Xueyan Shen

Dr. Xueyan Shen obtained her M.Sc in Aquaculture and Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from the Ocean University of China in 2004 and 2007, respectively. After that, she started her Postdoctoral work on maintenance of genomic resources for the National BioResource Project Medak in NIBB (Okazaki, Japan). From 2010, she worked in the Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory (TLL), Singapore, where as a Research Fellow, she led several research teams towards increasing Singapore’s food fish supply through application of aquaculture genomics R&D. She has now joined James Cook University in Singapore where she will continue to apply her state-of-the-art teaching and genetic research approaches to help Singapore as well as other Asia counties achieve their aquaculture related food security strategy.

Research Focus

Dr. Shen’s research focus is on the development of “robust” aquaculture strains to boost seafood production. She has conducted genomics-assisted selection on two economically important fish, namely Asian seabass/barramundi and Mozambique tilapia, and also the ornamental fish Asian arowana. Specific areas of her research interest include: 1) Developing genomic resources and genetic tools like whole genome sequencing, high-density SNP arrays, etc., to support selective breeding; 2) Exploring genetic basis of important traits (growth, disease resistance) using RNA sequencing, QTL mapping, GWAS and genomic selection; 3) Conducting functional feed trials and specific pathogen tests to evaluating feed additives' impact on fish immunity; 4) Investigating nutrition, gene expression, gut microbiome and immunity in various fish species using omics approaches. As an Associate Professor at JCU Singapore, Dr. Shen is keen to continue to collaborate with partners from commercial industry, government universities/institutes to create ‘State of the art’genomic platforms to further improve the productivity and quality of food fish species.

Impact of Research

Her research into the genetic improvement of Asian seabass, Red Snapper and Tilapia have allowed for a ‘quantum leap’ in generation of more superior broodstock leading to more efficient and greater productivity of foodfish products. In addition, tools she has developed will be easily applicable and adaptable to the aquaculture systems of other tropical marine fish species, advancing their production systems from the current most traditional methods into modern, science-assisted aquaculture.