an agent of technological, economic, and educational innovation and progress in order to keep up with the growing demand for agriculture research and innovation. This is done to ensure that we can meet the growing demand for agriculture research and innovation, WELCOME FROM DEAN PROF. DR. LOH TECK CHWEN Dean Faculty of Agriculture Universiti Putra Malaysia The objective of the intensive publishing efforts for this research highlight book is to disseminate the knowledge and experience developed through academic research at the Faculty of Agriculture, Universiti Putra Malaysia. Consequently, this book will include Chapters covering a list of expertise, research, services, and Research Highlight 4 Faculty of Agriculture facilities, as well as a list of products and inventions, from each and every department in the Faculty of Agriculture. I truly hope that our industry partners will be able to discover methods to capitalise on the ideas and skills that we have in our faculty for the R&D projects that they are currently working on and will work on in the future. Thank you.
Research Highlight 5 Faculty of Agriculture Another important responsibility of the division is to promote faculty research output in the form of products or services to various government agencies and industries. It Is envisioned that this initiative will increase engagement and potential research collaborations on a local and global scale. PROF. DR. MUTA HARAH ZAKARIA@YA Head of Department Aquaculture, Faculty of Agriculture, UPM WELCOME FROM HEAD OF AQUACULTURE DEPARTMENT Assalamualaikum dan greetings. The Head of Aquaculture Department is responsible for yet another initiative, which is the production of the research highlight book. This booklet serves as a point of reference for engagement between industry and academia. The division is responsible for facilitating the research efforts of Department of Aquaculture members with the acquisition of research funds, administration of the budget, identification of possible research alliances, and coordination of industrial engagement initiatives. We have the utmost respect and gratitude for everyone who contributed time and effort to the creation of this booklet on behalf of the Department of Aquaculture. We also would like to thank the Dean and the management team of the Faculty of Agriculture for their unwavering support. With knowledge we serve.
OUR EXPERTISE Prof. Dr. Muta Harah Zakaria@Ya Phone: +603-9769 4933/1471 Email: [email protected] AQUATIC BIOLOGY - AQUATIC PLANTS Prof. Dr. Aziz Arshad Phone: +603-9769 4939 Email: [email protected] FISHERIES BIOLOGY Prof. Dr. Mohd Salleh Kamarudin Phone: +603-9769 4932 / 4817 Email: [email protected] AQUACULTURE NUTRITIONS Assoc. Prof. Dr. Natrah Fatin Mohd Ikhsan Phone: +603-9769 4972 Email: [email protected] AQUATIC MICROBIAL ECOLOGY & ALGAE CULTURE
OUR EXPERTISE Assoc. Prof. Dr. Yuzine Esa Phone: +603-9769 4890 Email: [email protected] / [email protected] GENETIC & FISH REPRODUCTION Assoc. Prof. Dr. Murni Marlina Abd Karim Phone: +603-9769 4996 Email: [email protected] FISH DISEASES Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ina Salwany Md Yasin Phone: +603-9769 4886 Email: [email protected] FISH MOLECULAR BIOLOGY Dr. Annie Christianus Phone: +603-9769 4884 Email: [email protected] / [email protected] FISH BREEDING & LARVAE CULTURE
OUR EXPERTISE Dr. Mohd Zafri Hassan Phone: +603-9769 4986 Email: [email protected] FISH BIOLOGY & ECOLOGY Dr. Chong Chou Min Phone: +603-9769 4961 Email: [email protected] FISH IMMUNOLOGY Dr. Muhammad Fadhil Syukri Ismail Phone: +603-9769 4828 Email: [email protected] AQUACULTURE GENETIC & BREEDING Dr. Rozihan Mohamed Phone: +603-9769 4887 Email: [email protected] FISH POPULATION GENETIC
OUR EXPERTISE Dr. Nur Leena Wong Wai Sin Phone: +603-9769 4885 Email: [email protected] MOLLUSCS CULTURE Dr. Izharuddin Shah Kamaruddin Phone: +603-9769 4956 Email: [email protected] RECREATIONAL FISHERIES Dr. Clement Roy de Cruz Phone: +603-9769 4935 Email: [email protected] AQUACULTURE NUTRITION Dr. Zarirah Mohamed Zulperi Phone: +603-9769 4919 Email: [email protected] FISH ENDOCRINOLOGY Dr. Dania Aziz Phone: +603-9769 4887 Email: [email protected] CRUSTACEAN GENOMICS & AQUAKULTUR
AGRICULTURE | PLANT Research Highlight
Research, Products & Services 7 Faculty of Agriculture AQUACULTURE
PROF. DR. MUTA HARAH ZAKARIA Muta Harah Zakaria is a professor in Seagrass Biology at the Department of Aquaculture, Faculty of Agriculture, Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), filling up the role of an expert and resource person in Aquatic Botany. She is also an Interim Member of the Laboratory of Sustainable Aquaculture, International Institute of Aquaculture and Aquatic Sciences, UPM. She is Head of the Department of Aquaculture, Faculty of Agriculture, UPM. She received her Bachelor of Fishery Science (Hons.) from Universiti Putra Malaysia, Selangor, Malaysia, in 1995 and her Ph.D. from the Faculty of Science and Environmental Studies (now Faculty of Science) at the same university in 2001. Her core subjects are Aquatic Botany, Ecology and Management of Wetlands, Culture of Aquatic Flora, and Aquatic Living Resources. She also teaches other subjects, such as Aquatic Ecology, Principle of Biology, Microorganism and Plant Diversity. She developed teaching and learning guidelines for UPM and was pivotal as the editor for High-Impact Educational Practices (HIEPs) Volumes 1 and 2 in 2020. Her unwavering commitment to advancing GOOGLE SCHOLAR RESEARCH GATE SCOPUS experiential learning earned her esteemed recognition, with a Gold Medal at the PicTL awards and a Silver Medal at IUCEL. She actively contributed to developing academic programs and curricula at the university and national levels. She is also the Malaysian Qualification Agency (MQA) trainer for (a) Workshop on OutcomeBased Education (Learning Outcomes) and Guidelines to Good Practices: Assessment of Students (GGP:AS). In 21 years as an academician, she has experienced a broad-based terrestrial ecology to marine and botanyrelated subjects. She has established herself as a researcher in aquatic biology (seagrasses, seaweeds, mangroves, and freshwater plants). She has supervised and co-supervised more than 20 postgraduates and 81 undergraduate students. As an author and co-author of research activities, she published more than 200 publications in international and local journals, proceedings, books, chapters in books, chapters in Bulletins, monographs/training modules, and reports. Internationally, she has been involved in multilateral research projects, UNEP: JFiT-UNEP/GEF-IOC/WESPACJSPS-UNESCO/MAB-PNSC, since 2004. Under the Global Seagrass Monitoring Network, she has been engaged in
