To cater to the livestock requirements of the region, scientists from the Department of Animal Biotechnology at SKUAST-K are actively developing vaccines and treatment interventions that will soon be a reality at the university.
SKUAST-K efforts signify a commitment to enhancing animal health and production, showcasing the crucial role of scientific research in bolstering agricultural practices.
Once realized, these vaccines are anticipated to contribute significantly to the livestock sector, promoting better animal welfare and sustainable agricultural practices in the region served by SKUAST-K.
Professor and Head of Department of Animal Biotechnology at SKUAST-K, Dr Mudasir Andrabi said a new development of salmonella vaccine will soon become a reality at SKUAST-K as its trials have been completed.
“We have created a genetically engineered salmonella vaccine for poultry salmonellosis. We have completed the experimental trials as well as the large-scale field trial,” he said.
He said that the vaccine is currently under third-party validation with the two premier national veterinary institutes for the validation.
Dr Mudasir Andrabi said that before going for the commercialization third-party validation is very important before going it to the market. The division of Animal Biotechnology is also working on other vaccines like the IBD (Infectious Bursal Disease) vaccine in poultry.
The Division of Animal Biotechnology has national recognition for reproductive biotechnology using high-end technology genome editing for double muscling mass of animals.
Further scientists at this division are also working on the development of real-time PCR-based kits for zoonotically important infections in humans.
SKUAST-K has pioneered a treatment utilizing stem cell exosome-based therapy, which is currently undergoing animal trials.
“The SKUAST-K is also working on infectious load on animals especially those raised in unhygienic conditions. They often suffer from wounds. There is always infection among them and there are also severe cases. It can cause problems,” he said.
