Regulatory pathways of skeletal development in teleost fish: The impact of genetic, dietary, and environmental factors.

This proposal addresses the necessity to establish collaborative projects between Norwegian and North-American research institutions working in the field of fish skeletal development and malformation. A workshop, organised in Canada (Halifax) by scientist s from AKVAFORSK, NRC and Univ. of Dalhousie will be the starting point for future international and multidisciplinary collaborations. Skeletal deformities represent a significant problem for sustainable aquaculture in Norway and in North-America. Despi te recent progress in applied science related to skeletal deformities, knowledge about the underlying mechanisms of various types of skeletal malformations is still limited within research groups on both sides of the Atlantic. Further progress in this fie ld requires insight into basic mechanisms of fish skeletal development from different perspectives involving disciplines such as developmental biology, comparative morphology, skeletal pathology, nutrition and genetics. The meeting in Halifax will bring t ogether researchers from different fields with complementary knowledge within basic and applied research. The workshop - with the final goal to establish new scientific collaborations between Norwegian and North-American research institutions - will las t three days and will have the following structure: Day 1: Skeletal malformations in aquaculture. The sessions will focus on the aetiology and the description of skeletal malformations in different teleost species. Day 2: Regulatory pathways involved i n teleost skeletogenesis. The sessions will focus on the developmental mechanisms that underlie differentiation, growth and remodelling of the teleost skeleton. Special attention will be given to genetic, dietary, and environmental factors that influence skeletal development. Day 3: Round table discussions and Group discussions. The last day will provide the opportunity for participants to set up new collaborations and to draft proposals for new research.