SeagrassNet Monitoring of the Seagrass bed at Kg. Tanjung Balang, Pulau Tinggi Marine Park, Mersing, Johor, funded by David and Lucile Packard Foundation from 2001-2003. She has also been involved in Projects on Seagrass Ecology, the sub-section Marine Ecology of Aquatic Resources and Environmental Studies of the Straits of Malacca, and Third Country Training Programs on seagrass and mangrove ecology under the Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA). From 2004 to 2010, she participated in a Multilateral Core University Program on Coastal Oceanography, a research project on the Biodiversity of Seaweeds and Seagrasses partially funded by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS). From 2011 to this date, she is a group leader for Macrophytes Group (G2M) Malaysia, with participating countries Japan, Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam under a Project JSPS Core-to-Core Program: Research and Education Network on Coastal Ecosystem in Southeast Asia, JSPSCore-RENSEA, ACORE-COMSA, and JSPS Core-to-core CREPSUM. In her professional journey within this field, she actively engaged in research collaborations with other institutions, such as UTM, Johor, USM, UMT, UMS, Federal Government Agencies; Department of Fisheries Malaysia (DoF), Department of Environment Malaysia (DOE), National Water Research Institute of Malaysia (NAHRIM), National Oceanography Directorate (NOD), Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI), Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE) and industries, e.g., Country Garden Pacificview Sdn. Bhd. for Forest City Project, Port of Tanjung Pelepas (PTP), and Johor Port Authority.
She has been leading seagrass biodiversity conservation research and working with industry to monitor, transplant, and rehabilitate the seagrass ecosystem for biodiversity conservation and sustainability for marine organisms and traditional local fisheries. She is a reviewer of various journals and a member of the World Seagrass Association (WSA) and the International Society for Southeast Asian Agriculture Science (ISSAAS).
GOOGLE SCHOLAR RESEARCH GATE SCOPUS PROF. DR. AZIZ ARSHAD I started my career as a junior lecturer at the Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Sciences, Universiti Pertanian Malaysia now known as Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) since 1983 and progressively move up the ladder to Senior lecturer and Associate Professor during my earlier period of 40 years with UPM. In 2019, I retired as a Senior Professor at 60 years old which is the retiring age for civil servant in Malaysia. I was then offered contracts to furthercontinue on as Senior Professorin the Department of Aquaculture, UPM. My first degree was a Fisheries Degree from UPM in 1983 and Iwenton to do MasterandPhD degree in Marine Ecology and Marine Biologyrespectively in the United Kingdom. I have been teaching courses such as Ichthyology and Aquatic Invertebrate Biology and has for the past decade venturing in larval and nursery culture of both finfish and aquatic invertebrates. With my 40 years of working experience as an academician, I am now at my best position to apply my knowledge and experience to the fisheries and aquaculture related projects as well as forging networking program with government agencies and industries to bolster the food security and safety agenda program of the country. The experience attained through 40 years of research in multidisciplinary fisheries management and aquaculture sustainable production have allowed me to be engaged in several multidisciplinary research projects and to date, I have published and coauthors more then 300 journal papers on various topics in marine ecology, fish biology and aquaculture. Apart from teaching, I have also been involved nationally as the program assessor for several public universities, and in the past 10 years has been the auditor panel for the Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA) on the accreditation of the academic programs in the field of aquaculture, fisheriesand aquatic sciences. Through the teaching experience and postgraduate training, I have developed my research focus on marine crustaceans with emphasis on shrimp and crab aquaculture. I also endured for more than 20 years into the taxonomy subject of marine fish and invertebrates, a rather neglected field of learning that is still relevant towards the complete understanding of the trophic level organization in marine ecosystem. With this expertise, I was able to be involved in regional ASEAN - Australia research program as a macrobenthos taxonomist and at the
same time able to offer my expertise for the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) consultancy works involving aquaculture project. To date, I have been completed 50 consultancy jobs, some as project leader and still actively engaged in thelong- term monitoring of aquatic ecosystem and environment related projects. Visiting mud crab pond culture project in China. To date, I have also accumulated 30 significant research grants on fisheries andaquaculture related topics and accumulated grants amounting to RM 10.5 million as project leader from various funding agencies in Malaysia, both the governmentand privatesector. My focus has always been on livingresource management and conservation of endangered species and hatchery development on species of commercial importance, particularly on the larvalrearing and nurseryaspects of fish and crustaceans. I have graduated 16 PhD and 9 MSc students as a principal supervisor. At present, still actively involved in international research collaboration with Japan InternationalCooperation Agency (JICA) and Japan Societyfor the Promotion ofScience (JSPS) on the sustainable conservation of coastal living resources. I wasoncethe Honorable Treasurer of the Asian Fisheries Society from 2011 to 2019 as well as life members for the Malaysian Fisheries Society (MFS), Malaysian Applied Biology and Permanent Active Members of the Asian Fisheries Society (AFS). I have also been assuming the duty of mentoring to our junior faculty staffs as well as acting as referee for the promotion exercise of candidates from several public universities in Malaysia.
