Athina Papadopoulou [Alumni]

Houston Group, Lab Manager & Postdoctoral Research Fellow

Research

I am the lab manager in Professor Ross Houston’s laboratory working on various projects related to genetic resistance of infectious disease in aquaculture species that will contribute to selective breeding and subsequently benefit production in aquaculture.

Favourite aquaculture species

Ballan wrasse, Atlantic salmon, Rainbow trout, Sea bass and bream, Octopus

Background

I worked as an ichthyopathologist in a hatchery for sea bass and bream at Nireus SA (2014-2015) after completion of my MSc in Aquatic Pathobiology from the Institute of Aquaculture (University of Stirling). Following that I pursued my PhD which was part of a large scale project for ballan wrasse - a cleaner fish species that is being used in Atlantic salmon pens in Northern hemisphere to control sea lice – ‘Scaling up the production of farmed ballan wrasse’ in collaboration with Mowi, Scottish Sea Farms and Biomar sponsored by Scottish Aquaculture Innovation Centre in the Institute of Aquaculture. My work focused on the identification and screening of bacterial isolates for autogenous vaccine development and the assessment of immune responses of the species both at the developmental stage and post-vaccination.

• [2008 – 2012]          BSc in Marine Sciences, School of Environmental Studies, University of Aegean, Lesvos Island, Greece
• [2013 – 2014]          MSc in Aquatic Pathobiology, Institute of Aquaculture, University of Stirling, Scotland, UK
• [2014 – 2015]          Ichthyopathologist at Nireus SA hatchery, Chios Island, Greece
• [2015 – 2019]          PhD in Aquatic Veterinary Studies, Institute of Aquaculture, University of Stirling, Scotland, UK
• [2019 – 2021]          Lab Manager – Research Fellow, Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, Scotland, UK

Interests, hopes and dreams

I am feeling lucky being part of this relatively new sector composed by great people and opportunities. I am a sea lover and being in Scotland any water body seems appealing at the moment. I am a wannabe surfer (very early stages), enjoying good food and a laugh.