Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Collaborative Research on Aquaculture & Fisheries

Oysters are the most important aquaculture crop in Massachusetts, and the lab wants to make sure they are a safe food item. To do this, the lab needs an excited student with a bio-engineering background to join the lab's team to build sensors to detect pathogenic oysters. Join the lab working in Sustainability and Food Solutions (feel free to peruse this web site to find out more about my approach to finding these solutions). This position will be housed within the School for the Environment, but will also work closely with Dr Kimberly Hamad Schifferli of the Engineering Department, and Dr Michael Shiaris of the Biology Department. This position is supported off a 2-year grant.

The selected candidtate will create a sensor that can detect the presence of Vibrio bacteria in a pathogenic state. Vibrio can limit oyster production, and this sensor will allow for better management of hatchery production, allow farmers to manage production techniques to limit Vibrio blooms, and to also manage harvests pre- and post- bed closure. This sensor can be used down the value chain to wholesalers and retailers for a quick, real time assessment of oyster safety, and also for researchers seeking to understand Vibrio blooms. This sensor will be a demonstration project of the program to develop new tools to improve aquaculture production beginning with a NE regional focus, but ultimately applicable to production nationally and globally.

One of the greatest impediments to aquaculture production is disease. Diseases caused by vibrios limit the potential for aquaculture production in a myriad of species including but not limited to oysters and shrimp. Vibrios are a major pathogenic concern beyond aquaculture as they are directly implicated in the loss of human life. The challenge of vibrios to aquaculture is that Vibrio species are ubiquitous and at low abundance in marine environments. Being able to detect vibrios as they become pathogenic will help ensure the safety of aquaculture products as well as allow better research and management of aquaculture operations.