In term of administration, I have beenappointed to several administrative positionsinthe university and my last post before I retired was as the Director of International Institute of Aquaculture and Aquatic Sciences (I-AQUAS) from 2017 - 2019. In 2021, I was appointed as one of the Fellows of the Academy of Sciences Malaysia, to foster networking with industrial partners on the planning and execution of the aquaculture development program nationally. After 40 long years in academics, I am at present exploring for a new working environment and platform to converge and disseminate my expertise and experience for the continuous development of the aquaculture industrymainly in supporting the food securityagenda of the nation and global Sustainable Development Goals (SDG s) aspirations. Discussion on mud crab farming projectwith China industrial players
GOOGLE SCHOLAR RESEARCH GATE SCOPUS Natrah Ikhsan is an Associate Professor in the Department of Aquaculture, Faculty of Agriculture, Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM). She is also an Associate Researcher in the Laboratory of Aquatic Animal Health and Therapeutics, Institute of Bioscience, UPM, and an Interim Member of ASSOC. PROF. DR. NATRAH FATIN MOHD IKHSAN Dr Natrah’s core teaching subject include the courses of Algae Culture (AKU4243) and Live Food Production in Aquaculture (AKU4402). At the university level, she is the Panel of Reviewer for Self-Accreditation Audit and is appointed as Malaysian Qualifications Agency assessor for assessment of university programs at national level. She is currently the board member of Bachelor of Science in Bio veterinary Sciences (Hons), International Medical University Malaysia. She is also one of the panel of Marine Life Sciences College, Ocean University of China for Integrated Aquaculture Ecosystem Management program. Excerpt of relevant publications & products by Dr Natrah and team. Laboratory of Sustainable Aquaculture, International Institute of Aquaculture and Aquatic Sciences, UPM. Currently, she is the Deputy Dean of Graduate Studies, Research and International, Faculty of Agriculture, UPM. She obtained her BSc (Hons) in Biology and MSc in Aquatic Biotechnology from Universiti Putra Malaysia. She received her PhD in Applied Biological Sciences from the Laboratory of Aquaculture and Artemia Reference Center, University of Ghent, Belgium.
Dr Natrah specializes in the field of Aquatic Microbial Ecology particularly in the development of innovative and sustainable microbial management strategies through understanding of the host-microbe interaction for enhanced microbial stability and efficient fish health management. Among her current research focus is on quorum sensing sociomicrobiology – its pathogenic and probiotic role particularly in bacteria, algae, zooplankton & other hosts in the aquaculture ecosystem as disease control agents and as live food. To date, under her supervision, five PhD and six Master students have graduated. She is currently supervising three PhD and four MSc students as the principal supervisor. Under her mentorship, her postgraduate students won international, national awards and grants Example of bacterial biosensor for quorum sensing (QS) inhibition measurement. The purple colour produced by the bacterium Chromobacterium violaceum CV026 is regulated by QS and inhibition of the phenotypes without interfering the bacterial growth denotes QS inhibition. She was the Principal Investigator of two International Grants. The first grant funded by International Development Research Centre (IDRC), Canada in collaboration with the Global AMR Innovation Fund (GAMRIF), United Kingdom on the ‘Integrated Probiotic Quorum Quenching Strategies to reduce Antimicrobial Resistance in Shrimp Aquaculture’ amounting RM4,737,262 million. The second grant was funded by the European Union under the Trans - Eurasia Information Network (TEIN) through the Asi@Connect program with funds close to RM 1 million. Various algae samples are able to inhibit QS activities including the QS signals produced by pathogenic bacterial species. The project is on ‘Aquatic Resource Management in Mangrove Ecosystem via Internet of Things Application’. The website of the project can be accessed at https://meita.org.my/. Nationally, she is the project leader of fourteen research grants amounting RM 931,490 from private and governmental bodies. including the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the United Kingdom, Malaysia Toray Science Foundation and Alltech Young Scientist Local Winner,
She was the Vice President of Malaysian Fisheries Society (MFS) 2016/2018, 2018/2020 and was the society Honorary Treasurer during the 2012/2014 and 2014/2016 terms. At the international level, she was the Treasurer of World Aquaculture Society- Asian Pacific Chapter 2019/2021. Dr Natrah is involved in different consultancy projects with the industry in which she is the project leader in the Knowledge Transfer Program Industry Grant in ‘Improving Aquaculture Productivity using Sustainable Biotechnology Products and Tools for Fish Health Management’ with RE Millenium Sdn. Bhd, one of the anchor companies under the Ministry of Agriculture and Agro-based industry in the marine finfish industry. Dr. Natrah also collaborated and organized a program together with Kembang Subur Sdn Bhd, a shrimp hatchery that provides shrimp nauplii and postlarvae to shrimp farms in Malaysia on the uses and importance of live food in aquaculture. She collaborated with Ericsson Malaysia Sdn. Bhd on the organization of IoT in mangroves ecosystem symposium. Ericsson also funded UPM to come out with a Smart IoT Aquaponic system. She was also the inaugural recipient of Merdeka Award Grant for International Attachment funded by Petronas, ExxonMobil and Shell. Dr Natrah with Sultan Nazrin Shah (Sultan of the Perak State) during the Merdeka Award Grant for International Attachment announcement. The award is sponsored by Petronas, ExxonMobil and Shell.
