Dr Ross Houston is Director of Genetics & Innovation at Benchmark where he leads Benchmark’s global breeding programs for Atlantic salmon and whiteleg shrimp. He also leads R&D activities, with a particular focus on applications of emerging technologies, including reproductive technologies and gene editing, and is Chair of Benchmark Innovation Board. Ross has over 20 years of experience in applied genetics research in aquaculture breeding, with approximately 120 peer reviewed publications and 7,000 citations. His work has included the development and use of new genomic tools to understand and improve disease resistance traits in aquaculture species. Ross moved to Benchmark in 2022, and prior to this was Chair of Aquaculture Genetics and Deputy Director of the Roslin Institute at the University of Edinburgh.