Aquaculture
Aquaculture
The Roslin Institute
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Tim Bean [GL]

Group Leader

Tim Bean holding child on his shoulders in the countryside

Current research

I work to improve the productivity and success of bivalve aquaculture by using the most appropriate technologies to deal with issues such as disease and environmental health.

 

Favourite aquaculture species  

Oysters, scallops, mussels (of course!)

 

Background

My early scientific career revolved mainly around plants and plant pathogens, having studied biology for a PhD on the molecular biology of fungicide resistance at Rothamsted Research. However, I soon moved track completely, and started work as a government scientist at Cefas (the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science), the UK Government fisheries research agency. My work at Cefas involved field and laboratory studies into the biology and control of diseases in aquaculture, and laboratory studies into mode of action of key chemical contaminants in bivalves. I quickly developed an interest in mussels and oysters and got deeper and deeper (pun intended) into the incredible world of bivalve biology. I have accumulated knowledge and experience of the breeding, culture and general biology of UK farmed bivalve species and have experience designing and running large-scale disease challenges in controlled systems, and working directly with notifiable pathogens in the laboratory.

  • [2004-2008]        PhD in Molecular Biology (Rothamsted Research and University of Reading)
  • [2009-2019]        Molecular Biologist (Cefas) 
  • [2019-2023]        Research Fellow (the Roslin Institute)
  • [2023-]                  Senior Research Fellow (the Roslin Institute)

 

Interests, hopes and dreams

I enjoy the great outdoors, cycling, family life and food. I am an avid consumer of seafood and want the availability of all kinds of seafood, both farmed and wild-capture, to continue long into the future.

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