ASSOC. PROF. DR. YUZINE ESA GOOGLE SCHOLAR RESEARCH GATE SCOPUS Yuzine Esa is an Associate Professor in the Department of Aquaculture, Faculty of Agriculture, Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM). She is also an Associate Researcher in the Laboratory of Sustainable Aquaculture, International Institute of Aquaculture and Aquatic Science, UPM. Currently, He is currently the Deputy Dean (Development, Industrial and Community Relations), Faculty of Agriculture, UPM. She obtained her BSc (Hons) in Biology from Universiti Pertanian Malaysia and MSc in Zoology (Genetics) from Otago University, New Zealand, He received his PhD in Genetics and Breeding from Universiti Putra Malaysia. Dr Yuzine research interests include molecular population genetics, evolutionary genetics, molecular systematic and phylogeography, genetics of hybridization, molecular markers and molecular breeding, in both aquaculture and natural population fish species. In the Fish Genetics and Breeding Laboratory, UPM, we apply molecular genetics techniques to study Molecular approaches that we use includes PCR and sequencing of mitochondrial and nuclear genes, mitogenome study, microsatellites, SNPs and others, usually in conjunction with morphological data. With the recent advances in the field of omics, we also applied genomic and transcriptomic studies to identify markers related to QTL traits which might be useful for selective breeding and genetic improvement of the fish species under study. diversity of natural populations, patterns of gene flow, mating systems, hybridization and introgression, conservation genetics of threatened and endangered species, the impact of introduced species on the genetic integrity of native species, and other topics related to population and evolutionary genetics. genetic diversity of natural populations, patterns of gene flow, mating
Putra Red: Premium UPM Red Hybrid Tilapia TM 2016071009 Putra Red tilapia is produced through crossbreeding between female GIFT tilapia and male red hybrid tilapia followed by generations of backcrossing and progeny test with dominant red hybrid parent to produce stable line of new tilapia breed. Putra Red exhibited red body coloration favored by consumers in this region and inherited superior traits from their GIFT parents such as faster growth performance. Putra Red retained its red body colouration which is favoured by consumers in Malaysia and this region. Putra Red tilapia growth faster than ordinary red hybrid tilapia thus making two cycles of fish production per year possible. Moreover, the red appearance of PutraRed tilapia would fetch higher selling price (e.g. RM15/kg) compared to other type of tilapia. The recent introduction Tilapia is one of the most important freshwater fishes in the aquaculture industry worldwide especially as foodfish. In Malaysia, red hybrid tilapia is more preferred by comsumers compared to other types of tilapias including the superior GIFT tilapia. Red tilapia production in Malaysia reached 31,844.83 tonnes, valued RM332,932.36 (DoF, 2019), up 35.15%. red hybrid tilapia (called Putra Red) through a genetic selection program. Putra Red is the first tilapia breedscientifically produced and reported through crossbreeding between GIFT tilapia and red hybrid tilapia. It exhibited faster growth performance higher than ordinary red hybrid tilapia and comparable to the GIFT tilapia. The demand for red hybrid tilapia seedlings among farmers is growing rapidly and production of locally developed high quality tilapia breed is still lacking. Therefore, a research was initiated in UPM to develop and produced a new breed of of Putra Red tilapia into the market has received a very good respond with over 200,000 seedlings have been sold to the farmers.
ASSOC. PROF. DR. INA SALWANY MD YASIN GOOGLE SCHOLAR RESEARCH GATE SCOPUS Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ina Salwany is not only a dedicated educator but also an active member of international and local societies, including the Asian Fisheries Society and the Malaysian Fisheries Society since 2014. Her expertise in fish health and aquaculture biotechnology is highly regarded and in demand within these organizations and beyond. Dr Ina’s core teaching subjects include Molecular Biology in Aquaculture (AKU4802) and AKU4959 (Bachelor Dissertation). Also, Dr. Ina actively participated in Putra InnoCreative Poster Competition in International Putra InnoCreative Carnival in Teaching and Learning since 2020, she had won 1 gold and 2 silvers in the competition. Ina Salwany Md Yasin has been a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Aquaculture, Faculty of Agriculture at Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) since 2009. Her academic journey includes serving as the Head of the Laboratory of Aquatic Animal Health and Therapeutics at the Institute of Bioscience (IBS), UPM, for a four-year term starting in 2018. Presently, she holds the position of Deputy Director at IBS, a role she assumed in 2022. Her academic journey began with a BSc. in Biotechnology degree, which she earned in 2005 from UPM. In pursuit of her passion for molecular biology, she completed her Ph.D. in the same field in 2009 at Universiti Malaysia Terengganu. Regarding honors and awards, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ina Salwany Md Yasin has achieved numerous accolades. In Invention, Research and Innovation Exhibition (PRPI), she secured a silver medal in 2012 and 2016. Through her innovative product of marine aquatic feed-based vaccine (ViVac UPM), she earned gold medals in various competitions, including International Research Invention, Innovation and Exhibition (I-RIE 2021), Persidangan dan Ekspo Ciptaan Institusi pengajian Tinggi Antarabangsa (PECIPTA2022), silver medal in 32nd International Invention, Innovation & Technology Exhibition, Malaysia (2021), and bronze medal in Persidangan dan Ekspo Ciptaan Institusi pengajian Tinggi Antarabangsa (PECIPTA2022).
She was also a consultant for Lembaga Kemajuan Ikan Malaysia (LKIM) between 2017-2018. As an active academician, she was invited as distinguished speaker for many international conferences and workshops such as ‘Novel Vaccines and Vaccination Methods to Prevent Bacterial Diseases of Tilapia’ in Biotechnology Centre of Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam (2019), ‘Zebrafish Model for Life Science Research’ in Universitas Gadjah Mada, Indonesia (2021), ‘Emerging Science and Engineering Towards Future Global Challenges’ in Universiti Selangor (2021), ‘Fish Vaccines Development Against Vibriosis in Malaysia: Current Status and Challenges’ in Universitas Gadjah Mada, Indonesia (2023), and ‘International Webinar: Fish Vaccine and Vaccination’ in UPM (2023). Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ina Salwany Md Yasin is a distinguished researcher specializing in fish molecular biology, with a broad spectrum of expertise encompassing various critical aspects of aquatic science. Her research portfolio spans the epidemiology of fish pathogens, fish immunology, bacterial pathogenesis in fish, the development of marine and aquatic vaccines, fish prebiotics and probiotics, as well as whole-genome sequencing of bacteria.
