Daniel Merrifield

Dr. Daniel Merrifield is an Associate Professor of Fish Health and Nutrition at the University of Plymouth's School of Biological and Marine Sciences. He leads the Fish Health and Nutrition Research Group and teaches on the MSc Sustainable Aquaculture and Fisheries program. His research focuses on aquafeed sustainability, host-microbe interactions, functional feed additives, and intestinal health in species such as Atlantic salmon, Nile tilapia, and zebrafish.

Key research themes include microbial solutions for aquaculture challenges, mitigation of enteritis, and optimizing novel feed ingredients. He has supervised over 13 PhD and master’s students, including notable graduates like Dr. Ben Standen and Dr. Sam Voller. Current funded projects investigate probiotics, prebiotics, and algal biomass in aquafeeds.

Dr. Merrifield’s work spans experimental studies on gut microbiota modulation and applied research on aquaculture production systems. His findings contribute to global goals in sustainable seafood production and disease management.