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Professor Dominic Houlihan

Vice-Principal (Internationalisation)

Personal Details

Telephone:

+44 (0)1224 273736

E-mail:

d.f.houlihan@abdn.ac.uk


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Biography

Professor Dominic Houlihan is Vice-Principal Internationalisation.

A professor of zoology, and internationally distinguished fish biologist, he now has responsibility for developing the University's internationalisation strategy, policies and operational matters.   He has led the development of the University's partnership programme in China.  Currently the University has long-standing agreements with South China Normal University, Wuhan and Beijing Institute of Technology, with 2+2 programmes in finance and business. 

Dominic Houlihan champions public engagement with science and is Chairman of Satrosphere, Aberdeen's science centre.   He is Senior Academic Lead for the British Science Festival which will take place in Aberdeen in September 2012.  Currently he is leading on a benchmarking project on doctorates for the Scottish QAA.

His previous responsibilities included raising the University's research profile and level of research income through interaction with government, industry, the research councils, and major charities. His chairmanship of the Advisory Board of Interface - Scotland's knowledge connection for business - is an example of his leadership in enterprise activity. Professor Houlihan is a director of a number of University companies.

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Research Interests

We need to know more about the processes of fish growth if we are to maximise the efficiency of fish farming. Allied to maximising fish growth are questions relating to the health of the animals in captivity and the relationships between nutrition, health, disease and stress. All of these questions require fundamental research and a clear appreciation of the peculiarities involved in working with aquatic animals. Firstly, it is difficult to measure the food consumption of fish in water. Food that is apparently fed to a tank of fish can be ignored by the animals or be delivered at an inappropriate time.

However, we have overcome this problem with our non-invasive X-ray based method and now routinely measure the food consumption of individual animals over long periods of time. These measurements not only provide essential information for the design of diets but has also revealed that the animals have complex social relationships that result in differential food consumption between individual in a group and can have consequences in terms of fin damage and stress levels.

We are also able to determine the extent of the incorporation of components of the diet into fish tissue and hence growth. Again we have concentrated on non-invasive methods that are safe for fish and researcher and can now track the turnover of proteins in the animals' bodies and reveal the extent to which protein metabolism contributes to the overall energetics of the animals and their growth performance.

Funding is for three main projects: 1, the sustainability of aquaculture and fisheries; 2, the replacement of fish meal with plant proteins in fish diets and 3. The role of genetics in determining growth performance in trout.  