She has also been a principal investigator in collaborative research with researchers from various backgrounds, contributing to projects like ‘Elucidating the Mechanisms of Adjuvanted Feed-based Vaccine Against Vibriosis in Grouper Fish’ under the TransDisciplinary Research Grant Scheme (TRGS) by UPM, and several FRGS and HICOE projects funded by the Ministry of Higher Education Malaysia (MOHE), such as ‘Understanding Microbiome Dynamics and Pathogenesis of Acute Hepatopancreatic Necrosis Disease (AHPND) in Shrimp Culture in Malaysia’ and ‘Determining the Antigenic Cross-reaction Among Outer Membrane Proteins (OMPs) of Vibrio species isolated from Tiger Grouper (Epinephelus fuscoguttatus)’. Furthermore, she was also a co-researcher in projects funded by organizations such as ScienceFund (MOSTI), GP-IPS (UPM), GP-IPM (UPM), GP-IPB (UPM), PRGS (MOHE), GPB (UPM), and LRGS (UPM). Her collaborative efforts and research leadership have significantly enriched the field of fish molecular biology and advanced our understanding of crucial issues in aquatic science. In terms of her publications, Dr. Ina Salwany displayed an impressive record, having authored 120 articles in both national and international journals, contributed to 1 book and 5 book chapters, and authored a comprehensive book. Her extensive publication history in esteemed journals, coupled with her global presence through presentations of scientific papers, underscores her substantial contributions and recognition within the scientific community. In her role as a lecturer, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ina takes on the responsibility of guiding post-graduate and final-year project students in their research endeavors.
To date, she has successfully supervised 10 PhD and 8 MSc students as the primary supervisor, and 7 PhD and 11 MSc students as a co-supervisor, all of whom have graduated under her mentorship. Currently, she is overseeing 5 ongoing PhD and 2 MSc students as the primary supervisor, along with 9 PhD and 4 MSc students as a co-supervisor. In conclusion, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ina Salwany is a distinguished expert in the field of vaccine and therapeutics and aquaculture biotechnology. With a wealth of experience and a remarkable track record of contributions, she has solidified her reputation as a leading figure in the scientific community. Her extensive publication history, active involvement in prestigious societies, and dedication to mentoring the next generation of researchers reflect her unwavering commitment to advancing knowledge and innovation in her field. Dr. Ina Salwany's expertise and leadership continue to have a profound impact, making her an invaluable asset to the realm of aquatic science and biotechnology.
Associate Prof. Dr. Murni Karim is a Malaysian, born and raised in Kuala Lumpur on 9th of July 1982. She obtained her BSc (Hons) degree in Microbiology (2002) and Master of Sciences in Aquatic Biotechnology (2008) from Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM). She received her PhD degree in the ASSOC. PROF. DR. MURNI MARLINA ABD KARIM field of Environmental Science specializing in Aquatic Pathology awarded by the University of Rhode Island, United States in December 2012. Dr. Murni was appointed as Associate Professor in 2018 at the Department of Aquaculture, Faculty of Agriculture, UPM specializing in Fish Disease and Health Management. Previously, she was a senior lecturer (2013-2018) and a tutor (2007-2012) in the same department. She is currently the Head of the Sustainable Aquaculture Laboratory at the International Institute of Aquaculture and Aquatic Sciences (IAQUAS). GOOGLE SCHOLAR RESEARCH GATE SCOPUS Dr. Murni teaches Fish Health Management (AKU3501) and Aquatic Microbiology (AKU4501) for undergraduates. Her involvement and contribution have helped to develop the curriculum for Aquaculture Program at UPM and for other institutions. She is an External Advisor Committee of the Diploma Program at the Vocational College (Agriculture) Teluk Intan (2021-2023) and was appointed as an Academic Advisor Panel for the Aquaculture Diploma Program under the Ministry of Education Malaysia (2020-2021). Her field of expertise is in fish health and disease management in aquaculture. Her research interest involves the use of multidisciplinary approaches for the prevention and management of infectious diseases in aquaculture. Particularly, her works emphasize on determining the patterns of disease infection, investigating host-pathogen interactions, mechanisms of pathogenesis and disease resistance. All this information is used to develop novel strategies for preventing diseases in aquatic organisms. Her research team is actively working on the development of probiotics, bioremediators and antimicrobial compounds, which are specifically designed for use in aquaculture applications.
As a researcher, she has published numerous articles in reputable international publications as well as newspaper articles and book chapters. She has been awarded several research grants worth RM1 million and member of over 20 grants collaborating with national and international counterparts. Dr. Murni has supervised 50 Master and PhD students (14 Master and 8 PhD as main supervisor) whom are from local and international. Under her supervision, 6 PhD (2 as Chairman), and 15 Master (6 as Chairman) successfully graduated. On top of that, 26 Bachelor students successfully completed their final year projects. Dr. Murni has been appointed as internal as well as external examiner for 39 theses (MS and PhD) from local and international universities. Dr. Murni has established strong connections with the aquaculture industry, indicated by her involvement in various consultation projects and research contracts from various local and international organizations. She was a CEO@Faculty fellow under CEO@Faculty Program which has been appointed by the Ministry of Higher Education Malaysia. Under the program, she was attached to the Chairman of Agrobank and was mentored closely by the Chief Strategic Officer of Agrobank. During her attachment, she was involved with the development of a financial program for aquaculture, collaboration with different agencies in training the youth for fisheries and aquaculture, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) with the communities and secured an industrial grant for aquaculture development. Invited Speaker for WorldFish Egypt “Aquaculture Principles and Aquatic Animal Health Management” Workshop 2023 │ WorldFish Egypt With the Director of Department of Fisheries Thailand, General Director of The Network of Aquaculture Centers in Asia-Pacific and the experts of fish health at Fish Health Section Conference 2023 │ Bangkok, Thailand Due to her good linkage with Agrobank, she was awarded another grant in 2022 and led the program of Aquaculture Incubator UPM-Agrobank. This program aims to develop young aquaprenuer to be involved in the aquaculture business. Currently, the program is in its second phase, which focuses on aiding participants in scaling their businesses through grants provided by the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security.
