CENTER OF EXCELLENCE FOR SHRIMP MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND BIOTECHNOLOGY

Center of Excellence for Shrimp Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, or Centex Shrimp, is a multidisciplinary laboratory that was formed in October 2001 by the amalgamation of research laboratories from the Departments of Anatomy, Biochemistry and Biotechnology of the Faculty of Science and it is jointly supported by the Faculty of Science, Mahidol University and the National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC).

Research Activities
Centex research interests are driven by a combination of current needs of the shrimp industry and expertise of the staff. Research priorities are set by urgency of industry needs, and these can change with time. The research activities include:

• Molecular study of shrimp pathogens including viruses bacteria and parasites
• Development of diagnostic probes and kits for shrimp diseases
• Research on shrimp humoral and cellular defense mechanisms
• Shrimp genome analysis
• Shrimp nutritional research (broodstock)
• Development/improvement of domesticated, specific pathogen free (SPF) black tiger shrimp
• Shrimp reproductive and endocrinology research
• Study on the feasibility of phage therapy
• Study of quorum sensing control of Vibrio virulence

Services

• Yearly regional training courses on shrimp pathology
• Active post-graduate training program with 15-20 M.Sc. and Ph.D. students and one more post-doctoral fellows
• Providing consultants for the Thai Shrimp industry on disease diagnosis and control and on broodstock development
• Occasional courses on specialized topics according to demand

Download Research Profile (pdf)

Director
Prof. Dr. Boonsirm Withyachumnarnkul

Key Researchers
Prof. Dr. Timothy W. Flegel
Prof. Dr. Boonsirm Withyachumnarnkul
Dr. Kallaya Dangtip
Mrs. Wansika Kiatpathomchai
Dr. Saengchan Senapin