We are focused on improving aquaculture production efficiency of cool-water (rainbow trout) and warm-water (channel catfish) fish grown and marketed in West Virginia, using a multi-omics (genomics, transcriptomics, metabolomics etc. )-enabled nutritional approach: a study of the genome-wide influences of nutrition or gut microbiome or dietary formulations/compounds on cells, tissues or organisms at a given time.
We are conducting research on the molecular and genetic/genomic basis of digestive efficiency, nutrient retention efficiency, and nutritional/environmental factors that modulate gut microbial function, mitochondrial function and/or biochemistry to improve quantitative production traits in aquaculture species. The overall goal is to combine classical nutrition with modern molecular techniques (such as transcriptomics and metabolomics) to understand the fundamental role of gut microbiota in essential biological processes such as nutrient utilization, and also to elucidate the molecular mechanisms of oxidative metabolic control of nutrient retention efficiency, growth and development, and their relationships with nutritional and/or physiological demands of aquaculture species grown to market-size within the same or among different stains/families of channel catfish and rainbow trout. In this regard, measuring the magnitude of genetic control on gut microbiota composition/oxidative phosphorylation is fundamental to enlighten its potential use in animal selection programs.
We are working to understand the molecular mechanisms of the interface between dietary manipulations and environmental temperature regimens on gut microbiome functionality, and nuclear- and mitochondrial-encoded genes involved in oxidative metabolism. We are also determining the potential role of nutrients derived from alternative feed ingredient sources and non-dietary factors (temperature) in the molecular modulation of gut microbiome and protein and gene expression levels that influence mitochondrial function, digestive efficiency, nutrient retention efficiency, growth and development in cultured fish at different live history stages.
We are currently using AI to optimize feed formulations and analyze trout growth data.
To learn more, contact Dr. Jonathan Eya at eyajc@wvstateu.edu.