Genome Editing Technologies: Improving Aquaculture Through Genetic Research
A special issue of Animals (ISSN 2076-2615). This special issue belongs to the section "Animal Genetics and Genomics".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 July 2026 | Viewed by 21
Special Issue Editor
2. Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research (CIIMAR), University of Porto (UP), Matosinhos, Portugal
Interests: molecular biology; aquaculture; genetic engineering; immunology; omics; microbiology; virology; marine biology
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Aquaculture is a rapidly expanding sector that increasingly relies on advanced biotechnological tools to enhance productivity, resilience, and sustainability. Among these tools, genome editing technologies, particularly CRISPR/Cas and related systems, have emerged as powerful methods to precisely and efficiently modify specific genes in aquaculture species.
This Special Issue aims to highlight recent progress and future directions in the application of genome editing for aquaculture improvement. We welcome original research articles, reviews, and perspectives that focus on the use of genome editing to enhance desirable traits such as growth performance, disease resistance, feed conversion efficiency, stress tolerance, and reproductive control in fish, crustaceans, mollusks, and other aquatic organisms. Studies addressing ethical, regulatory, and ecological implications of genome-edited organisms in aquaculture systems are also encouraged.
Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following:
- Application of CRISPR/Cas and other genome editing tools in aquaculture species
- Functional studies of genes related to growth, immunity, stress response, and reproduction
- Development of disease-resistant and climate-resilient strains
- Genome editing for sterility, sex control, and reproductive management
- Optimization of editing efficiency and delivery methods in aquatic systems
- Bioinformatics tools and genomic databases supporting gene editing
- Risk assessment, regulatory considerations, and ethical perspectives in aquaculture applications
Dr. Carlos Fajardo
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Animals is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- genome editing
- CRISPR/cas
- aquaculture genetics
- functional genomics
- genetic improvement
- disease resistance
- growth enhancement
- reproductive control
- aquatic biotechnology
- regulatory aspects in aquaculture
- intentional genomic alterations
Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue
- Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
- Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
- Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
- External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
- Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.
Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.
