College of Agriculture & Natural Resources Department of Fisheries and Wildlife

Major Advisor:

Thomas Loch

Background:

Faith Ojelade earned her B.S. in Aquaculture and Fisheries Management from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria. She then completed the Erasmus Mundus Joint Master’s degree in Aquaculture, Environment, and Society, a collaborative program delivered by the University of the Highlands and Islands (UK), the University of Crete (Greece), and Nantes University (France). For her master’s thesis, she developed a multiplex assay for the detection of common pathogenic Tenacibaculum species in aquaculture.

She is now pursuing her Ph.D. at Michigan State University under the supervision of Dr. Thomas Loch. Her doctoral research focuses on Renibacterium salmoninarum, the causative agent of bacterial kidney disease in salmonids, with the goal of advancing understanding and developing solutions to mitigate its impact on aquaculture production. Beyond her dissertation, Faith is broadly interested in sustainable aquaculture practices, aquatic animal health, and the development of innovative diagnostics and disease management strategies that reduce reliance on antibiotics. She is also passionate about bridging science and industry by translating research findings into practical tools that can benefit fish farmers and promote resilient food systems.