The Institute of Hydrobiology (IHB) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences hosted the 26th and 27th sessions of its National Zebrafish Technology Training Program from May 18 to 29, 2026, organized by the China Zebrafish Resource Center (CZRC). (Credit: IHB)

The Institute of Hydrobiology (IHB) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences hosted the 26th and 27th sessions of its National Zebrafish Technology Training Program from May 18 to 29, 2026, organized by the China Zebrafish Resource Center (CZRC). The annual program, which has been running since 2014, drew 56 participants from 45 universities, research institutes, and high-tech companies across the country.

This year's training featured an updated curriculum with newly revised manuals, expanded course materials, and several new hands-on modules. To accommodate participants with different backgrounds, the program maintained its tiered structure, offering two specialized tracks: a foundational course in basic zebrafish techniques and an advanced course covering cutting-edge methodologies.

The advanced session introduced a one-on-one gene editing practicum. Participants submitted target genes of interest and received on-site guidance in guide RNA design and knockout construction, with each trainee completing F0 generation constructs independently. The resulting embryos were taken back to their home laboratories for further observation, propagation, and screening.

In addition to technical instruction, both sessions featured invited lectures from leading scientists, this year focusing on two emerging areas: zebrafish applications in environmental toxicology and the use of AI technologies in life science research.

During the program, participants toured the Museum of Hydrobiological Sciences and the CZRC facilities, where center staff answered questions on aquarium construction and maintenance, biological resources, and technical service support, offering a behind-the-scenes look at the infrastructure underpinning China's zebrafish research community.

All course materials have been made freely available for download on the CZRC's official website. According to post-training surveys, participant satisfaction averaged 96.7 out of 100. The center plans to incorporate attendee feedback into future iterations of the program, continuing to refine both content and delivery.

The training series was launched in 2014 to support China's growing zebrafish research community. Recent data shows that China's zebrafish research output has ranked first globally for six consecutive years. The curriculum covers a comprehensive range of experimental techniques, including facility management, fish husbandry and breeding, fish health and disease control, strain preservation, microinjection, gene knockout and knock-in construction, transgenic line generation, single molecular in situ hybridization, PGC transplantation, behavioral assays, ECG recording, and light-sheet microscopy.