SalmoSim: Exploring the microbial basis of Atlantic Salmon energetics via a synthetic intestinal system

The expansion of the Salmonid aquaculture industry is unsustainable given the current reliance on over-exploited wild fish stocks as the protein and lipid food source, and poor growth efficiency on alternative plant-based feeds. This situation presents many new challenges to both fish and farmer.

One cause of poor growth efficiency is inefficient digestion, linked to the fish’s metabolic rate. Intestinal microbiota are known to play a central role in nutritional energy harvest, including contributions to host carbohydrate and lipid metabolism in vertebrates. A greater understanding of these processes will reveal routes to improve growth efficiency of fish fed on plant-based diets, but this requires a novel experimental approach. This interdisciplinary PhD project will explore the contribution of the salmon gut microbiome to observed variation in host energetics (absorption, metabolism, growth) in the field and laboratory.

The final objective will be to establish a synthetic, continuous culture salmon gut microbial system to explore the role of different microbial communities in affecting the host fish’s digestive efficiency. Using our environmental microbiology laboratory, School of Engineering, a replicated series of linked bioreactors can be established simulating salmon gut compartments (stomach, pyloric caecum, mid-intestine, posterior intestinal segment) representing generalized marine and freshwater lifecycle stages.

We are looking for an exceptionally motivated and talented student to fill this generously funded position (research costs are included as well as stipend). The student should have a 1st class undergraduate degree (or equivalent) in a biological or engineering field and a demonstrable interest and aptitude in one or more aspects of this project. A master’s degree is preferable but not essential.

For further details of this PhD look at http://www.gla.ac.uk/services/postgraduateresearch/scholarships/kelvinsmith/shortlistedscholarshipprojects/#/ under the Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences heading

Supervisor details:
Dr Martin Llewellyn
Dr Umer Ijaz
Professor Neil Metcalfe
Professor Bill Sloan

Please contact [Email Address Removed] if you would like to apply in the first instance.

Start date: July - September 2016