Atlantic Cod Genomics and Broodstock Development (CGP)

Dr. Sharen Bowman (Co-Lead Investigator): Dr Sharen Bowman is Chief Technology Officer for Genome Atlantic. She is a genomics expert with more than 12 years of experience in genome analysis and comparative genomics, who provides scientific direction for the Atlantic Genome Centre (TAGC). TAGC is currently involved in many sequencing projects for diverse organisms ranging from microbes through to potato and halibut. Before joining Genome Atlantic, Sharen worked in the UK for Syngenta, an agrochemicals company which had sequenced the genome of rice. Her work involved comparing the rice genome sequence with information from other crop cereals and developing genetic markers for mapping and analysis of commercially important traits. Sharen has also worked at the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, directing projects sequencing the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum, and has been involved in the early stages of many other projects including Trypanosoma brucei, the parasite causing sleeping sickness, Plasmodium vivax, a second parasite causing malaria, and the yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe. She has also worked on functional genomics in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.; Genome Atlantic
Dr. Edward Trippel (Co-Lead Investigator): Dr. Trippel is the Aquaculture Biotechnology Research Scientist with DFO at the St. Andrews Biological Station. His research interests include Atlantic cod and haddock physiology in support of reproductive biology, selective breeding, gamete cryopreservation, genetic improvement programs, marker assisted selection, triploidy, and photoperiod manipulation to enhance growth and suppress sexual maturation for aquaculture. He collaborates extensively with the aquaculture industry, universities and other government institutions in support of sustainable coldwater mariculture of marine finfish species.; St. Andrews Biological Station
Dr. Stewart Johnson (Co-Investigator): Dr. Stewart Johnson is a Senior Research Officer at the National Research Council’s Institute for Marine Biosciences (IMB). Dr. Johnson also holds adjunct professorships at Dalhousie University and at the Ocean Sciences Centre, Memorial University. His research interests are in the areas of health, stress physiology and development of salmonid and non-salmonid finfish. Present research activities include an examination of 1) the effects of acute and chronic stress on fish immune responses; 2) host pathogen interactions between between 1 viral (Nodavirus), 1 bacterial (Aeromonas salmonicida) and 1 parasite (Lepeophtheirus salmonis) and their respective hosts; and 3) the development of new vaccines for aquaculture. For many years Dr. Johnson has also worked closely with academic, government and industry partners to develop new husbandry practices and fish health management strategies for Atlantic cod and haddock. He has published extensively and has served on regional, national and international scientific committees.; Institute for Marine Biosciences
Dr. Kurt Gamperl (Co-Investigator): Dr. Gamperl is a comparative physiologist whose main research interest is to understand how environmental and physiological variables interact to affect fish biology. This research uses a multi-level (whole animal, organ/tissue, cellular) approach to test hypotheses about how environmental conditions (temperature, oxygen levels, domestication, diet etc.) affect growth, metabolism, swimming performance and stress physiology, or how life/rearing history influence the design of physiological systems. Techniques utilized in this research include respirometry for the measurement of fish metabolism/swimming performance, in vivo and in situ assessments of cardiovascular function, the measurement of various blood parameters and circulating hormones, and in vitro measurements of hormone receptors and vascular function. Since arriving at the OSC 4 years ago his research program has focused on the following themes: 1) What are the physiological limits of coastal marine species?; 2) How does the physiology of cultured species differ from that of their wild counterparts; and 3) Improving culture techniques for the commercial production of alternative (“non-traditional”) finfish species such as cod and haddock.; Gamperl Laboratory
Dr. Matt Rise (Co-Investigator): Dr. Rise is an Assistant Professor and Tier II Canada Research Chair in Marine Biotechnology at the Ocean Sciences Centre, Memorial University of Newfoundland. His research focuses on the development and use of genomics tools, including microarrays, for studies related to fish diseases, environmental toxicology and aquaculture. DNA microarrays allow a researcher to analyze relative expression levels of thousands of genes simultaneously. In his laboratory, experiments involving genomic tools and techniques are used to identify the key genes involved in biological processes such as reproduction, development, growth, and immune responses to pathogens. He also studies the transcriptomic and behavioural responses of fish exposed to environmental stressors including toxicants (e.g. pesticides, heavy metals). Some of the genomic techniques that he utilizes include DNA microarray hybridizations, quantitative reverse transcription - polymerase chain reaction (QPCR), and high-complexity cDNA library construction and characterization.; Rise Laboratory
