Research Areas

Research projects in the following areas are currently undertaken by the faculty.

1. Aquatic Bioscience

1. Shrimp biotechnology.
2. Virus and host interaction in shrimp.
3. Characterization of molecules involved in aquatic animal adaptation and excretory system.
4. Characterization of nacreous biometerials in abalones and fresh water pearl mussels.
5. Defensive mechanism in sea cucumber and shrimp.

2. Cell Structural Biology and Molecular Biology

1. Molecular development: transcription factors analysis and their adaptation.
2. Molecular studies on dengue-2 virus and their variants.
3. Study on the antiviral and anticancer effects of medicinal herbs.

3. Neuroscience

1. Cellular and molecular mechanisms of neurodegeneration.
2. Neuroendocrine control of growth and reproduction in mollusks and crustaceans.
3. Mapping of neurotransmitters and corresponding receptors in the central nervous system and gonads of shrimp and abalone.
4. Retinal degeneration in neurodegenerative diseases.
5. Neurotoxicity of ethanol.
6. Gene expression profiling in neurological disorders.

4. Stem Cell Biology and Embryo Technology

1. Embryonic stem cell producing of cell therapy and transgenic animals.
2. Genetic studies in transgenic animal model of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE): From disease gene analysis to targeting gene of embryonic stem cell for therapy.
3. Stem cell, tissue engineering and transplantation of hearing research.
4. Cryopreservation of gametes and embryo of mammal.
5. Cryopreservation of gamete and larvae of aquatic animals.
6. Bone marrow-derived stem cells

5. Reproductive Biology and Neuro-endocrinology

1. Endocrine manipulation of the reproductive process of abalone and decapods.
2. Characterization and distribution of neuropeptides and hormones in nervous and reproductive tissues of abalone and prawn.
3. Molecular mechanisms of gamete maturation, capacitation, and fertilization.
4. Gamete membranes "rafts" and signal transduction during fertilization.
5. Genetic manipulation for enhancing reproduction of aquatic animals.

6. Tropical Diseases

1. Immunopathobiology and characterization of antigens and their encoding genes that have immuno-diagnostic and vaccine potentials for fasciolsis and schistosomiasis.
2. Drug discoveries from natural bioactive compounds for the treatment of parasitic infections.

7. Cancer Research

1. Cell-matrix interaction: signaling involved cell migration, cancer invasion and metastasis.
2. Role of translation elongation factor 1A2 (EEF1A2) in various cancers.

8. Gross Anatomy

1. Research in embalming and plastination.