Aquaculture

Lavanya Vythalingam [Alumni]

Previously: Bean Group, Postdoctoral Research Fellow. Now: Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Heriot-Watt University

Current research

My work at Roslin is about detecting shellfish disease. I aim to develop a portable qPCR system that can detect disease in oysters. This will help reduce oyster mortality, increase production, and ensure food safety. Recently, I’ve established in-situ detection kits to detect invasive fish species in Malaysia; this can be also adapted for shellfish disease. I’ve also been spreading awareness on the impacts of invasive fish species, particularly ornamental fish, within Malaysia's freshwater ecosystems and on Malaysian fisheries and aquaculture.

 

Favourite aquaculture species  

I can’t just pick one! I love them all.

 

Background

  • [2011-2014]          BSc Bioindustrial Technology (University Malaysia Kelantan)

  • [2018-2021]          PhD (University Malaya)

  • [2021-2023]          Postdoctoral Researcher (Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh).

     

Interests, hopes and dreams

I love travelling, photography, crime podcasts, and tasting new food! If I’m not curled up with a cuppa and a good book (aren’t all books good?), you’d find me hiking or petting dogs.

Lavanya joined the aquaculture team in 2022.