Congratulations are due to Eakapol Wangkahart who has passed his viva with minor corrections. The title of the thesis was “Immune responses of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) to vaccination and immune stimulation”.
His PhD study has shed light on the protective mechanisms induced following vaccination of rainbow trout, and Eakapol has undertaken an in-depth analysis of the properties of flagellin as an immunostimulant. In relation to the flagellin work, it has shown the potential of flagellin to be used in vivo as an immunostimulant and vaccine adjuvant, and has identified the functional domains important for this activity. Therefore, it is likely these findings will stimulate a lot of interest in the use of flagellin for improving fish health going forwards.
Thank you to Eakapol’s supervisors, Professor Chris Secombes and Dr Tiehui Wang, his internal examiner, Dr Jun Zou, and his external examiner, Dr Tharangani Herath (Harper Adams University, Newport).