Programme

Day 0 - Monday 6th July

pm

Arrival & registration

19:00

Welcome get-together

Day 1 - Tuesday 7th July 2026

8:15-8:45

Registration-welcome

8:45-9:00

Welcome address by Sabine Henry, Dean of the Science Faculty

9:00-9:30

Introductory lecture by P. Kestemont

Session 1 - Physiology of reproduction

9:30-10:00

Keynote 1 by C. Mylonas: Fish reproduction control in Mediterranean aquaculture

10:00-10:15

O. Baric: Transcriptomic Insights into the Onset and Maturation of the Circadian Clock in Eurasian Perch

10:15-10:30

J. Nynca: Integrated proteomic and transcriptomic analysis reveals mechanism of in vivo post-ovulatory egg ageing in pikeperch

10:30-11:00

Coffee break-poster viewing

11:00-11:30

Keynote 2 by D. Zarski: Non-genetic inheritance factors as key drivers shaping progeny phenotype and intergenerational adaptability to aquaculture conditions

11:30-11:45

O. Linhart: Optimizing short-term storage of common carp sperm: impacts on motility, hatchability, and offspring epigenetics

11:45-12:00

S. Wałdowska: Post-thaw storage of sperm as a tool towards revealing paternal-effect genes in Eurasian perch, Perca fluviatilis

12:00-12:20

Poster teasers

12:20-13:20

Walking lunch on site

13:20-13:35

P. Parente: The pikeperch (Sander lucioperca) mRNAome: from multi-tissue atlas to reproductive axis specificity

13:35-13:50

M.Z. Iqbal: Integrative egg quality assessment in European plaice (Pleuronectes platessa): linking morphological and molecular markers

13:50-14:05

F. Teletchea: Why do larvae hatch when they do? An extended analysis and first physical modelling approaches.

Session 2 - Physiology of Feeding and Nutrition

14:05-14:35

Keynote 3 by M. Izquierdo: Essential fatty acids in hatchery diets: functions, levels and interactions

14:35-14:50

G. Marisami: Growth and Physiological Responses of Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) to Dietary Replacement of Soy Protein Concentrate with Brewer’s Spent Grain Protein Isolate

14:50-15:05

N.T. Tran: Effects of Feeding Regime on Growth Performance and Feed Utilization of Pangasius (Pangasianodon hypophthalmus)

15:05-15:20

C.J. Saromines: Growth and Physiological Responses of Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) to Alternative Feed Ingredients Derived from Agaricus bisporus and Pleurotus ostreatus Stem By-Products

15:20-16:00

Coffee break-poster viewing

Session 2 - Physiology of Feeding and Nutrition (larval stage)

16:00-16:30

Keynote 4 by I. Lund: Prospects of using live feed substitutes in early larval fish nutrition: Current status and remaining challenges

16:30-16:45

O. Malvezin: Impact of growth rhythms on muscle characteristics in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

16:45-17:15

Keynote 5 by E. Gisbert: Skeletal Deformities in Fish: The Holy Grail of the Aquaculture Industry

17:15-17:30

C. Philippe: Effects of dietary protein sources and pigment supplementation on growth performance and fillet quality in Rainbow Trout

17:30-17:45

C. Le Xuan: Plant-based additives in Tilapia aquaculture: applications, challenges and emerging opportunities

17:45-18:00

Poster teasers

18:00

Beer/wine and cheese party

19:00

Dinner (free)

Day 2-Wednesday 8th July 2026

Session 2 - Physiology of Feeding and Nutrition (larval stage)

9:00-9:30

Keynote 6 by M. Saroglia: How Diet, Genotype, and Environment Shape Fish Microbiota for a Sustainable Aquaculture

9:30-9:45

V. Kalemi: Diet, Genotype, and Environment as Drivers of Fish Microbiota: Implications for Sustainable Aquaculture

9:45-10:00

K. Ricaud: Characterization of novel histone post-translational modifications linking, via the microbiota, the impact of the nutritional environment to phenotypes expressed in trout: towards an open door to new biomarkers of metabolic diseases?

