NAIK is a chain of agricultural institutes, established in 2014 and belonging to Ministry of Agriculture. NAIK HAKI as a member institute has main objective to develop and promote research in fisheries and aquaculture. The institute is a leading aquaculture R&D center in Hungary and Central and Eastern Europe. Its research activity in the aquaculture related subjects includes breeding & genetics of fish, hydrobiology, fish nutrition, fish immunology, aquaculture technologies, economics and marketing of aquaculture products. Groups for technology, economics, fish physiology and fish genetics are involved in joint research activities of AQUAEXCEL3.0 and will ensure the proper guidance and supervision for TNA users.

Role in the AQUAEXCEL3.0 project:

NAIK HAKI will give an access to two infrastructures: ponds and recirculation systems for freshwater fish species. The staff of the institute will take part in joint research activities working on modelling of pikeperch growth and water quality in ponds, transplantation of germ stem cells in percids and on welfare issues in common carp.

Key persons involved:

Dr. Uroš Ljubobratović is the leader of the Aquaculture Technology Group at NAIK HAKI. He will be responsible for TNA and management and communication of the institute’s actions within the joint research activities.

Dr. Mónika Varga is a principal researcher in development of a non-conventional, multidisciplinary process modelling methodology. She will be responsible for improving model simulations on water quality processes in the Virtual Laboratories (Task 4.1).

Dr. Ákos HORVÁTH is the leader of the Fish Reproduction Group at Szent István University. His main research topics are the cryopreservation of fish gametes and the transplantation of germ cells in fish. He will be responsible for the transplantation of germ cells in percids (Task 5.1). He will participate to the project without claiming personal costs.