In recognition of her expertise, she was given the responsibility of developing a blueprint on Tilapia Culture for Federal Land Development Authority (FELDA) Malaysia. On top of that, she is the expert panel for the development of Written Instructional Material – WIM for Administration of Marine Aquaculture Livestock Operation - Biosecurity Level 4 under the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industries. This material will be used by numerous aquaculture colleges in Malaysia. Furthermore, she is also currently a head researcher responsible to develop the Occupational Framework for Fishing and Aquaculture Field appointed by the Department of Skills Development, Ministry of Human Resources, Malaysia. She has been invited as a speaker at both national and international workshops and seminars, where she shares her insights on aquaculture practices and aquatic health management. 64th Council Meeting of Asian Fisheries Society (AFS) 2023. Honorary Secretary of AFS │ Bogor, Indonesia Invited Speaker at AgTech International Expo 2023 – MADA Aquaculture Seminar on the topic of Fish Disease Management│ Shah Alam, Selangor She is a member of the Malaysian Fisheries Society, National Shellfish Aquaculture, United States and a life member of the Asian Fisheries Society (AFS). She holds a position as an Honorary Secretary of AFS from 2019 until 2025.
GOOGLE SCHOLAR RESEARCH GATE SCOPUS DR. ANNIE CHRISTIANUS She has led various research projects on culture & reproduction marine & freshwater indigenous fish species, such Mahseer, patin, baung, kerai, climbing perch, and tinfoil barb, and involved in the conservation of horseshoe crab and seahorse. She has published many journal articles, books/chapter in book and popular writings on the subject matter. She is a member of the IUCN, and an advisory member for the Ecological Research & Development Group (ERDG), a non-profit wildlife conservation organization, founded in the USA in 1995, with primary focus on the conservation the world’s four extant horseshoe crab species. Annie Christianus is a Senior Lecturer at Department of Aquaculture, Faculty of Agriculture and Coordinator of Hatchery Unit at Institute of Bioscience, Universiti Putra Malaysia. She obtained her Bachelor of Fisheries Science in 1994, followed by PhD in the field of Aquatic Biology from Universiti Putra Malaysia in 2002. Her core subjects are Fish Seed Technology and Fry Management (AKU3302), Culture of Ornamental Fish And Aquatic Plants (AKU4202) and Post Harvest in Aquaculture (AKU3801). She also teaches other subjects such as Principles of Aquaculture (AKU3201), Ichthyology (AKU3103) and Fish Endocrinology (AKU4301). She is a fish biologist by training with primary emphasis on culture and reproduction. Her expertise also covers areas relevant for aquaculture such water quality, live food and culture system. Her current research focus is on the application Surface Enhance Raman
She is a fish biologist by training with primary emphasis on culture and reproduction. Her expertise also covers areas relevant for aquaculture such water quality, live food and culture system. Her current research focus is on the application Surface Enhance Raman Spectroscopy for the characterization and profiling of mucus of commercially important fish. To date, 11 PhD and 16 MSc students graduated under her as main supervisor. Currently, she is supervising 3 PhD and 5 MSc students.
She served the Malaysian Fisheries Society as Secretary (2004-2008) and then as President (2008- 2014), and current as an Auditor. She also work closely with farmers particularly on the culture and propagation of patin and Mahseer. COMMUNITY SERVICE & KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER She was the Principal Investigator of 7 research grants (Fundamental Research Grant Scheme, Research University Grant Scheme, Putra Grant, Knowledge Transfer Program Grant), and currently Program Leader for a Transdisiplinary Research Grant Scheme. Community service for Orang Asli Temerloh, Pahang.
DR. ROZIHAN MOHAMED population genetics encompasses a wide range of topics, including DNA / eDNA barcoding, phylogenetics, fish identification and conservation genetic analysis. His work is instrumental in advancing our knowledge of aquatic species, particularly in the context of conservation and sustainable management. Rozihan Mohamed holding a Ph.D. in Zoology with a specialization in Fish Population Genetics, obtained from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia in 2014. He also received a Master Degree of Science in Biotechnology on Aquaculture and a Bachelor of Fisheries in Aquaculture from Universiti Putra Malaysia. Dr. Rozihan currently serves as a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Aquaculture, Faculty of Agriculture, UPM. Dr. Rozihan Mohamed has made significant contributions to the field of marine biology and genetics, particularly focusing on aquatic species. His research interest in marine biology and application of genetic techniques in aquaculture. He contributes an educational textbook on aquaculture and recreational animals, serving as a valuable resource for vocational education in Malaysia. He also provides his expertise in developing learning modules and innovative software for teaching and learning. His research insights have been shared through chapters in books such as gamification and augmented reality in learning, DNA barcoding for biodiversity analysis, and the Networking activities and knowledge transfer to the Putrajaya senior citizen association. Program WEPA @ PAWE. GOOGLE SCHOLAR RESEARCH GATE SCOPUS
Dr. Rozihan is actively engaged in networking and contributes to the community and industry through knowledge transfer activities and expert consultancy services for government and private organizations, NGOs, as well as fisheries communities. He also provides expertise in the development of policies and guidelines for the aquaculture sector in Malaysia. myHSC app: An Intelligent Mobile Data Application for the Engaged Global. Horseshoe Crab Citizen. Interactive, engaging, and gamified citizen science of horseshoe crab biodiversity for research, teaching and learning Teaching and learning activities in the field for the AKU 4701 ICT in Aquaculture course.
