Emmanuel Okoli Odah

PhD Candidate in Animal Genetics and Genomics at the Norwegian University of Life Sciences and a fellow of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions within the HoloGen Doctoral Network. My research centered on the Hologenomics of Resource efficiency in Atlantic salmon, investigating the joint effects of the host genome and gut microbiome on feed efficiency and omega-3 fatty acid content (EPA and DHA).

My work combines quantitative genetics, genomics, and microbiome analysis. I use 16S rRNA to characterize gut microbial communities and integrate amplicon sequence variants with host genomic data to quantify host, microbial, and interaction effects on key resource efficiency traits. Also, I map microbial signatures to the Salmon Microbial Genome Atlas to improve functional interpretation. I am involved in the DigiFishent project (Digital phenotyping for improved feed and resource efficiency in Atlantic salmon), where we analyze individual feed intake, omega-3 content, growth, and lipid deposition, and integrate these phenotypic records with genomic and microbial data to understand the biological and genetic mechanisms of feed and resource efficiency traits.

My research focuses on host-microbiome interactions, genomic selection, and metagenomics, with the aim of improving resource efficiency in aquaculture and livestock systems.