Anooraag Basu

Current Research

I am pursuing a PhD in Genetics and Genomics as part of the SalmoStrong initiative, a collaboration between the Roslin Institute and Mowi Scotland. SalmoStrong aims to improve the health and robustness of Scottish farmed Atlantic salmon by identifying genetic factors associated with robustness, with the goal of reducing seawater-phase mortality by 50%. My research focuses on how early-life rearing conditions influence cardiac and immune development, and how these changes affect later-life health and performance.

The heart of Atlantic salmon is highly plastic, meaning its structure and function can adapt to environmental conditions. This plasticity is especially important during early development and can influence the fish’s ability to cope with stress later in life. Embryonic temperature is a key factor affecting cardiac health, with optimal performance associated with intermediate temperature ranges (4–5 °C). Cardiac development is also linked to disease resistance and survival, particularly in conditions such as cardiomyopathy syndrome.

My work combines advanced molecular and cellular approaches with single-cell genomics to investigate how embryonic temperature shapes cardiac and immune development at cellular resolution. This research contributes to the broader aims of SalmoStrong and supports the development of more sustainable aquaculture practices.

Favourite aquaculture species

Crustaceans and salmonids, alongside an ever-growing fascination for life under the water.

Background

I come to the world of aquaculture with a background in bioinformatics. After completing my undergraduate degree in India, I moved to Edinburgh to pursue postgraduate studies. It was during my MSc dissertation that I first joined the Roslin Institute, where I worked on resolving duplicated pigmentation genes in the Pacific white shrimp, the world’s most farmed shrimp species. There exists a preference for lighter raw and darker cooked shrimp, and although visibly colourless, this species displayed remarkable complexity in the genetics underlying pigmentation.

The blend of commercial and scientific relevance made this project the perfect introduction to aquaculture research and sparked my long-term interest in the field. This work resulted in several interesting findings that could be followed up in future studies, and I aim to continue contributing to this space. Now in my PhD, I bring both my experience in handling biological and genomic data and my passion for seeking the unknown (especially if it involves an aquatic species with human relevance) to help answer some of the pressing questions in aquaculture.

2025 – present: PhD (Genetics and Genomics), Roslin Institute, The University of Edinburgh, UK

2024 – 2025: Master of Science (Bioinformatics), The University of Edinburgh, UK

2020 – 2024: Bachelor of Technology (Bioinformatics), Amity University Uttar Pradesh, India

Interests, hopes and dreams

When I am not reading about some interesting marine encounter or fact, I find joy in creative writing on LinkedIn^TM, playing football, and talking to people about my research, while dreaming about someday swimming with whales! I hope to continue working on science that genuinely intrigues me alongside people that inspire me and to build a career that results in a lasting positive impact.