October 25th, Dr. Vikram Vakharia from University of Maryland and Dr. Li Lin from Huazhong Agricultural University visited IOCAS and took part in academic exchanges with researchers of KLEMB. 

Professor Vikram Vakharia presented the principles and applications of RNA virus reverse genetics system, and introduced the virus-like particles (VLPs) technology and its application in vaccine development. Professor Lin introduced the discovery process and current research status of nervous necrosis virus (NNV). 

Professor Vikram Vakharia is working in Department of Marine Biotechnology, University of Maryland Baltimore County. He established the reverse genetics systems for IPNV, SVCV and IBDV for the first time which provided great platforms for researching. They have expressed the major host-protective genes of NNV and IPNV in suitable expression systems and seek to develop VLPs based vaccines that could be fed fish orally. 

Professor Lin is “Chutian scholar” of fisheries college, Huazhong Agricultural University. He completed his postdoctoral work at Pennsylvania State University, Rice University and Saskatchewan University. He is a member of America Society of virus. He first reported nervous necrosis virus (NNV), and carried out a long-term research on it.