On November 10th, 2021, Dr Magdalena Lenny Situmorang, team leader of NOVATON’s Bandung team, was recognized for her scientific excellence among the scientific community and received the 2021 L’Oréal – UNESCO For Women in Science National Fellowship during the online Inauguration Award Ceremony.
Her proposed research project titled “Evaluation of defense mechanisms against Vibrio parahaemolyticus infection induced by dietary synbiotic supplementation in Whiteleg shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei from super-intensive culture in closed hybrid Zero Water Discharge–Recirculating Aquaculture System: Integrated metabolome and microbiome approach“. The use of synbiotic may alter the shrimp microbiota that lead to increased metabolic and/or immune response and hence the resistance against the disease. With the advance knowledge gathered from this research, the application of functional synbiotic feed along with the implementation of closed aquaculture system can be an alternative biocontrol strategy against Vibrio infection without the use of antibiotics or other toxic chemicals towards resilient and sustainable shrimp industry that prioritizes not only the animal but also environment and human health, as in the ‘One Health’ notion.
Since 2004, the programme “L’Oréal – UNESCO For Women in Science » has consistently rewarded young female scientists who have contributed to the world of science. This program is a partnership with the Ministry of Education and Culture (Kemdikbud), the Indonesian National Commission for UNESCO (KNIU), the Ministry of Research and Technology (RISTEK-BRIN), and the Indonesian Academy of Young Scientists (ALMI).
For more than 17 years, this program has recognized, encouraged and supported women in science and has provided fellowships to 59 female scientists in Indonesia. More information on the programme here.