Dr. Andy Robinson (Co-Investigator): Dr. Robinson is an Associate Professor specializing in quantitative genetics with an interest in combining molecular and statistical genetic information for selection and improvement of livestock including aquaculture species. Traditional animal breeding methods use phenotype and pedigree information to statistically evaluate the genetic superiority of potential parents to produce the next generation. By incorporating molecular genetic information, additional details about an individual's genome can be included in the selection decisions for more accurate evaluation and greater potential improvement. Weighting all of this information appropriately for the production and market circumstances can provide an overall means to select superior individuals and develop superior lines of broodstock. In addition to his involvement on this project, Dr. Robinson's current research projects and activities also include 1) detection of quantitative trait loci (QTL) for meat quality and reproductive traits in swine, 2) detection of QTL for production, conformation and health traits in dairy cattle and 3) genetic evaluation and improvement of sow productivity traits in swine. He has been on the faculty of the Department of Animal and Poultry Science at the University of Guelph since 2000 and before that was involved in developing and implementing genetic evaluation and improvement programs nationally and regionally for swine, beef and dairy. Although much of his research funding and focus has been livestock improvement oriented, he has had more than a passing interest in aquaculture and maintained a long-standing involvement through the research program committees of several graduate students studying Rainbow Trout, Atlantic Salmon and Arctic Char genetic evaluation and QTL detection.; Centre for Genetic Improvement of Livestock
Dr. Keith Culver (Co-Investigator): Keith Culver is Associate Professor and Director of the Centre for Social Innovation Research at the University of New Brunswick, Fredericton. He is a member of the McGill University Intellectual Property Policy Centre, an investigator in the Transgenic Salmon Project of the Genome Canada-funded Canadian Program in Genomics and Global Health, and principal investigator of the social and legal issues component of the Genome Canada-funded Canadian Potato Genome Project. He also serves as Chair of the Research Management Committee of AquaNet, Canada’s Network of Centres of Excellence in Aquaculture. He has recently been seconded to the National Research Council of Canada, Institute for Information Technology, as founding Team Leader of its e-Government Group, 2002-2003, and in 2003-2004 was a Visiting Scholar in the Centre for Law and Society, University of Edinburgh, and Honourary Research Fellow in the Department of Philosophy, University of Stirling. His publications include Readings in the Philosophy of Law (Broadview, 1999), Genomics and Public Policy, forthcoming, co-authored and co-edited with David Castle, and articles in journals including Ratio Juris, Canadian Journal of Law and Jurisprudence, University of Toronto Law Journal, Canadian Public Administration, Health Law in Canada, and others.; GE³LS
Dr. Laura Brown (Co-Investigator): Dr. Laura L. Brown is a Senior Research Scientist and Group Leader at the National Research Council’s Institute for Marine Biosciences (IMB). Dr. Brown is also an adjunct professor in the Biology Department of Dalhousie University. Her research interest is in genomics and molecular mechanisms of host-pathogen interactions in aquatic animals. Dr. Brown leads the NRC’s IMB’s research program on Genomics Approaches to Aquatic Animal Diseases, a multi-disciplinary research project in the areas of biotechnology and aquaculture, and she is leading the International Cod Genomics Consortium, an international effort to share data and materials in cod genomics research and to sequence the entire genome of the Atlantic cod. Dr. Brown has published extensively in and is on the editorial board of several international journals. She is on regional, national and international scientific and scientific management committees.; Institute for Marine Biosciences
Dr. Jake Elliot (Co-Investigator): Cooke Aqua
George Nardi (Co-Investigator): George Nardi is a co-founder of GreatBay Aquaculture, the first commercial marine fish hatchery for summer flounder. George has served as Chief Production Biologist, President and Chief of Technology for GreatBay Aquaculture, which has been in operation for 10 years and currently produces Atlantic cod in addition to summer flounder. Prior to this, George was the Program Director for the New England Fisheries Development Association for 7 years where he directed and managed federally funded fisheries & aquaculture research and development projects in conjunction with industry. In addition, he has worked as quality assurance manager for a large seafood distributor and has managed a fleet of shrimp trawlers in South America. George is a graduate of the University of New Hampshire and received his master’s degree from SUNY at Stony Brook.; Great Bay Aquaculture
Jonathan Moir (Co-Investigator): Mr. Moir has been involved with aquaculture since 1986. He has held academic and industry posts since completing his MSc in Aquaculture at Stirling University, Scotland in 1987. Mr. Moir has led development of cod aquaculture in Newfoundland since 1987 including construction of the first cod hatchery in Canada in 1996 and successful rearing of cod juveniles since then. He represents the industry on the management board of the Atlantic Innovation Fund Cod Aquaculture Project, a successful collaboration of Memorial University and Northern Cod Ventures instrumental in creating routine production and high survival. Mr. Moir currently provides consulting services to the aquaculture sector.; Northern Aquaculture

CGP- Team