DR. MOHD ZAFRI HASSAN Mohd Zafri Hassan is currently a senior lecturer at the Department of Aquaculture, Faculty of Agriculture, Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM). He holds a bachelor's degree in fisheries science, a master’s degree in aquaculture technology both of which he obtained from UPM, and a PhD in natural resources from Cornell University, USA. The formal academic trainings have made him specialize in fish biology and ecology. He has been a coordinator and lecturer for courses that span across various fields namely biology, ecology, aquaculture, statistics and policy at diploma and bachelor’s degree levels. These courses include those that are offered in UPM Bintulu and Serdang Campus, as well as by a private university. In the recent years, he mainly teaches AKU3109 Fish Physiology and Biochemistry, AKU3101 Ichthyology, AKU4804 Policies and Acts for Fisheries and Aquaculture and AKU3602 Aquatic Ecology. diverse research projects that range from freshwater to marine environments. He has accumulated consultancy projects amounting to about RM 700,000 to study ballastmediated organism transfer at seaports in Malaysia and led multiple aquaculture and aquatic ecology-related projects amounting to a little over RM 1 million as of today. Sources of funding as a principal investigator came from the Malaysia Ministry of Higher Education (Long-term Research Grant Scheme – RM 804,529.00 and Fundamental Research Grant Scheme – RM 134,700.00) and Universiti Putra Malaysia. Beside teaching multiple fisheries and aquaculture courses, he has also worked on Some of the projects have supported the government agencies to make decision toward fulfilling international treaties and some support national agenda on sustainability and food security. He was the recipient for the best consultancy project in 2017 (third place) awarded by Universiti Putra Malaysia. He currently has a Scopus H-index of 4. Details of his publications indexed on Scopus can accessed under the authorship name of “Zafri Hassan” and ID number of 55908800800. GOOGLE SCHOLAR RESEARCH GATE SCOPUS
To spread awareness on aquatic biodiversity and conservation, Dr. Zafri has written two articles related to those topics published on a local newspaper, the New Straits Times (https://www.nst.com.my/authors/dr-mohd-zafri-hassan). Given the well-rounded background in fisheries, aquaculture and ecology, his current research interests include species invasion in freshwater and marine ecosystems, species occupancy in headwaters and their associated stream orders, functional fish diversity and evolutionary biology, homeostasis in dichotomous fishes, sex reversal in hermaphroditic fishes and aquaculture systems and designs. He has been a coordinator and lecturer for courses that span across various fields namely biology, ecology, aquaculture, statistics and policy at diploma and bachelor’s degree levels. These courses include those that are offered in UPM Bintulu and Serdang Campus, as well as by a private university. In the recent years, he mainly teaches AKU3109 Fish Physiology and Biochemistry, AKU3101 Ichthyology, AKU4804 Policies and Acts for Fisheries and Aquaculture and AKU3602 Aquatic Ecology. He has worked alongside multiple government, government-linked agencies and scientific jourals for various expert positions. Among them were the Malaysia Ministry of Education (as chairman of a technical expert committee for a high school textbook), Bintulu Port Authority and Penang Port Commission (as a consultant for ballastmediated invasive species transfer), the Sarawak Department of Agriculture (as a fish diversity assessment expert) and the Malaysia Department of Agriculture (as a aquatic species invasion expert). Dissecting siakap at Fisheries Research Institute in Gelang Patah, Johor Water quality inspection at Sultan Idris Shah Forestry Education Centre
contributions to fields like Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), Universal Design for Learning (UDL), and Co-Designs ESD." He also has two intellectual properties dedicated solely to teaching and learning innovations. In the teaching arena, Chong's portfolio is both broad and innovative. He's currently instructing subjects like Innovation in Aquaculture and Fish Immunology. Previously, he taught courses in fish physiology and biochemistry and agriculture and man. Chong has been honored with more than 8 gold medals and 4 special awards, including a 'best of the best' accolade, all at the international level. These distinctions highlight his pioneering international industries. Among his awards are 'The Best Eye-catching Research' by Wageningen Institute of Animal Sciences in 2017. Plus, one of his students took home the 'Best Poster Presenter' award at the International Agricongress in 2018. Dr. Chong has secured six national and international patents, a testament to the groundbreaking nature of his research. DR. CHONG CHOU MIN An academic cornerstone at Universiti Putra Malaysia since 2014, Chong Chou Min is a firstclass honors graduate with a Bachelor of Science majoring in Biology. He also holds a Ph.D. in Immunology, both credentials acquired from the same esteemed institution. His commitment to academia is truly commendable. Research-wise, Chong has been a trailblazer in fish immunology. His work spans from developing biomarkers for fish immune cells to creating immunoprophylactic and immuneenhancing feeds. Involved in over 15 grants that include research, industry, and teaching projects, he has also cemented two Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with both local and GOOGLE SCHOLAR RESEARCH GATE SCOPUS
Dr. Chong's involvement in drafting two UPM guidelines and one national policy, all successfully published. Six local and international patents have been derived from research, complemented by one copyright and one trademark originating from teaching innovations. Beyond academia, Chong is a networking marvel. Initially serving as Secretary and later as Treasurer for the Malaysian Fisheries Society, he is now active as Deputy Secretary of the Malaysia Aquaculture Development Association. He's also taken the lead in organizing seminars at the annual International Agtech Expo, known for its unique and valuable townhall gathering that assembles a diverse array of stakeholders. This includes government agencies like the Department of Fisheries, academics, industry leaders, feed millers, hatcheries, aquaculture packaging sector, downstream aquaculture professionals, environmentalists, and journalists.
