"This work will help transform how we understand salmon biology," said the study's director, Dr Rose Ruiz Daniels.
Photo: Mark Ferguson / University of Stirling.
A major new study aimed ultimately at reducing salmon mortality has received a grant of more than GBP 1.4 million. Led by Dr Rose Ruiz Daniels, a Lecturer in Aquaculture Genomics at the University of Stirling, she believes this research can transform understanding of salmon health and disease resilience.
Dr Ruiz Daniels is also the person who led the research team at the University's Aquaculture Institute that presented its findings last June on stem cells in Atlantic salmon skin, offering new insights into wound healing and tissue regeneration.
The funding now granted to continue research into these salmon health issues comes from the UKRI Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) and will be added to the GBP 120,000 in in-kind support from project partner Benchmark Genetics, already available for the research.
According to the University of Stirling release, the project will explore tissue remodelling processes in salmon, with the aim of reducing mortality related to gill and skin health issues, which, it pointed out, are major ongoing challenges affecting the global aquaculture industry and, therefore, also aquaculture in the UK.
As the release also recalls, Scottish salmon farming generates around GBP 750 million in exports annually—they reached a record high in 2024 and are expected to exceed GBP 1 billion this year—despite smolt mortality rates of 15% to 20%, with gill and skin conditions being major contributors.
Now, thanks to the grant secured by Dr Rose Ruiz Daniels, researchers will be able to study salmon during smoltification, a key stage in which young fish adapt from freshwater to seawater. This critical process involves significant changes in the organism, making it a valuable phase for understanding how fish repair and strengthen their tissues.
"When smoltification fails to proceed normally, the fish become more vulnerable to stress and disease. By examining smoltification as a biological remodelling event, we can identify how salmon repair tissues, resist disease, and adapt to changing environments," Dr Ruiz Daniels explained.
"The findings will help inform improved breeding and health management strategies that enhance resilience across the industry," she added.
The University of Stirling explained that the study has three main objectives:
To develop phenotyping tools, i.e., tools that analyze the visible traits or characteristics of salmon and measure how effectively fish can repair and rebuild their body tissues during smoltification.
To determine whether this healing capacity has a genetic basis and to assess its potential to support better-informed future breeding strategies.
To discover the key biological processes within salmon cells that enable tissue repair and link them to the fish's ability to heal and maintain long-term health.
By identifying key genes and biological processes involved in successful smoltification, the research team aims to provide practical tools that support fish health and productivity, while improving the sustainability of this vital sector in Scotland's economy.
"This work will help transform how we understand salmon biology. Recognising remodelling as a selectable trait will support breeding strategies that enhance survival and welfare across aquaculture," stated Dr Rose Ruiz Daniels.
The University of Stirling explained that the study builds on existing data and continues its long-term collaboration with Benchmark Genetics and other aquaculture partners. Andrew Preston, Lead Trait Development & Land Based at Benchmark Genetics, also commented on what this research could mean for the salmon farming industry.
"Developing new health traits that complement existing gill health traits marks an important step toward improving salmon welfare at critical stages of production, including during smoltification," he said.
"By broadening our understanding of the biological processes behind cell repair, our goal is to harness this knowledge to enhance robustness in salmon farming, supporting healthier fish at all stages during production," Preston concluded.
