IPB University Student Conducts Initial Research of Nilem Fish Growth

Student of the Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Sciences, IPB University, Dwi Indah Lestari conducted initial research to improve the growth of nilem fish. This research led Dwi to win the best graduate of the Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Sciences at the Graduation Ceremony last October.

Since the beginning of college, Dwi Lestari was interested in the field of genetic science. She is obsessed to make the growth of cultured fish higher than normal fish through genetic manipulation. Dwi researched the nilem fish with the title ‘Analysis of the expression of Nilem Growth Hormone Gene (Osteochilus hasselti)’ under the guidance of Dr. Alimuddin and Dr. Dinar Tri Soelistyowati, DEA.

Dwi's research was carried out for six months in the Laboratory of Reproduction and Genetics of Aquatic Organisms, Department of Aquaculture, Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Sciences, Dramaga Campus of IPB, Bogor.

She said that her research was initial research for the production of Recombinant Growth Hormone (RGH) or to increase fish growth faster than normal fish growth. "Through further research on RGH production of nilem fish will reduce production costs. Because, nilem fish will grow faster than normal fish growth so it can make the cycle/ maintenance time for cultured fish faster, "Dwi said.

The results of her research mentioned the level of expression of growth hormone encoding genes in the small-sized (5-8 cm) nilem fish group is higher than the large-sized nilem-fish group (9-13 cm). "I hope 

the result of this research will lead to further research to verify expression level measurement using the real-time PCR method and further research on RGH production to increase fish growth based on my research data. I hope the result is that RGH production can accelerate the growth of aquaculture, "she said. (IAAS/ANS)