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Plenary & Keynote

Plenary & Keynote speakers are the central force
of the conference, offering deep specialist
knowledge and perspectives that guide
the course of our field.

Prof. Jerri L. Bartholomew

Director of the J.L. Fryer Aquatic Animal Health Laboratory, Department of Microbiology, Oregon State University
Jerri’s research focusses on pathogens that affect the health of wild Pacific salmon populations, particularly myxozoan parasites. Investigations cover parasite biology, evolution, diversity and host immunity. Her plenary talk will focus on a long-term monitoring project in the Klamath River, where the world’s largest dam removal project in 2023 and 2024 made way to salmon migration and parasite redistribution.

Prof. Eric Stabb

Head of Department of Biological Sciences, College of Liberal Arts and Science, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
Eric is a microbiologist who is interested in a broad field of Microbiology, bacterial genetics and physiology. He studies interactions between bacteria and their hosts, and his keynote will focus on the light organ symbiosis between the bioluminescent bacterium Vibrio fischeri and the Hawaiian squid Euprymna scolopes. Light, produced by bacterial cells in epithelium-lined crypts of a specialized organ, helps the squid elude predators, while the host squid provides V. fischeri with nutrients.

Dr. Nikos Papandroulakis

Research Director at the Institute of Marine Biology, Biotechnology and Aquaculture, Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, Crete
Nikos’ research focuses on the improvement of the rearing methodologies and technologies in Mediterranean aquaculture and the application of research results in the industry. With his team he develops modern offshore precision farming tools and applications based on modelling and using the principles of circular economy. His keynote provides insights into the continuing development of these tools and how their predictions can help to manage farms during climate change.

Dr. Sandrine Baron

Mycoplasmology-Bacteriology and Antimicrobial resistance Unit – Ploufragan-Plouzané-Niort Laboratory – French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety, France.

Sandrine is bacteriologist with a special interest for autochthonous bacteria of aquatic environment, which are opportunistic pathogens for human and animal. Her research focuses on the improvement the methodologies to study antimicrobial susceptibility of aquatic bacteria. She has conducted field studies that contributed to better understand AMR dissemination in aquatic environment and fishfarm. Her keynote will address the methodological specificities to monitor AMR in aquatic environment and freshwater fishfarm, illustrated by French research projects and the baseline study of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in bacteria from aquaculture animals in EU.