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Publications

  • Martin, SAM., Douglas, A., Houlihan, DFJ. & Secombes, CJ. Starvation alters the liver transcriptome of the innate immune response in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar), Article, 2010, BMC Genomics, 11, ISSN/ISBN: 1471-2164
  • Taggart, JB., Bron, JE., Martin, SAM., Seear, PJ., Hoyheim, B., Talbot, R., Carmichael, SN., Villeneuve, LAN., Sweeney, GE., Houlihan, DF., Secombes, CJ., Tocher, DR. & Teale, AJ. A description of the origins, design and performance of the TRAITS-SGP Atlantic salmon Salmo salar L. cDNA microarray, Article, 2008, Journal of Fish Biology, 72, pp2071 - 2094, ISSN/ISBN: 0022-1112
  • Martin, SAM., Zou, J., Houlihan, DF. & Secombes, CJ. Directional responses following recombinant cytokine stimulation of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) RTS-II macrophage cells as revealed by transcriptome profiling, Article, 2007, BMC Genomics, 8, ISSN/ISBN: 1471-2164
  • Kause, A., Tobin, D., Mantysaari, EA., Martin, SAM., Houlihan, DF., Kiessling, A., Rungruangsak-Torrissen, K., Ritola, O. & Ruohonen, K. Genetic potential for simultaneous selection of growth and body composition in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) depends on the dietary protein and lipid content, Article, 2007, Aquaculture, 271, 1-4, pp162 - 172, ISSN/ISBN: 0044-8486
  • Martin, SAM., Mohanty, BP., Cash, P., Houlihan, DFJ. & Secombes, CJ. Proteome analysis of the Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) cell line SHK-1 following recombinant IFN-¿ stimulation, Article, 2007, Proteomics, 7, 13, pp2275 - 2286
  • Teale, AJ., Archibald, AL., Bron, JE., Burt, DW., Houlihan, DFJ., Høyheim, B., Martin, SAM., Murray, FD., Secombes, CJ., Seear, PJ., Sweeney, GE., Taggart, JB., Talbot, R., Tocher, DR. & Zheng, X. Towards a molecular genetic tool for health and performance monitoring of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar), Article, 2007, Aquaculture, 272, Supplement 1, ppS313 - S314, ISSN/ISBN: 0044-8486
  • Tobin, D., Kause, A., Mantysaari, EA., Martin, SAM., Houlihan, DF., Dobly, A., Kiessling, A., Rungruangsak-Torrissen, K., Ritola, O. & Ruohonen, K. Fat or lean?, Article, 2006, Aquaculture, 261, 2, pp510 - 521, ISSN/ISBN: 0044-8486
  • Kause, A., Tobin, D., Houlihan, DF., Martin, SAM., Mantysaari, EA., Ritola, O. & Ruohonen, K. Feed efficiency of rainbow trout can be improved through selection, Article, 2006, Journal of Animal Science, 84, pp807 - 817, ISSN/ISBN: 0021-8812
  • Martin, SAM., Blaney, SC., Houlihan, DFJ. & Secombes, CJ. Transcriptome response following administration of a live bacterial vaccine in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar), Article, 2006, Molecular Immunology, 43, 11, pp1900 - 1911, ISSN/ISBN: 0161-5890
  • Dobly, A., Ritola, O., Wahlroos, H., Kause, A., Mantysaari, E., Ruohonen, K., Martin, SAM. & Houlihan, DFJ. Genetic correlates of protein growth efficiency in 210 families of rainbow trout assessed by X-rays, Article, 2005, Aquaculture, 247, 1-4, pp12 - 12, ISSN/ISBN: 0044-8486
  • Gilbey, J., McLay, A., Houlihan, D. & Verspoor, E. Individual-level analysis of pre- and post first-feed growth and development in Atlantic salmon, Article, 2005, Journal of Fish Biology, 67, pp1359 - 1369, ISSN/ISBN: 0022-1112
  • Martin, SAM., Vilhelmsson, OT. & Houlihan, DFJ. Protein profiles in rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss, Article, 2005, Aquaculture, 247, 1-4, pp24 - 25, ISSN/ISBN: 0044-8486
  • Martin, SAM., Houlihan, DFJ. & Secombes, CJ. Transcriptional analysis of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) cDNAs following a disease challenge, Article, 2005, Aquaculture, 247, 1-4 - 24, ISSN/ISBN: 0044-8486
  • Vilhelmsson, OT., Martin, SAM., Medale, F., Kaushil, SJ. & Houlihan, DFJ. Dietary plant-protein substitution affects hepatic metabolism in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), Article, 2004, British Journal of Nutrition, 92, 1, pp71 - 80, ISSN/ISBN: 0007-1145
