Applying a Test Developed to Combat Obesity and Diabetes to Improve Growth in Fish, Mollusks, and Crustaceans.

Zebrafish have become an increasingly common model organism used in biomedical research to address human health issues.  Research performed in zebrafish may advance methods that can be applied to improve aquaculture.  In fact, a string of recent research aimed at better understanding obesity and diabetes is now being applied to improve selection for growth and feed conversion in commercial aquaculture species, including tilapia, oysters, and shrimp.   

While working at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Dr. Benjamin Renquist was focused on identifying …

Tilapia

Tilapia (photo courtesy of Greg Lutz, Louisiana State University AgCenter).

Greg Lutz, Extension Professor, Louisiana State University AgCenter

Tilapia Production

Tilapia, the common name for a group of several cichlid species native to Africa and the Middle East, are grown in many parts of the world and in a variety of production systems ranging from small, fertilized ponds to industrial-scale, export-driven farm operations. During the past decade, tilapia became the second-most commonly consumed farmed fish on the planet, surpassed only …