Session 3 - Fish immunology and health

10:00-10:30

Keynote 7 by L. Tort: Interactive immuno-neuroendocrine response to stress

10:30-11:00

Coffee break-poster viewing

11:00-11:15

H. Segner: Trade-offs between reproduction and immune system in female rainbow trout

11:15-11:45

Keynote 8 by D. Montero: Nutritional strategies to enhance fish health and welfare

11:45-12:00

L. Burratin: Comparative assessment of the potential effects of EE2 and E4 on immune development and functions in zebrafish (Danio rerio) under Aeromonas hydrophila challenge

12:00-12:15

Poster teasers

12:15-13:15

Walking lunch on site

13:15-13:30

N.T. Mai: Replacing Fish Oil with Plant Oils: Lessons from Growth, Immunity and Inflammatory Balance in Fish

13:30-13:45

S. Torrecillas: Use of dietary phytogenic feed additives as an effective approach to reduce Vibrio anguillarum infection incidence in European seabass Dicentrarchus labrax juveniles

13:45-14:00

L. Molina Roque: Antioxidant, antibacterial, and immunostimulatory potentials of terrestrial and marine extracts from by-products and low-value biomass: An ex vivo study in gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata) head kidney leukocytes

14:00-14:15

I.T. Chen: Using small fish models to assess phytobiotic-based feed additive for skin health

14:15-14:45

Keynote 9 by A. Vanderplasschen: The Carp and Its Herpesvirus: A Fascinating Journey into Immune System Discoveries

14:45-15:15

Coffee break-poster viewing

Session 4 -Physiology of stress and welfare - keynote lecture 9

15:15-15:45

Keynote 10 by M. Gesto: Physiology of stress and its connections to Operational Welfare Indicators (OWIs) in aquaculture

15:45-16:00

A. Palstra: Heart rate and acceleration biologging of yellowtail kingfish Seriola lalandi in a commercial marine RAS environment

16:00-16:15

J. Arboleda: The stress response of European seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax) at harvest

16:15-16:45

Keynote 11 by S. Milla: New strategies to evaluate and encourage fish welfare in aquaculture

16:45-17:15

Keynote 12 by E. Thoré: Reading stress through animal behaviour

17:15-17:30

Poster teasers

17:30-20:00

Visit Citadel of Namur or Grafe Lecoq Wine Caves

20:00

Gala dinner

Day 3-Thurdsay 9th July 2026

Session 5 - Fish genetics and epigenetics

9:00-9:30

Keynote 13 by M. Vandeputte: Which phenotypes for selective breeding in aquaculture?

9:30-10:00

Keynote 14 by F. Farnir: Genomic selection in aquaculture: current status, challenges and prospects

10:00-10:15

R. Debernardis: Zootechnical and transcriptomic profile of non-eating Eurasian perch larvae

10:15-10:30

Y. Duong: Gene expression and growth in bighead catfish (Clarias macrocephalus) exposed to varying salinity levels

10:30-11:00

Coffee break-poster viewing

11:00-11:15

L. Gazo: Sturgeon embryos as a model for genotoxicity screening

11:15-12:00

Keynote 15 by F. Piferrer: Epigenetics in Aquaculture: recent developments and prospects

12:00-13:00

Walking lunch on site

Session 6 - Fish diversification/domestication

13:00-13:30

Keynote 16 by P. Fontaine: The domestication of new species in fish farming: assessment, challenges and prospects

13:30-14:00

Keynote 17 by N.T.Phuong: Domestication of indigenous fishes: A significant contribution to the unprecedented development of Aquaculture in the Mekong River Delta, Vietnam

14:00-14:15

K. Palińska-Żarska: Domestication starts early: physiological and molecular drivers of early-life adaptation in Eurasian perch (Perca fluviatilis)

14:15-14:30

E. Diakos: Sex-specific domestication effects on aquaculture potential during early generations in a model fish species

Session 7 - Fish physiology and sustainable aquaculture system - keynote lecture 17

14:30-15:00

Keynote 18 by C. Rougeot: Sustainable aquaculture system: a new way for fish welfare improvement and environment preservation

15:00-15:30

Coffee break-poster viewing

15:30-15:45

M.D. Tchiedjo: Effects of stocking ratios on the growth and welfare of pikeperch (Sander lucioperca) and sterlet (Acipenser ruthenus) reared in polyculture in recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS)

Session 8 - Fish Physiology and conservation - keynote lecture 18

15:45-16:15

Keynote 19 by V. Cornet: Integrative Research to Improve Atlantic Salmon Health and Fitness Supporting Restocking Program in the Meuse Basin

16:15-16:30

M. Poignet: Effects of Sperm Cryopreservation on Offspring Fitness and Environmental Stress Tolerance in Atlantic Salmon (Salmo salar)

16:30-17:00

Poster teasers

17:00-18:00

Awards and closure ceremony