Affiliation: Louisiana State University Agricultural Center, School of Renewable Natural Resources, Aquatic Germplasm and Genetic Resources Center (AGGRC)

Dr. Tiersch’s career has primarily addressed technology development for the study, maintenance, and distribution of genetic resources of aquatic species. This has included 30 years of work in reproduction and genetic improvement for aquaculture and germplasm repository development for species relevant to aquaculture, wild fisheries, biomedical models, and imperiled species. Over this time, he has collaborated extensively throughout various aquatic species communities in the USA and abroad with other scientists, fish hatcheries and farmers, and state and federal agencies including NIH, USDA, US Fish, and Wildlife Service, USAID, and NOAA. This also includes long-standing relationships with NIH biomedical stock centers such as the Xiphophorus Genetic Stock Center and the Zebrafish International Resource Center. This work has been driven by identifying and responding to the demands of numerous and diverse user communities to move interdisciplinary research, such as open hardware, to real-world applications including commercialization.