Project
Herbivorous fish host in their hindgut a refined microbial system capable of converting seaweed compounds into nutrients for its growth and maintenance. This microbial system can be an innovative and sustainable alternative to provide new seaweed-derived products for the global food supply chain. In order to do so, our goal in this project is to investigate community composition and function of the naturally evolved symbiotic interactions between herbivorous fish and hindgut microbes.
Team
Microbiology
- Alessandro Pisaniello – PhD student, School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland
- Cesar Facimoto – PhD student, School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland
- Dr. Stephen Archer – Auckland University of Technology
- Dr. Rebecca Edgar – Callaghan Innovation
- Dr. Bikiran Pardesi – University of Auckland
- Dr. Kevin Lee – Auckland University of Technology
- Kristina Wornell – PhD candidate, Auckland University of Technology
- Emily Wollmuth – Cornell University
- Samantha Stevenson – University of Auckland
Microbiology and nutritional ecology of seaweed-eating fishes
- Pr. Kendall Clements – University of Auckland
- Pr. Lindsey White – Auckland University of Technology
- Pr. Esther Angert – Cornell University
Chemical speciation in marine ecosystems: Dr. Tona Sanchez-Palacios – University of Canberra, Tuti Siregar – University of Canberra
Applied comparative animal nutrition: Dr. Liz Koutsos (EnviroFlight LLC)
Downstream process development: Dr. Jagan Billakanti (Callaghan Innovation)
Fermentation process development: Dr. Rashad Syed (Callaghan Innovation)
Funding source
Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) Endeavour Grant