Detecting and Genetically Verifying Key Aquaculture Viruses Autonomously and Continuously

As aquaculture increases productivity to meet worldwide demand it faces an increasing threat from the spread of diseases and pathogens. However biosensor technologies have not kept pace with the need to monitor these ever-increasing threats. In particular biomonitoring has been limited by the need for continuous human presence whether at the point of collection or in the laboratory. What is needed are biosensors that function as robustly and easily as a smoke-alarm i.e. autonomous reliable in-field monitoring technologies capable of disseminating data straightforwardly and in real-time to a broad range of personnel and decision-makers. NS2 will seek to overcome these barriers. By completing the assembly of a benchtop sub module and verifying its efficacy to detect target viral pathogens (Infectious Hematopoietic Necrosis Virus Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia Virus Infectious Pancreatic Necrosis Virus) we will validate and develop the technology. Simultaneously we will be using the engineering and application data gathered from the sub module to inform an Alpha Product unit's professional industrial engineering design suitable for production and sales.