Dr Almas Gheyas

Lecturer in Aquaculture Production Scien

Institute of Aquaculture Stirling

Dr Almas Gheyas

Contact details

About me

My research interests lie primarily in employing genetic and genomic approaches for sustainable improvement of production, health and welfare traits of farm animal species. I use diverse methods including interdisciplinary approaches to study climate resilience, disease resistance, and production performance in aquaculture and livestock species. Through years of research, I have gained a diverse set of skills including bioinformatic analysis of high throughput genomic data, quantitative genetics, molecular genetics, and landscape genomics. I am an alumna of the Institute of Aquaculture (IOA) where I undertook my PhD research on "Applications of microsatellite markers to genetic management of carps in aquaculture". After my PhD, I joined The Roslin Institute of the University of Edinburgh and for the first three years served as a Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) Associate in a salmon breeding company - Landcatch Natural Selection Ltd. (currently part of Hendrix Genetics) – to apply marker-assisted selection for IPN resistance in their Atlantic salmon breeding stock. Since then I have worked on other species, particularly poultry. My research on aquaculture has included species from tropical and temperate climates and have implications for promoting sustainable aquaculture in both developing and developed countries. After working for nearly 12 years as a Research Fellow at the University of Edinburgh, I have joined IOA as a Lecturer in April 2022. I have supervised several PhD and MSc students to successful completion and would welcome new students.

Research projects (2)

Outputs (40)

Article

Impact of freshwater rearing on saltwater performance: A genotype-environment interaction study in Atlantic Salmon (Salmo salar)

Tollervey MJ, Agha S, Bekaert M, Gheyas AA, Houston RD, Doeschl-Wilson A, Norris A, Migaud H, Gutierrez AP & Betancor MB (2026) Impact of freshwater rearing on saltwater performance: A genotype-environment interaction study in Atlantic Salmon (Salmo salar). Aquaculture, 610, Art. No.: 742892. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aquaculture.2025.742892

Article

Genome wide association study of shell growth, condition index, shell and mantle colour in the Portuguese oyster, Crassostrea angulata

Van Vu S, O’Connor W, Vu IV, Gondro C, Nguyen T, Kundu S, Woo K, Lee S, Khanh T, Nguyen T, Doan H, Htoo H & Gheyas A (2025) Genome wide association study of shell growth, condition index, shell and mantle colour in the Portuguese oyster, Crassostrea angulata. Aquaculture International, 33. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10499-025-02210-6

Article

Genetic parameters for whole weight and survival rate of the Portuguese oyster, Crassostrea angulata at different harvest stages after six generations of selection

Vu IV, Boudry P, Vengatesen T, Gheyas AA, Khanh TD, Nguyen TM, Htoo H, Kim HW, Kundu S, Minh TTN, Trung DTT, Nguyen TTA, Thu LT, O’Connor W & Luu GTH (2025) Genetic parameters for whole weight and survival rate of the Portuguese oyster, Crassostrea angulata at different harvest stages after six generations of selection. Aquaculture International, 33, Art. No.: 238. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10499-025-01925-w

Article

High-density linkage map and single nucleotide polymorphism association with whole weight, meat yield, and shell shape in the Portuguese oyster, Crassostrea angulate

Vu S, Kumar M, Rastas P, Boudry P, Gheyas A, Bean T, Nguyen M, Tran K, Geist J, Nguyen H, O’Connor W, Tran H, Le T, Cao G, Nguyen T & Vu I (2024) High-density linkage map and single nucleotide polymorphism association with whole weight, meat yield, and shell shape in the Portuguese oyster, Crassostrea angulate. Aquaculture International, 32, p. 10109–10122. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10499-024-01652-8

Book Chapter

Global Aquaculture systems

Norman R, Chivite Alcalde M, Bron J, Burke M, Crumlish M, Gheyas A, Little D, Malcorps W, Moss A, Newton R & Pounds A (2024) Global Aquaculture systems. In: Alexander P (ed.) Encyclopedia of Agriculture and Food Systems. 3 ed. Elsevier. https://shop.elsevier.com/books/encyclopedia-of-agriculture-and-food-systems/alexander/978-0-443-15976-3

Conference Paper (published)

422. Whole genome sequencing reveals genetic diversity and heat-stress adaptation in Nigerian indigenous chickens in "Society - genetics in the tropics"

