Oluwabusayo Israel Okeleye
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/oluwabusayo-okeleye
Email: O.I.Okeleye@sms.ed.ac.uk
PhD Project: Genetic basis for disease resistance to the most pressing infectious diseases affecting Scottish farmed Atlantic salmon
Supervised by: Dr Nick Wade (1st supervisor), Prof. Dan Macqueen, and Dr Clemence Fraslin (The Roslin Institute)
Postgraduate research
​My PhD sits within the SalmoStrong project, which is jointly funded by the BBSRC and Mowi. I will investigate the genetic basis for resistance traits to diseases affecting farmed Atlantic salmon. Integrating whole genome sequencing with other advanced genomic datasets, I aim to identify the specific genes and genetic variants responsible for variation in the response of different fish to diseases caused by viral and bacterial pathogens. The results I produce will help support breeding decisions with the aim to enhance the robustness of Scottish farmed salmon and improve the industry’s sustainability.
Biography and previous work
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I completed my bachelor degree in Fisheries Management at the University of Ibadan, Nigeria, where I gained foundational knowledge in fish disease management. Subsequently, I completed the International Master’s in Health Management in Aquaculture, a joint Erasmus Mundus program coordinated by Ghent University, with studies at UAB, UB, and UPC in Barcelona, Spain. At the Institute of Parasitology, Czech, I did my internship research on the immunomodulatory activities of an AMP from Anisakis simplex on common carp blood cells against different strains of Edwardsiella tarda. My master’s thesis at the Institute Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Barcelona, focused on developing novel recombinant subunit vaccine against IHNV for salmonids. There, I became interested in understanding the effects of genetic variation on the immune responses of farmed salmon to infectious diseases.​
I am passionate for knowledge and curiosity continues to drive my strive for continuous learning. Science has shown me that possibility is limited only by the extent of human imagination, and strategic partnerships is pivotal to attaining excellence. Therefore, I am prepared to collaborate while sharing useful information that helps to advance knowledge for humanity’s benefit
Outside of work​
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Outside academia and research, I enjoy music, sight-seeing, and playing board games.
Publications
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Rojas-Peña, M., Aceituno, P., Ordóñez-Grande, B., García-Ordoñez, M., Liang, X., Okeleye, O., Ji, J., & Roher, N. (2026). Oral antiviral vaccines in aquaculture: Current status, challenges, and future prospects. Fish & Shellfish Immunology, 168, 110962. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fsi.2025.110962.
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Okeleye, O. I., Majstorovic, J., Sudharaka, A., Triga, A., Mandralakis, M., Katharios, P., & Mladineo, I. (2025). Common carp (Cyprinus carpio) blood cells are modulated by a parasitic antimicrobial peptide, A-2S and Edwardsiella tarda strains. Fish & Shellfish Immunology, 164, 110427. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fsi.2025.110427.
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Omitoyin, B. O., Ajani, E. K., Okeleye, O. I., Akpoilih, B. U., & Ogunjobi, A. A. (2017). Biological treatments of fish farm effluent and its reuse in the culture of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus). Journal of Aquaculture Research & Development, 8, 469. https://doi.org/10.4172/2155-9546.1000469.