Cod Development CODE

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CODE will deliver a knowledge platform for studies of the development of biological processes in early stages of Atlantic cod, linked to nutritional, environmental and management aspects. In order to address these topics, we bring together a broad mass of leading Norwegian scientists with international partners. The platform uses two modern and advanced rearing facilities, one for nutrition and one for temperature manipulation, with proven reproducible results. The two experimental setups will deliver m aterial from common experiments to the different scientific teams. A reference material, e.g. larvae fed natural zooplankton, will be used as a baseline to describe the ontogeny of a range of mechanisms and biological processes; brain and vision, endocrin e control of appetite and digestion, absorption and metabolism of lipid, osmoregulation, bone structures, muscle development and red-ox balance. The larval development will be compared to larvae fed rotifers and the effect of temperature on ontogeny of se lected processes will be determined. We will also study how differential nutritional and temperature programming during early stages affect development and performance later in life. The tools are high throughput transcriptomics and metabolomics validated by state of the art physiological, molecular and morphological methods. The network will be a creative platform for exchange of ideas and will employ young scientists, PhD and MSc students. The knowledge created in the project will be actively used in t eaching programmes. CODE will communicate with Norwegian aquaculture industry and scientific community through participation on conferences, websites of the partners and in peer-reviewed scientific journals thereby improving competitiveness of Norwegian r esearch and aquaculture industry. The knowledge acquired in CODE is relevant for health management in aquaculture, and for understanding effects of climate change on stock recruitment of Atlantic cod.