  • Gomez-Requeni, P., Mingarro, M., Calduch-Giner, JA., Medale, F., Corraze, G., Panserat, S., Martin, SAM., Houlihan, DFJ., kaushik, SJ. & Perez-Sanchez, J. Protein growth performance, amino acid utilisation and somatotropic axis responsiveness to fish meal replacement by plant protein sources in gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata), Article, 2004, Aquaculture, 232, 1-4, pp493 - 510, ISSN/ISBN: 0044-8486
  • Dobly, A., Martin, S., Blaney, S. & Houlihan, D. Protein growth rate in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) is negatively correlated to liver 20S proteasome activity, Article, 2004, Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part A: Molecular & Integrative Physiology, 137, 1, pp75 - 85, ISSN/ISBN: 1095-6433
  • Martin, SAM., Vilhelmsson, OT. & Houlihan, DFJ. Rainbow trout liver proteome, Chapter, 2004, Progress in Research on Energy and Protein Metabolism , 109, pp57 - 60
  • Gomez-Requeni, P., Mingarro, M., Calduch-Giner, JA., Medale, F., Martin, SAM., Houlihan, DFJ., Kaushik, SJ. & Perez-Sanchez, J. Effects of dietary amino acid profile on growth performance, key metabolic enzymes and somatotropic axis responsiveness of gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata)., Article, 2003, Aquaculture, 220, 1-4, pp749 - 767, ISSN/ISBN: 0044-8486
  • Legeay, A., Houlihan, DFJ. & Massabuau, J. Influence of oxygen partial pressures on protein synthesis in feeding crabs, Article, 2003, American Journal of Physiology-Regulatory Integrative and Comparative Physiology, 284, 2, ppR500 - R510, ISSN/ISBN: 0363-6119
  • Martin, SAM., Vilhelmsson, OT., Medale, F., Watt, P., Kaushik, SJ. & Houlihan, DFJ. Proteomic sensitivity to dietary manipulations in rainbow trout, Article, 2003, Biochimica et Biophysica Acta - Proteins and Proteomics, 1651, 1-2, pp17 - 29, ISSN/ISBN: 1570-9639
  • Martin, SAM., Vilhelmsson, OT. & Houlihan, DFJ. Rainbow trout liver proteome, Article, 2003, European Association for Animal Production Publication, 109, pp57 - 60, ISSN/ISBN: 0071-2477
  • Mente, E., Deguara, S., Santos Vazquez, MB. & Houlihan, DFJ. White muscle free amino acid concentrations following feeding a maize gluten dietary protein in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.), Article, 2003, Aquaculture, 225, 1-4, pp133 - 147, ISSN/ISBN: 0044-8486
  • Gowland, BTG., Moffat, CF., Stagg, RM., Houlihan, DF. & Davies, IM. Cypermethrin induces glutathione S-transferase activity in the shore crab, Carcinus maenas, Article, 2002, Marine Environmental Research, 54, pp169 - 177, ISSN/ISBN: 0141-1136
  • Houlihan, DFJ. & Martin, SAM. Protein metabolism in fish, Article, 2002, Integrative and Comparative Biology, 42, 6, pp1245 - 1246, ISSN/ISBN: 1540-7063
  • Mente, E., Coutteau, P., Houlihan, DFJ., Davidson, I. & Sorgeloos, P. Protein turnover, amino acid profile and amino acid flux in juvenile shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei: effects of dietary protein source, Article, 2002, Journal of Experimental Biology, 205, 20, pp3107 - 3122, ISSN/ISBN: 0022-0949
  • Martin, SAM., Blaney, SC., Bowman, AS. & Houlihan, DFJ. Ubiquitin-proteasome dependant proteolysis in rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss: effect of food deprivation, Article, 2002, Pflugers Archiv : European Journal of Physiology, 445, pp257 - 266, ISSN/ISBN: 0031-6768
  • Segner, H., Chesne, C., Cravedi, JP., Fauconneau, B., Houlihan, D., LeGac, F., Loir, M., Prunet, P., Mothersill, C., Part, P. & Valotaire, Y. Cellular approaches for diagnostic effects assessment in ecotoxicology: introductory remarks to an EU-funded project, Editorial, 2001, Aquatic Toxicology, 53, pp153 - 158, ISSN/ISBN: 0166-445X
  • Fraser, KPP., Houlihan, DF., Lutz, PL., Leone-Kabler, S., Manuel, L. & Brechin, JG. Complete suppression of protein synthesis during anoxia with no post-anoxia protein synthesis debt in the red-eared slider turtle Trachemys scripta elegans, Article, 2001, Journal of Experimental Biology, 204, pp4353 - 4360, ISSN/ISBN: 0022-0949