Gheyas AA, Rachman M, Bamidele O, Dessie T, Smith J & Hanotte O (2022) 422. Whole genome sequencing reveals genetic diversity and heat-stress adaptation in Nigerian indigenous chickens in "Society - genetics in the tropics". In: Veerkamp RF & de Haas Y (eds.) Proceedings of 12th World Congress on Genetics Applied to Livestock Production (WCGALP). WCGALP 2022, Rotterdam, 03.07.2022-08.07.2022. Leiden: Brill, pp. 1757-1760. https://doi.org/10.3920/9789086869404_023

Article

Ecological niche modelling for delineating livestock ecotypes and exploring environmental genomic adaptation: the example of Ethiopian village chicken

Vallejo-Trujillo A, Kebede A, Lozano-Jaramillo M, Dessie T, Smith J, Hanotte O & Gheyas A (2022) Ecological niche modelling for delineating livestock ecotypes and exploring environmental genomic adaptation: the example of Ethiopian village chicken. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, 10, Art. No.: 866587. https://doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2022.866587

Article

Fourth Report on Chicken Genes and Chromosomes 2022

Smith J, Alfieri JM, Anthony N, Arensburger P, Athrey GN, Balacco J, Balic A, Bardou P, Barela P, Bigot Y, Blackmon H, Borodin PM, Carroll R, Casono MC & Gheyas AA (2022) Fourth Report on Chicken Genes and Chromosomes 2022. Cytogenetic and Genome Research, 162 (8-9), pp. 405-528. https://doi.org/10.1159/000529376

Article

Analysis of the Progeny of Sibling Matings Reveals Regulatory Variation Impacting the Transcriptome of Immune Cells in Commercial Chickens

Freem L, Summers KM, Gheyas AA, Psifidi A, Boulton K, MacCallum A, Harne R, O’Dell J, Bush SJ & Hume DA (2019) Analysis of the Progeny of Sibling Matings Reveals Regulatory Variation Impacting the Transcriptome of Immune Cells in Commercial Chickens. Frontiers in Genetics, 10, Art. No.: 1032. https://doi.org/10.3389/fgene.2019.01032

Article

Gene expression comparison of resistant and susceptible Atlantic salmon fry challenged with Infectious Pancreatic Necrosis virus reveals a marked contrast in immune response

Robledo D, Taggart J, Ireland J, McAndrew B, Starkey W, Haley CS, Hamilton A, Guy DR, Mota-Velasco JC, Gheyas AA, Tinch AE, Verner-Jeffreys DW, Paley RK, Rimmer GSE, Tew IJ, Bishop SC, Bron J & Houston RD (2016) Gene expression comparison of resistant and susceptible Atlantic salmon fry challenged with Infectious Pancreatic Necrosis virus reveals a marked contrast in immune response. BMC Genomics, 17, Art. No.: 279. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12864-016-2600-y

Article

Animal genomics and infectious disease resistance in poultry: -EN- -FR- La génomique animale et la résistance aux maladies infectieuses chez les volailles -ES- Genómica animal y resistencia a las enfermedades infecciosas en las aves de corral

SMITH J, GHEYAS A & BURT D (2016) Animal genomics and infectious disease resistance in poultry: -EN- -FR- La génomique animale et la résistance aux maladies infectieuses chez les volailles -ES- Genómica animal y resistencia a las enfermedades infecciosas en las aves de corral. Revue Scientifique et Technique de l'OIE, 35 (1), pp. 105-119. https://doi.org/10.20506/rst.35.1.2421

