AS THE WORLD POPULATION INCREASES AND WILD CAUGHT FISHERIES DECLINE, AQUACULTURE OFFERS A SUSTAINABLE SOLUTION TO INCREASED GLOBAL DEMANDS FOR QUALITY DIETARY PROTEIN SOURCES AND FOOD SECURITY. COMMERCIAL AQUACULTURE TYPICALLY USES INTENSIVE PRODUCTION PRACTICES FOR MAXIMAL POND PRODUCTIVITY. THESE PRACTICES OFTEN LEAD TO INCREASED FISH STRESS AND DISEASE OUTBREAKS THAT RESULT IN SIGNIFICANT ECONOMIC LOSSES AND ASSOCIATED NEGATIVE IMPACTS TO THE ENVIRONMENT. ANTIMICROBIALS (CHEMICALS AND ANTIBIOTICS) ARE THE PRIMARY THERAPEUTIC CHOICE HOWEVER &GT;80% OF THESE DRUGS ARE ESTIMATED TO ENTER THE AQUACULTURE ENVIRONMENT INTACT. WHILE THE EXTENT OF ANTIMICROBIAL OVERUSE IN AQUATIC AND TERRESTRIAL ANIMAL FARMING IS HARD TO MEASURE, UNQUESTIONABLY THESE INDUSTRIES CONTRIBUTE SIGNIFICANTLY TO THE ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE PROBLEM THAT HAS REACHED GLOBAL EPIDEMIC PROPORTIONS AND THREATENS BOTH ANIMAL AND PUBLIC HEALTH. THIS PROJECT FOCUSES ON DELIVERING A NOVEL SOLUTION TO THE AQUACULTURE INDUSTRY IN TACKLING FARMED FISH DISEASE THAT LIMITS/MITIGATES THE USE OF TRADITIONALLY USED ANTIMICROBIALS. PROTEIN-BASED IMMUNOTHERAPEUTANTS OFFER A SIGNIFICANT PARADIGM SHIFT FROM ANTIBIOTICS AND CHEMICALS THAT PRESENTS THE POSSIBILITY OF LEVERAGING FOOD FISHES OWN NATURAL IMMUNE SYSTEM TO MANAGE AND PREVENT DISEASE IN AQUACULTURE.THIS PROJECT AIMS TO USE SUSTAINABLE PLANT-BASED BIOENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY TO PRODUCE A CATFISH IMMUNE PROTEIN THERAPY THAT WILL BE FUNCTIONAL AND STABLE IN THE AQUACULTURE SETTING. THIS RESEARCH WILL APPLY TECHNIQUES USED IN STUDYING THE IMMUNE SYSTEM OF OTHER ANIMALS TO PRODUCE CURRENTLY UNAVAILABLE DIAGNOSTIC TOOLS THAT CAN BE MORE BROADLY APPLIED TO FUTURE DEVELOPMENT OF THERAPEUTIC STRATEGIES FOR AQUACULTURE. THIS NOVEL CATFISH PROTEIN THERPEUTANT WILL BE TESTED FOR ACTIVITY IN CATFISH AS A PROOF-OF-CONCEPT FOR THIS NOVEL DISEASE MANAGEMENT THERAPEUTIC TOOL. IF SUCCESSFUL, THIS THERAPEUTANT CAN OFFER SIGNIFICANT ECONOMIC BENEFITS TO THE AQUACULTURE INDUSTRY INPROVIDING A SAFER THERAPY WITH LESS/NO NEGATIVE IMPACT ON THE ENVIRONMENT AND WITH BETTER REGULATORY AND CONSUMER ACCEPTANCE OF ANTIBIOTIC-FREE FARM FISH PRODUCTS. IN ADDITION, THIS TECHNOLOGY AND THERAPEUTIC APPROACH HAS APPLICATION TO OTHER FARMED ANIMALS OF AGRICULTURAL IMPORTANCE. THE OVERARCHING GOAL OF THIS PROJECT IS TO INTEGRATE TECHNOLOGIES ACROSS MULTIPLE DISCIPLINES IN DEVELOPING A SAFER DISEASE MANAGEMENT PRODUCT TO BE USED IN REARING FOOD FISH AND IN PROVIDING CONSUMERS WITH A SAFER FOOD SUPPLY.