Center for Aquaculture Technologies (CAT) continues to grow its global genetics team with the appointment of Dr. Iulia Blaj as Quantitative Geneticist, based in Australia.
The addition of Dr. Blaj strengthens CAT’s expanding breeding and genetics services team as demand continues to grow for advanced aquaculture breeding solutions worldwide.
In her new role, Dr. Blaj will advance data analysis across CAT’s breeding partners, helping design and evaluate statistical and genomic models that translate complex data into practical breeding decisions for clients.
CAT currently manages more than 20 breeding programs globally across a wide range of aquatic species. Supported by a growing portfolio of 50+ genotyping and sequencing tools, CAT helps producers improve disease resistance, growth, robustness, and long-term sustainability through tailored breeding strategies designed by each client’s goals.
Dr. Blaj brings extensive expertise in quantitative genetics and statistical genomics, with experience spanning both academia and industry across livestock and plant breeding sectors.
Commenting on her appointment, Dr. Blaj said:“Genomics is one of the most powerful tools the aquaculture industry has to shape its future. By integrating the right methods with meaningful and rigorous data interpretation, we can help producers make better decisions and enable the development of healthier, more resilient stocks. I’m excited to join the CAT team and contribute to work that creates lasting value and real impact across aquaculture.”
Dr. John Buchanan, CEO of CAT, welcomed the appointment, noting that the company’s continued growth reflects increasing industry demand.
“We are very pleased to welcome Iulia to CAT. Her appointment adds valuable quantitative genetics expertise to our growing global team and strengthens the support we provide to breeding programs around the world,” said Dr. Buchanan. “As more aquaculture producers increasingly adopt genomic technologies and data-driven breeding strategies, expanding our technical resources is critical to ensuring we continue delivering practical, commercially ready solutions for our clients.”
As the aquaculture industry continues to evolve and the global demand for seafood grows, CAT remains focused on equipping producers with science-based breeding strategies that drive productivity, resilience, and sustainability.
Dr. Iulia Blaj