Center for Aquaculture Technologies has appointed Dr. Iulia Blaj as quantitative geneticist, expanding the company’s global breeding and genetics team as demand grows for genomic breeding services in aquaculture.
Blaj will be based in Australia and will support data analysis and statistical modelling across CAT’s breeding programmes, the company said in a press release issued Tuesday.
CAT manages more than 20 breeding programmes globally covering multiple aquaculture species and offers a portfolio of more than 50 genotyping and sequencing tools aimed at improving disease resistance, growth and stock robustness.
Blaj joins the company with experience in quantitative genetics and statistical genomics across livestock and plant breeding sectors in both academia and industry.
“Genomics is one of the most powerful tools the aquaculture industry has to shape its future,” Blaj said in the release.
CEO John Buchanan said the appointment reflected increasing adoption of genomic technologies and data-driven breeding strategies across aquaculture.
“We are very pleased to welcome Iulia to CAT. Her appointment adds valuable quantitative genetics expertise to our growing global team and strengthens the support we provide to breeding programs around the world,” Buchanan said.
CAT, headquartered in San Diego, provides selective breeding, genotyping and genome-editing services to aquaculture producers globally through its Next-Gen Breeding platform.
