CENTER OF EXCELLENCE FOR MARINE BIOTECHNOLOGY

The Center of Excellence for Marine Biotechnology (CEMB) was established as the Marine Biotechnology Research Unit (MBRU) in 1987 as a cooperative research laboratory between the National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC) and Chulalongkorn University.  The CEMB is a consortium among groups of researchers from BIOTEC and academic staff from Chulalongkorn and Srinakharinwirot Universities.  In 2003, MBRU was recognized by Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University as a center of excellence in marine biotechnology based on its distinguished research and development activities.

Research Activities
The research at CEMB is divided into 5 categories:

1. Aquaculture The aim of this research is to increase production of the aquatic animals and plants. The research emphasizes on the efficient culture system that is friendly to environment and economical practice. The system is applied for improving fish and shellfish broodstock performance and for aquatic plants culture as sustainable utilization.
2. Probiotics The aim of such research is to emphasize on the research and development of microbial organisms for improving growth and immune responses of shrimp and fish cultured in impoundment. Our goal is to reduce shellfish and fish production cost and to produce safe and healthy products for human consumption.
3. Aquaculture Nutrition The aim of such research is to emphasize on the research and development on economically cultured marine species, such as Penaeus monodon, Macrobrachium rosenbergi, and Lates calcalifer.  The research group is also working on nutrition of the whole life history cycle of marine shrimp, larval, grow-out and maturation.
4. Aquatic Environmental Biotechnology The Aquatic Environmental Biotechnology research group has been conducting research on the closed re-circulating seawater system for aquaculture and the biomarkers for water pollution.  An example of biomarker research is the isolation and characterization of metallotionein protein specific to mercury. This protein could be used for detecting mercury contamination from oil and gas industries in the Gulf of Thailand.
5. Marine Biology The aim of this research group is to study the biology of marine life for an aquaculture with emphasizing on the species that shows a potential natural producers of bioactive compounds.

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Director
Assoc. Prof. Charoen Nitithamyong

Key Researchers
Assoc. Prof. Charoen Nitithamyong
Dr. Sorawit Powtongsook