Pathogens & Diseases
The presence of disease in wild fish populations is a significant health indicator because it represents the cumulative effects of multiple stressors and variables in the aquatic environment that are mostly unknown or poorly defined. We employ a comprehensive approach of measuringand linking the effects of multiple stressors (disease, nutrition, and exposure to contaminants - biomarkers) that could profoundly impact fundamental fish functions such as growth, reproduction, and recruitment. Molecular methods such as gene sequencing (DNA barcoding), PCR, qPCR, immunohistochemistry, in situ hybridization, and conventional microbiological techniques are some of the tools that we employ to determine the identity, presence, abundance, and anatomic localization of pathogens.