WIAS magazine 4th edition - Summer 2022

WIAS magazine aims to strengthen the community of WIAS PhDs & Post-Docs, because Science connects us all. We do this by offering a platform to showcase the amazing work being performed under the WIAS umbrella and combine this with a personal touch. 

It's time to celebrate the first Anniversary of WIAS magazine!!! This 4th edition of WIAS magazine is again filled with new content, published September 2022.

Moments to Celebrate

WIAS Magazine - Summer edition 2022
Special article

Yay! Our final edition of the year is here. We’re very happy to announce that this Summer edition of the WIAS magazine marks our first year anniversary *insert party whistle sound*. Time to celebrate! In the past year, we as board have raised our glasses to the publication of each edition, although this Summer edition holds a special place in our hearts. What were your moments to celebrate this year? We have asked this question to WIAS chair groups.

Beyond counting corals: determining and improving the ecological and social impact of coral reef restoration

WIAS Magazine - Summer edition 2022
Research Overview

Key words: Reef restoration, coral gardening, coral predation, alternative livelihoods, reef stakeholders, socio-economic benefits

The dazzlingly diverse coral reefs have provided coastal communities with numerous ecosystem services, including food provision and tourism opportunities. Despite these evident benefits, local stressors compounded by climate change have effectively eradicated roughly half of the world’s hard coral in just a few decades. In an attempt to kickstart the recovery of functional reefs, numerous projects worldwide are culturing hard corals in nurseries and outplanting grown fragments onto degraded or artificial reefs. While survival of these outplanted corals can be high, many project are set back by ecological surprises such as coral predation and competitive interactions. To track and improve coral reef restoration efforts, two Wageningen University PhD students are collaborating with a restoration program of the REEFolution Foundation in southern Kenya. Ewout Knoester focuses on the role of ecology in modern restoration techniques and Joshua Wambugu focuses on the socio-economic context of reef restoration.

Healthy Livestock approach: Effect of peri-hatching environment on later life broiler performance and welfare

WIAS Magazine - Summer edition 2022
Research Overview

Key words: Hatching environment, broiler, early nutrition, performance, welfare

Most broiler chickens used for meat production hatch within conventional hatching systems (or so called hatchery-hatched systems) and can be delayed in feed and water provision up to 48 hours because of hatch time differences, processing procedures, and transportation to the rearing farm. Moreover, these broiler chickens hatch in darkness and are exposed to substantial noise and dust levels in the incubator. All these aspects in the peri-hatching environment of broiler chickens may negatively affect later life performance, health and welfare. To assess effects of hatching systems on later life performance, health and welfare, we performed a study as part of the Healthy Livestock project. This European/Chinese project aims to reduce the need for antimicrobials in poultry and pigs by enhancing animal welfare and resilience.

How to capture a malaria mosquito? Study and development of odour-baited traps

WIAS Magazine - Summer edition 2022
Research Highlight

Key words: Mosquito, odour-baited traps, malaria, behaviour, vector control

In my PhD thesis, I aimed to contribute to our understanding of how haematophagous female mosquitoes interact with their hosts in order to get a protein-rich blood meal necessary for egg production. Many dangerous pathogens such as the malaria parasite and the dengue virus take advantage of this mosquito–vertebrate interaction to spread themselves. This is what arguably makes the most annoying animal in the world, and certainly the most dangerous animal in the world. Malaria alone kills more than 400,000 people – mostly young children – every year, and has killed many more in the past.

Why vaccination fails against H9N2 avian influenza virus in the field

WIAS Magazine - Summer edition 2022
Research Highlight

Key words: Maternal-derived antibodies, Passively transferred antibodies, Humoral immune responses, Vaccination failure, H9N2 avian influenza virus

H9N2 avian influenza virus is the most prevalent and harmful low pathogenicity avian influenza virus in the world, which not only seriously harms animal husbandry but also poses a huge challenge to public health. Some researchers are concerned that H9N2 may be a spark to the emergence of the next influenza pandemic, either by directly crossing the species barrier or by donating part of its genes to a pandemic virus. Most vaccination programs against H9N2 AIV have shown to be ineffective against infection and transmission in the field, although those vaccines were reported to work well in the laboratory. We hypothesize that maternal-derived antibodies, the transfer of maternal antibodies through the yolk sac, are a possible reasons of vaccination failure in poultry in the field.

How are bees impacted by pesticide mixtures?

WIAS Magazine - Summer edition 2022
Research Light

Key words: Pesticides, honey bee, bumble bee, interactive effects, gut microbiota, survival, hypopharyngeal gland, flight

In recent decades, pollinating insects have experienced alarming declines with potential consequences for global food production. Crucial for crop pollination, bees are of particular concern as they have experienced regional losses in both wild and managed populations across Europe. Pesticide use has been identified as one of the major threats facing bees, but there is little understanding of the impacts of multiple compounds. Therefore the goal of my PhD project is to better understand how mixtures of pesticides affect the longevity and physiology of bees.

Taking the driver's seat during inflammation: manipulating Tnfα and its receptors in zebrafish with CRISPR/Cas9

WIAS Magazine - Summer edition 2022
Research Light

Key words: Inflammation, Tumour necrosis factor-alpha, zebrafish, CRISPR/Cas9, Porsche

The engine is powering up, the heat is increasing, the wheels of inflammation are turning. In other words, the immune system is performing crucial work: I) It is ready to fight off infection and II) start wound healing. That is not all, inflammation can also be expensive as it can cause collateral damage to healthy cells and turn into chronic disease. Therefore, the complex process of inflammation, involving many different immune cells, should be well-organised by signalling molecules. One of the main drivers of inflammation is the signalling molecule Tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNFα).

Things to know when you start your PhD

WIAS Magazine Summer edition 2022
Lifestyle

At the beginning of your PhD a lot of things sound difficult and can make you feel reluctant, probably including reading this article... But please don’t let yourself be held back by these feelings. You will have loads of fun during this journey! In this article, we share some of the things we have learned during our first year as PhD candidates.

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