Preventing and mitigating farmed bivalve diseases

Objective

The overarching goal of VIVALDI is to increase the sustainability and competitiveness of the European shellfish industry by improving the understanding of bivalve diseases and by developing innovative solutions and tools for the prevention, control and mitigation of the major pathogens affecting the main European farmed shellfish species: Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas), mussels (Mytilus edulis and M. galloprovincialis), European flat oyster (Ostrea edulis), clams (Venerupis philipinarum) and scallops (Pecten maximus ). The project addresses the most harmful pathogens affecting either one or more of these shellfish species: the virus OsHV-1, Vibrio species including V. aestuarianus, V. splendidus, V. harveyi and V. tapetis, as well as the parasite Bonamia ostreae. The project is committed to provide practical solutions based on the most advanced knowledge.

VIVALDI will dissect the disease mechanisms associated with pathogen virulence and pathogenesis and host immune responses, develop in vivo and in vitro models, and apply “omic” approaches that will help the development of diagnostic tools and drugs against pathogen targets, and breeding programmes in a collaborative effort with industrial partners. The proposal will include a global shellfish health approach, recognising that cultured bivalves are often exposed to several pathogens simultaneously, and that disease outbreaks can be due to the combined effect of two or more pathogens. The proposal will also investigate advantages and risks of the used of disease-resistant selected animals in order to improve consumer confidence and safety.

VIVALDI will be both multi- and trans-disciplinary. In order to cover both basic and applied levels from molecules to farm, the proposal will integrate partners with a broad range of complementary expertises in pathology and animal health, epidemiology, immunology, molecular biology, genetics, genomics and food safety.

Field of science

/natural sciences/biological sciences/genetics and heredity/genome
/medical and health sciences/health sciences/public and environmental health/epidemics prevention/immunisation
/natural sciences/biological sciences/molecular biology
/natural sciences/biological sciences/microbiology/virology
/natural sciences/biological sciences/microbiology/bacteriology
/social sciences/sociology/demography/mortality
/engineering and technology/other engineering and technologies/food and beverages/food safety
/natural sciences/biological sciences/genetics and heredity/nucleotide
/engineering and technology/environmental engineering/water treatment processes/wastewater treatment processes

Funding Scheme

RIA - Research and Innovation action

Coordinator

INSTITUT FRANCAIS DE RECHERCHE POUR L'EXPLOITATION DE LA MER

Address

1625 Route De Sainte Anne Zone Industrielle De La Pointe Du Diable
29280 Plouzane
France

Activity type

Research Organisations

EU contribution

€ 727 762,50

Objective

Field of science

Programme(s)

Topic(s)

Call for proposal

Funding Scheme

Coordinator

Participants (20)

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