Genetics experts gather for aquaculture symposium
Experts from New Zealand, Norway, Spain and UK will give talks at a one-day symposium on aquaculture genetics at Edinburgh University’s Roslin Institute on Monday.
The symposium, entitled “Future outlook for genetic improvement in aquaculture”, will be focused on the application of genetic technologies to enhance finfish and shellfish aquaculture, and talks will cover different topics ranging from selective breeding to epigenetics to genome editing.
Selective breeding is a field of rapidly increasing importance to many aquaculture sectors, and as such is the focus of significant research efforts such as the BBSRC-NERC funded AquaLeap project.
Leading researchers
Monday’s event will consist of invited talks from leading researchers in genetics and genomics applied to aquaculture, and flash presentations from early career researchers.
The symposium will bring together approximately 65 academics, industry and funder representatives.
Following a welcome by Roslin’s Professor Ross Houston, the day will begin with talks on bivalve genetics by Tim Bean (Roslin), Joanne Preston (Portsmouth University), Julien Vignier (Cawthron Institute, New Zealand) Nick King (Cawthron).
Industry-led discussion
The second of the morning sessions, on functional genomics and ECRs, comprises presentations by Eduarda Santos (Exeter University), Katherine Adams (Edinburgh University), Simao Zacarias (Stirling University), Sarah-Louise Selly (Stirling), Carola Dehler (Aberdeen University) and Remi Gratacap (Roslin).
An afternoon session on applied genetic technologies consists of talks by Maria Saura (Spanish National Institute for Agricultural and Food Research and Technology (INIA)), Rolf Edvardsen (Institute of Marine Research, Norway) and Ashie Norris (Mowi, Norway).
The day will finish with an industry-led panel discussion about future challenges and opportunities to advance the application of breeding and genetic technologies in aquaculture.
