Anticipate disease outbreaks in fish farming (KOA)

Short description of the project: KOA was a one-year project funded by Horizon Europe aimed at developing highly sensitive biosensors to detect pathogens early, enabling timely interventions and reducing antibiotic use, and integrating it into aquaculture practices.

Tangible results: The project developed and successfully demonstrated that the whole-cell biosensors are capable of detecting pathogens at early stages of infection. A major milestone was the integration of these biosensors into a functional device, the first of its kind designed to operate with live bacteria. The device was designed to continuously analyse water samples and detect the presence of harmful pathogens, offering a scalable and sustainable solution for disease management in fish farming.

Application/Relevance: The project’s impact included not only improved disease management and reduced economic losses for fish farmers but also a shift towards sustainable practices.