Setya Widi Ayuning Permanasari, a PhD candidate in our department, won the Best Oral Presentation Award at the 2026 ANNUAL MEETING of the Fisheries Society of Taiwan.

Theme: Integrating MALDI-TOF MS and Biochemical Profiling for Thraustochytrid Strain Selection in Aquaculture

Supervisor: Distinguished Professor Dr. Chih-Chuang Liaw

At the Taiwan Fisheries Society Annual Meeting 2026, PhD candidate, Setya Widi Ayuning Permanasari presented award-winning research on advancing sustainable aquaculture feed through an innovative strain-selection approach strategy. Setya, together with Professor Liaw’s research group, developed an integrated screening platform that combines cutting-edge MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry with traditional biochemical analysis to rapidly classify and characterize 33 native thraustochytrid strains isolated from Taiwan’s mangrove ecosystems. These classifications were validated by 18S ribosomal RNA phylogenetic analysis.

Supported by PCA-based K-means clustering, this approach enabled the identification of two exceptional thraustochytrid candidates: Schizochytrium sp. W1.2, a high-performance DHA producer, and Aurantiochytrium sp. YA7.1, notable for its remarkable astaxanthin content. Feeding trials in Pacific whiteleg shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) revealed distinct functional benefits: W1-2 significantly improved larval survival and development, while YA7.1 enhanced growth performance and feed efficiency in adult shrimp.

This work highlights how advanced proteomic tools can accelerate the discovery and utilization of valuable thraustochytrid resources, providing aquaculture producers with a practical and environmentally sustainable alternative to conventional fish-oil-based feeds. In recognition of this achievement, Setya was awarded First Place in the Student Oral Presentation Competition (Category D: Food Science and Aquatic Feed).