  • Mente, E., Houlihan, DFJ. & Smith, K. Growth, feeding frequency, protein turnover, and amino acid metabolism in European lobster Homarus gammarus L., Article, 2001, Journal of Experimental Zoology Part A: Comparative Experimental Biology, 289, 7, pp419 - 432, ISSN/ISBN: 1552-499X
  • Smith, RW., Jonsson, M., Houlihan, DF. & Part, P. Minimising aerobic respiratory demands could form the basis to sub-lethal copper tolerance by rainbow trout gill epithelial cells in vitro, Article, 2001, Fish Physiology and Biochemistry, 24, pp157 - 169, ISSN/ISBN: 0920-1742
  • Smith, RW., Blaney, SC., Dowling, K., Sturm, A., Jonsson, M. & Houlihan, DFJ. Protein synthesis costs could account for the tissue specific effects of sub-lethal copper on protein synthesis in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), Article, 2001, Aquatic Toxicology, 53, 3-4, pp265 - 277, ISSN/ISBN: 0166-445X
  • Martin, SAM., Cash, P., Blaney, SC. & Houlihan, DFJ. Proteome analysis of rainbow trout (Oncorhyncus mykiss) liver proteins during short term starvation, Article, 2001, Fish Physiology and Biochemistry, 24, 3, pp259 - 270, ISSN/ISBN: 0920-1742
  • Moutou, KA., McCarty, ID. & Houlihan, DF. The effect of dietary flumequine on food consumption and growth in rainbow trout, Article, 2001, Aquaculture international, 9, pp95 - 102, ISSN/ISBN: 0967-6120
  • Carter, CG., Houlihan, DF. & He, ZY. Changes in tissue free amino acid concentrations in Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L., after consumption of a low ration, Article, 2000, Fish Physiology and Biochemistry, 23, pp295 - 306, ISSN/ISBN: 0920-1742
  • Smith, RW., Palmer, RM. & Houlihan, DF. RNA turnover and protein synthesis in fish cells, Article, 2000, Journal of Comparative Physiology. B, Biochemical, Systemic, and Environmental Physiology, 170, pp135 - 144, ISSN/ISBN: 0174-1578
  • Dawson, LHJ., Pike, AW., Houlihan, DF. & McVicar, AH. Changes in physiological parameters and feeding behaviour of Atlantic salmon Salmo salar infected with sea lice Lepeophtheirus salmonis, Article, 1999, DISEASES OF AQUATIC ORGANISMS, 35, pp89 - 99, ISSN/ISBN: 0177-5103
  • McCarthy, ID., Moksness, E., Pavlov, DA. & Houlihan, DF. Effects of water temperature on protein synthesis and protein growth in juvenile Atlantic wolffish (Anarhichas lupus), Article, 1999, Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, 56, pp231 - 241, ISSN/ISBN: 0706-652X
  • McCarthy, ID., Gair, DJ. & Houlihan, DF. Feeding rank and dominance in Tilapia rendalli under defensible and indefensible patterns of food distribution, Article, 1999, Journal of Fish Biology, 55, pp854 - 867, ISSN/ISBN: 0022-1112
  • Stead, SM., Houlihan, DF., McLay, HA. & Johnstone, R. Food consumption and growth in maturing Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar), Article, 1999, Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, 56, pp2019 - 2028, ISSN/ISBN: 0706-652X
  • Owen, SF., McCarthy, ID., Watt, PW., Ladero, V., Sanchez, JA., Houlihan, DF. & Rennie, MJ. In vivo rates of protein synthesis in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) smolts determined using a stable isotope flooding dose technique, Article, 1999, Fish Physiology and Biochemistry, 20, pp87 - 94, ISSN/ISBN: 0920-1742
  • Rungruangsak-Torrissen, K., Carter, CG., Sundby, A., Berg, A. & Houlihan, DF. Maintenance ration, protein synthesis capacity, plasma insulin and growth of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) with genetically different trypsin isozymes, Article, 1999, Fish Physiology and Biochemistry, 21, pp223 - 233, ISSN/ISBN: 0920-1742
  • Smith, RW., Houlihan, DF., Nilsson, GE. & Alexandre, J. Tissue-specific changes in RNA synthesis in vivo during anoxia in crucian carp, Article, 1999, American Journal of Physiology-Regulatory Integrative and Comparative Physiology, 277, ISSN/ISBN: 0363-6119
  • Owen, SF., Houlihan, DF., Rennie, MJ. & van Weerd, JH. Bioenergetics and nitrogen balance of the European eel (Anguilla anguilla) fed at high and low ration levels, Article, 1998, Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, 55, pp2365 - 2375, ISSN/ISBN: 0706-652X

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