Under Dr. Chong's leadership, his academic team has garnered numerous international gold medals and special awards. As a consultant for local farms and a key player in the Malaysia-China Aquaculture Network, Chong's influence reaches far and wide. Notably, Chong has contributed to policy-making, helping to draft two UPM guidelines and a national policy on Inclusive Open Educational Resources (iOER), which was launched in 2022. He serves as the Head Facilitator for iOER workshops, a role endorsed by esteemed organizations like UNESCO. In 2023, Chong has been appointed to the Technical Working Group (TWG) for Aquaculture by the Malaysia Productivity Corporation (MPC). His team was responsible for identifying challenges in the aquaculture industry and proposing solutions, particularly in the areas of regulations, technology, and talent development. In sum, Chong's multi-faceted contributions to academia, industry, and policy-making make him an invaluable asset to both Universiti Putra Malaysia and the broader community.
Dr. Fadhil Syukri's career in aquaculture began as an assistant project manager at a shrimp hatchery in 2005, where he gained experience in shrimp broodstock management, breeding, larvae rearing, and feeding regimes. He pursued an MSc at Universiti Putra Malaysia in 2007, researching DR. MUHAMMAD FADHIL SYUKRI ISMAIL reproductive hormone profiles of Malaysian mahseer. In 2011, he started a Ph.D. at Tohoku University, focusing on genetic markers and inbreeding depression in Guppy Poecilia reticulata. He further enriched his knowledge with JICA training in 2017 for microbial community analysis and research at the Tokyo Institute of Technology in 2018, including nutrient recovery from aquaculture sludge. Additionally, he is a certified Malaysian Environmental Professional. Since 2015, Dr Fadhil Syukri have been a researcher at Universiti Putra Malaysia, specializing in Aquaculture. His research primarily focuses on fish breeding and larvae rearing, encompassing various fish species, including catfish, silverbarb, seabass, carp, and model organisms such as Guppy, Zebrafish, and Medaka. In late 2017, he expanded his research interests to include microdiet for life feed replacement in fish. This research resulted in the development of FS feed (www.thefsfeed.com), designed for the initial feeding of larvae. The outcomes of this research have significantly contributed to fish hatcheries, enhancing early development survivability, and reducing the cost of culturing live feed. In addition to my research, Dr Fadhil Syukri have also been actively teaching courses AKU3201 "Principle of Aquaculture" AKU3210 “Finfish Culture” and AKU4203 "Aquaculture Production System" since 2015, further enriching my contributions to the field. Current research interest is on larvae development, microplastics and gene expressions. GOOGLE SCHOLAR RESEARCH GATE SCOPUS
The focus is on finding sustainable methods to reduce the environmental impact of aquaculture by minimizing the release of pollutants and optimizing resource utilization. Through these collaborations, Dr. Fadhil and his partners explore innovative approaches and technologies for wastewater Dr. Fadhil has been involved in collaborations with Japanese partners for over 3 years in the field of aquaculture wastewater management. These collaborations aim to develop strategies and techniques for effectively managing and treating the wastewater generated from aquaculture operations. Dr. Fadhil's technical skills include histology, micro-injection, germs cell transplantation, ELISA (Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay), SNP (Single Nucleotide Polymorphism), microsatellite analysis, and shrimp culture. These skills are essential for his research in fish breeding and larvae rearing, as well as his work in aquaculture wastewater management. Histology allows him to study the cellular structure and composition of fish tissues, while micro-injection and germs cell transplantation techniques enable him to manipulate and study fish embryos and reproductive cells. ELISA is a common method used to detect and quantify specific proteins or hormones in fish samples. SNP and microsatellite analysis are genetic techniques that help Dr. Syukri study the genetic diversity and relatedness of fish populations. Lastly, his proficiency in shrimp culture allows him to handle and manage shrimp broodstock effectively. Micro injection on fish larvae. treatment, with the goal of improving water quality and minimizing the ecological footprint of aquaculture systems.
Microfeed Research Product: FS Feed FS FEED ORNAMENTAL Replace live food such as Artemia or Rotifer (zooplankton) during rearing period. Formulated microdiet (150-500μm) specially design for early feeding of fish and shrimp larvae. The FS Feed is formulated for the first feeding of various fish larvae. High in energy and protein for optimum growth performance and survival rate. Malaysian Kelah Hybrid Research (Malaysian Mahseer Hybrid) by Dr. Fadhil Syukri from the Faculty of Agriculture won a gold medal in ITEX 2023.
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PRODUCT
FS FEED Ornamental FS Feed Ornamental | TM 2019041601 012-4075084 / 019-9772912 [email protected] Replace live food such as Artemia or Rotifer (zooplankton) during rearing period. Formulated microdiet (150-500μm) specially design for early feeding of fish and shrimp larvae. The FS Feed is formulated for the first feeding of various fish larvae. High in energy and protein for optimum growth performance and survival rate. First Feeding Main function FS Feed Performance Comparison was made to replace Artemia with FS Feed in White Shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) in shrimp culture system. Started at Zoea 3 until it reach PL 16. About 15% of increment were observed. Non-Seasonal Our feed are available all year round. Ready for fish hatchery users. DR. MUHAMMAD FADHIL SYUKRI ISMAIL
TROPICARP RED MAHSEER Feed Formulation TropiCarp Aquaz Feed Sdn. Bhd. | TM 2018002736 013-315 1834 Suitable for Mahseer (Kelah), Empurau, Lampam, Tengas, Jelawat and Seberau fish. Benefit/advantage using this feed can increases the growth rate of the Mahseer fish from 3-4 years using tilapia feed to 1.6 years using this specialised feed. Main function Feed Performance The feed conversion rate are 2 that means to get 1kg of mahseer fish the fish only been feed with 2kg feed than using tilapia feed it need about 10-15kg feed to get average body weight 1kg/pcs. The cost of the feed can be reduced and increases the farmers profit. [email protected] PROF. DR. MOHD SALLEH KAMARUDIN
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