Article

Third Report on Chicken Genes and Chromosomes 2015

Schmid M, Smith J, Burt DW, Aken BL, Antin PB, Archibald AL, Ashwell C, Blackshear PJ, Boschiero C, Brown CT, Burgess SC, Cheng HH, Chow W, Coble DJ, Cooksey A, Crooijmans RP, Damas J, Davis RV, de Koning D, Delany ME, Derrien T, Desta TT, Dunn IC, Dunn M, Ellegren H, Eöry L, Erb I, Farré M, Fasold M, Fleming D, Flicek P, Fowler KE, Frésard L, Froman DP, Garceau V, Gardner PP, Gheyas AA, Griffin DK, Groenen MA, Haaf T, Hanotte O, Hart A, Häsler J, Hedges SB, Hertel J, Howe K, Hubbard A, Hume DA, Kaiser P, Kedra D, Kemp SJ, Klopp C, Kniel KE, Kuo R, Lagarrigue S, Lamont SJ, Larkin DM, Lawal RA, Markland SM, McCarthy F, McCormack HA, McPherson MC, Motegi A, Muljo SA, Münsterberg A, Nag R, Nanda I, Neuberger M, Nitsche A, Notredame C, Noyes H, O'Connor R, O'Hare EA, Oler AJ, Ommeh SC, Pais H, Persia M, Pitel F, Preeyanon L, Prieto Barja P, Pritchett EM, Rhoads DD, Robinson CM, Romanov MN, Rothschild M, Roux P, Schmidt CJ, Schneider A, Schwartz MG, Searle SM, Skinner MA, Smith CA, Stadler PF, Steeves TE, Steinlein C, Sun L, Takata M, Ulitsky I, Wang Q, Wang Y, Warren WC, Wood JM, Wragg D & Zhou H (2015) Third Report on Chicken Genes and Chromosomes 2015. Cytogenetic and Genome Research, 145 (2), pp. 78-179. https://doi.org/10.1159/000430927

Article

Segregation of infectious pancreatic necrosis resistance QTL in the early life cycle of Atlantic Salmon (Salmo salar): Segregation of IPN resistance QTL

Gheyas AA, Houston RD, Mota-Velasco JC, Guy DR, Tinch AE, Haley CS & Woolliams JA (2010) Segregation of infectious pancreatic necrosis resistance QTL in the early life cycle of Atlantic Salmon (Salmo salar): Segregation of IPN resistance QTL. Animal Genetics, 41 (5), pp. 531-536. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2052.2010.02032.x

Article

The susceptibility of Atlantic salmon fry to freshwater infectious pancreatic necrosis is largely explained by a major QTL

Houston RD, Haley CS, Hamilton A, Guy DR, Mota-Velasco JC, Gheyas AA, Tinch AE, Taggart J, Bron J, Starkey W, McAndrew B, Verner-Jeffreys DW, Paley RK, Tew IJ & Bishop SC (2010) The susceptibility of Atlantic salmon fry to freshwater infectious pancreatic necrosis is largely explained by a major QTL. Heredity, 105 (3), pp. 318-327. https://doi.org/10.1038/hdy.2009.171

Article

Heritability estimation of silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) harvest traits using microsatellite based parentage assignment

Gheyas AA, Woolliams JA, Taggart J, Sattar MA, Das TK, McAndrew B & Penman D (2009) Heritability estimation of silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) harvest traits using microsatellite based parentage assignment. Aquaculture, 294 (3-4), pp. 187-193. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/00448486; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aquaculture.2009.06.013

Book Chapter

Detection and confirmation of a major QTL affecting resistance to infectious pancreatic necrosis (IPN) in Atlantic salmon (Salmo Salar)

Houston RD, Gheyas AA, Hamilton A, Guy DR, Tinch AE, Taggart J, McAndrew B, Haley CS & Bishop SC (2008) Detection and confirmation of a major QTL affecting resistance to infectious pancreatic necrosis (IPN) in Atlantic salmon (Salmo Salar). In: Pinard M, Gay C, Patoret P & Dodet B (eds.) Animal Genomics for Animal Health: Paris, France, 25-27 October 2007. Developments in Biologicals, 132. Basel: Karger, pp. 199-204. http://content.karger.com/ProdukteDB/produkte.asp?doi=10.1159/000317160; https://doi.org/10.1159/000317160

Article

Detection of hybridization between Chinese carp species (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix and Aristichthys nobilis) in hatchery broodstock in Bangladesh, using DNA microsatellite loci

Mia MY, Taggart J, Gilmour AE, Gheyas AA, Das TK, Kohinoor AHM, Rahman MA, Sattar MA, Hussain MG, Mazid MA, Penman D & McAndrew B (2005) Detection of hybridization between Chinese carp species (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix and Aristichthys nobilis) in hatchery broodstock in Bangladesh, using DNA microsatellite loci. Aquaculture, 247 (1-4), pp. 267-273. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aquaculture.2005.02.018

Research programmes