About the Project
This project aims to develop clinical diets for use in aquaculture, with a specific focus on alleviating the symptoms of gill diseases, such as amoebic gill disease (AGD). Specifically, it aims to optimise an intervention strategy to combat endemic infectious diseases that currently reduce the health and welfare of farmed Atlantic salmon. Whilst nutritional management of chronic fish diseases such as gill diseases is in its infancy it has great potential. Thus the outcome of this research will contribute to our understanding of this approach to disease control of gill diseases, and increase knowledge of host defences in the gill tissue. The proposed research builds upon previous collaborations on fish nutrition and immunity between the Scottish Fish Immunology Research Centre (SFIRC) and EWOS Innovation, including previous joint PhD students. SFIRC is a world renowned centre for studies into fish immunology and EWOS a leader in the fish feed industry. Ewos will provide access to novel diet formulations and experimental facilities/ field trials, and will enhance the student stipend.
Funding Notes
This studentship is funded by BBSRC and is available to UK and other EU nationals (due to funding criteria, EU nationals MUST have resided in the UK for three years prior to commencing the studentship). The Studentship provides funding for tuition fees and stipend, subject to eligibility.
Candidates should have (or expect to achieve) a minimum of a 2.1 Honours degree in a relevant subject. Applicants with a minimum of a 2.2 Honours degree may be considered provided they have a Distinction at Masters level.
References
"Chang M.-X., Zou, J., Nie, P., Huang, B., Yu, Z., Collet, B. & Secombes, C.J. (2013). Intracellular interferons in fish: A unique means to combat viral infection. PLOS Pathogens 9 (11): e1003736.
Harun, N.O., Wang, T. & Secombes, C.J. (2011). Gene expression profiling in naïve and vaccinated rainbow trout after Yersinia ruckeri infection: Insights into the mechanisms of protection seen in vaccinated fish. Vaccine 29: 4388-4399.
Wang, T., Bird, S., Koussounadis, A., Holland, J.W., Carrington, A., Zou, J. & Secombes, C.J. (2009). Identification of a novel IL-1 cytokine family member in teleost fish. J. Immunol. 183: 962-974. Martinez-Rubio L., Wadsworth S., Vecino J. G., Bell G., Tocher T. (2014). Functional feeds affect lipid composition, transcriptomic responses and pathology in heart of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) challenged with cardiac myopathy syndrome (CMS). BMC Genomics. 15. 462.
Casadei, E., Bird, S., González Vecino, J.L., Wadsworth, S. & Secombes C.J. (2013). The effect of peptidoglycan enriched diets on antimicrobial peptide gene expression in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). Fish & Shellfish Immunol. 34: 529-537.
Casadei, E., Wang, T., Zou, J., González Vecino, J.L., Wadsworth, S. & Secombes, C.J. (2009). Characterization of three novel beta-defensin antimicrobial peptides in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). Molecular Immunology 46: 3358-3366."