Canada: Functional annotation of the Atlantic salmon genome, translation to improved health and performance for Aquaculture

Lead Research Organisation: University of Aberdeen
Department Name: Inst of Biological and Environmental Sci

Abstract

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Description Several workshops have been held, during November 2018 the second workshop was held in Aberdeen, 16 experts from UK and Canada were joined by two further researchers from INRA, France.
The outcomes of the workshop included applying for the next international conference on salmonid biology to be held in Scotland.
Also an application being generated for Horizon 2020 was further discussed prior to submission of an application.

During 2019 an international conference was held in Scotland. The 4th International Conference on Integrative Salmonid Biology 17- 20th November 2019. This conference was organised by the partners on this BBSRC partnering award and many of the Canadian partners also came and contributed to the meeting. >200 international scientists attended the meeting.
A final meeting was to be held for the partnering team during autumn 2020, but due to COVID this final meeting was cancelled. On going interactions have continued with much closer communication between the research groups involved.
Exploitation Route The outputs from the Canada / UK workshops under the partnering award have meant the next international meeting for salmonid genomics will be held in the UK.
This is being coordinated by Dr MacQueen, Prof Houston and Prof Martin, all partners on the award.
The conference is the 4th International Conference on Integrative Salmonid Biology (ICISB), 17-20th November 2019.

The knowledge gained form this partnership and scientists meeting at the ICISB conference have feed into new grant proposals. Successful grant have been awarded to the partners from both BBSRC and EU 2020
Sectors Agriculture

Food and Drink

Environment

Manufacturing

including Industrial Biotechology

 
Description The international partnering award between Canada and UK salmonid genomics researchers has led to new interactions with indutrial sector. A main offshoot from the project has been the next international conference on salmonid biology "International conference on integrative salmonid biology" was organised by the UK grant holders Martin, Macqueen and Houston in Edinburgh 17-20 November 2019. Thiis was a highly successful meeting with global attanedance for those working on wild and farmed salmonids with interests in genomics. This conference will be an opportunity to highlight the UK research in salmon genomics. There was also good attendance from the salmonid aquaculture industry and wild fish interests. A final workshop was planned for autumn 2020, but it was not possible to have this in UK due to COVID travel restrictions. The groiups howevere are still in active contact. The outputs from the partnering award will be followed up by a further "International conference on integrative salmonid biology" during Spring 2024 most likly in USA. Other outcome were the Co Editing of a special isue in "Frontiers of Immunology" of transcriptomics and mucosal health in fish.
Sector Agriculture, Food and Drink,Environment
Impact Types Societal

 
Description AQUA-FAANG Horizon 2020 Framework Programme
Amount € 6,000,000 (EUR)
Funding ID 817923 
Organisation European Commission 
Sector Public
Country European Union (EU)
Start 04/2019 
End 04/2023
 
Description Improving resistance to infectious salmon anaemia using genome editing: Novel approaches to tackling viral disease in aquaculture
Amount £205,540 (GBP)
Funding ID BB/R008973/1 
Organisation Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) 
Sector Public
Country United Kingdom
Start 03/2018 
End 03/2022
 
Description Investigating the potential of nutritional programming to improve the utilisation of sustainable feeds in aquaculture
Amount £673,766 (GBP)
Funding ID BB/R018812/1 
Organisation Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) 
Sector Public
Country United Kingdom
Start 01/2019 
End 12/2022
 
Description Novel Omega-3 Sources in Feeds and Impacts on Salmon Health
Amount £726,052 (GBP)
Funding ID BB/S005919/1 
Organisation Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) 
Sector Public
Country United Kingdom
Start 06/2019 
End 12/2024
 
Description ROBUST-SMOLT Impact of early life history in freshwater Recirculation Aquaculture Systems on A. salmon robustness and susceptibility to disease at sea
Amount £195,126 (GBP)
Funding ID BB/S004270/1 
Organisation Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) 
Sector Public
Country United Kingdom
Start 01/2019 
End 12/2022
 
Description INRA, Fish Virology and Immunology. Dr Collet and Dr Boudinot 
Organisation French National Institute of Agricultural Research
Department INRA Versailles
Country France 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution The Lab in INRA is also working on Gene editing in fish cell lines.
Collaborator Contribution Exchange of knowledge and approaches for gene editing
Impact None as yet
Start Year 2017
 
Description Prof Dan Macqueen 
Organisation University of Edinburgh
Department The Roslin Institute
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution Collaborate on a number of EU and UK funded projects
Collaborator Contribution Collaborate on a number of EU and UK funded projects
Impact Partners on BBSRC and EU H2020 projects.
Start Year 2018
 
Description Prof Matt Rise 
Organisation Memorial University of Newfoundland
Country Canada 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution International partner on Salmonid Genomics. Hosted event for the UK Canada partnering grant.
Collaborator Contribution International partner on Salmonid Genomics. Hosted event for the UK Canada partnering grant.
Impact A Special issue in Fronters in Immunology: "New Insights into Mucosal-Associated Lymphoid Tissues in Fish". has been initiated between with Memebrs of dr Rise's team and Aberdeen as Guest editors.
Start Year 2018
 
Description Salmon genomics 
Organisation University of Victoria
Department Department of Biology
Country Canada 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution Prof Ben Koop is a leading fish genomics expert and is a partner on the BBSRC / Canada partnering award.
Collaborator Contribution Significant interactions in relation to transcriptomics and genomics in salmon
Impact The outputs have been a working white paper in BMC Genomics highlighting the next stages of functional annotation of the salmonid genomes.
Start Year 2017
 
Description Dan Macqueen, BBSRC UK,Canada partnering award workshop 1: research relevant to FAASG, live projects an future plans. Victoria, Canada 16&17 November 2017 
Form Of Engagement Activity A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Industry/Business
Results and Impact Presentation to fish Genomics workshop relating to functional annotation of salmonid genomes
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2017
 
Description Macqueen DJ. 'Linking evolution and function through genomes - Fishing for insights'. Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh. Hosted by Prof. Ross Houston Aug 2017. 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Invited seminar to University of Edinburgh, Roslin Institute
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2017
 
Description Sam Martin, BBSRC UK,Canada partnering award workshop 1: Genome annotation and immune function. Victoria, Canada 16&17 November 2017 
Form Of Engagement Activity A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Presentation to BBSRC_Canada partnering award workshop
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2017
 
Description Workshop for UK and Canada salmon genome researchers, StJohn's Newfoundland, Canada 26 and 27th August 2019 
Form Of Engagement Activity A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Study participants or study members
Results and Impact This workshop was the 3rd in a series of Bilateral meetings between UK researchers and Canadian researchers examining the use of genomics for aquaculture of Atlantic salmon. The meeting was hosted by Memorial university, Canada, with a special emphasis on "core assays being developed through FAASG "Robust fish, epigenomics and the effects of early life experience on later outcomes for salmonid health". The meeting was attended by 20 active researchers including postgraduate, postdoctoral and senior academics. Representatives from Canadian funding agencies, Genome Atlantic were present for part of the meeting.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2019