This research group is involved in multidisciplinary research to ensure better health and welfare of aquatic organisms, primarily farmed species, through improved management practices that reduce stress and prevent outbreak of diseases. The approaches involve studying biological mechanisms of defense systems at the cellular and molecular level, physiological processes related to pathology, host-pathogen interactions, spread of diseases, health monitoring and disease diagnostics, targeted nutrition for protection from diseases, nutrition of brood stock and early life-stages of fish, pre- and probiotics, and microbial bioremediation.

The current research interests with emphasis on Atlantic cod and Atlantic salmon are: functional diets that maintain good health and offer disease protection, health-monitoring using cellular and molecular immuno-markers, understanding the mucosal immune system through molecular and proteomics approaches, gut microflora in relation to nutrition and health, development of disease detection methods, cardiopathology, neuropeptides and stress physiology, disease interactions between wild and farmed fish, nutrition and health of broodstock fish, nutrigenomics in larval fish. Research involving international partners also covers vaccine development for shrimp, biofilms and gut immunity in carp, immunonutrition of seabass, pathophysiology of parasitic infections and stress modulation by homeostatic peptide hormones.

The group collaborates with several national and international institutions. The latter includes Wageningen University, University of Tokyo, University of Tasmania, Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology, Prince of Songkhla University and University of Philippines in Visayas.