About our research

work

The study of impacts of stressors on aquatic animals such as fish is critical to understanding and addressing challenges to animal health. Non-infectious stressors to fish stocks in Alaska include changing environmental conditions such as warming or altered water quality, contaminants, as well as algal and cnidarian blooms. Pathogenic challenges to fish health include infectious bacteria, viruses, parasites, & fungi within both marine and freshwater systems.

Collaborations, consultation, and research by the Fish Health & Pathology group is focused on the health of aquatic organisms.
Through use of molecular techniques and classic pathology we seek to understand the etiology of disease in the aquatic environment towards enhanced surveillance for important and emerging challenges to aquatic animal health. This information is critical for science-based regulation and management of fish stocks, both wild and in aquaculture.

To learn more about our current and on-going work, please take a look here

To learn about the services and support we can provide to aquatic animal health projects, please read on below...

OUR expertise...

Pathology of Aquatic animal disease

Necropsy, clinical pathology, and microscopic imaging are key tools in surveillance and diagnosis of aquatic animal disease. With expertise as a veterinary histopathologist, I apply my skills to investigations of the macroscopic and microscopic changes associated with teleost disease.

Microscopic evaluation of fish tissues can assist in identifying infectious organisms that can negatively impact fish health. Fish Health & Pathology offers services in molecular and histological diagnostics of disease -->

Tetracapsuloides bryosalmonae (myxozoan parasite and causative agent of Proliferative Kidney Disease) in H&E stained salmonid kidney tissue section (X400 magnification). Clinton et al., 2021 https://doi.org/10.1093/icesjms/fsaa254

Blood sampling from Pacific salmon

Assessing Host response to environmental challenge

Through use of histopathology and molecular techniques, our research seeks to understand the host response to stressors for altered health status in fish. A great deal is still to be learnt regarding the immunology and physiology of many aquatic animals, particularly invertebrates. Exploring the transition from 'healthy' to 'diseased' host state through use of techniques such as the transcriptomic response and biomarkers of clinical pathology is a priority area for Fish Health & Pathology LLC.

<-- Both anatomical and clinical pathology are powerful tools in surveillance for health changes in fish and other aquatic animals. Blood sampling for example allows analysis of hematology, biochemistry, and blood-based protein biomarkers of fish health that can act as indicators of infection status, disease severity, and maybe even potential survival.

Environmental Monitoring

Algal and cnidarian organisms can be harmful to fish health, with exposure resulting in skin, gill, and intestinal damage as well as toxicological impacts from the toxins they can produce.
Dr Morag Clinton has experience in environmental monitoring for phytoplankton and zooplankton that are harmful to fish health, as well as studying the impacts of their exposure on fish health.

Subtle cellular alterations can be used to monitor animal health from non-infectious stressors such as temperature changes or contaminant exposure. We can examine tissues from aquatic animals for microscopic cell changes to understand impacts of different stressors.

Histological sections of cnidarian impact in fish tissues. (c) Hoferellus carassii infection in H&E-stained cyprinid renal tubule endothelium (×100 magnification). Parasites are present extensively throughout the dilated tubule lumen (*). (d) Hemorrhage and necrotic epithelial cell death within H&E-stained salmonid gill tissue as a result of exposure to hydrozoan organism A. uvaria (×200 magnification). Cellular sloughing as a result of tissue trauma can be seen. Clinton et al., 2021 https://doi.org/10.1093/icesjms/fsaa254

Working with Wild and Understudied Fisheries

Improving the health and welfare of aquatic animals, both wild and cultured, is at the heart of the mission of Fish Health and Pathology. Through application of a veterinary skillset and clinical diagnostics, we are developing innovative approaches to surveillance for infectious diseases that limit impacts on rare or valuable stocks, as well as enhancing our collective understanding of data-poor species.

We seek to improve baseline health understanding of many of the previously under-studied species of aquatic animals present in abundance within the marine and freshwater aquatic environments of Alaska -->

Arctic Lamprey collected as part of a collaborative research project with the University of Alaska Fairbanks (photo credit Amber Perk).

Mixed gill pathology in Pacific salmon, including bacterial growth and presence of parasitic Trichodina spp. (X200 magnification, unpublished).

Aquaculture

Through work with the Sitka Sound Science Center and other aquaculture producers in Alaska, Fish Health & Pathology LLC is involved with the Alaska aquaculture industry.

We have provided diagnostics and strategies for reduced disease and improved welfare in cultured fish such as hatchery-raised Pacific salmon or trout, as well as collaborating on research proposals that enhance the health and welfare of fish.

Different diseases like ichthyophoniasis can be diagnosed via varied approaches, many of which are accessible to citizen scientists. We work with different groups to ensure they have the tools and access to expertise to reach their research goals

Community Partnerships

It is an important goal for Fish Health & Pathology LLC to support the development of local, sustainable surveillance strategies for communities, organizations, and regional government groups (both state, federal, and Tribal).

Through partnering with different agencies and communities to look at regional aquatic animal health, Fish Health & Pathology LLC is providing support on a number of different fisheries projects, including important health assessment and disease surveillance work on the Copper River, Alaska.