Matthew R Miller

• PhD UTAS, BSc (hons) Melbourne Uni
• Consultant at Cawthron Institute

Background A genotype-by-environment (G × E) interaction is defined as genotypes responding differently to different environments. In salmonids, G × E interactions can occur in different rearing conditions, including changes in salinity or temperature. However, water flow, an important variable that can influence metabolism, has yet to be considere...

Considerable interest exists in the development of marine biological control (biocontrol) approaches to biofouling management. For most conceivable applications, the effectiveness of biocontrol at an operational scale is largely unproven, and considerable knowledge gaps and challenges remain. An important consideration for any biocontrol applicatio...

Evechinus chloroticus (commonly known as kina) is a sea urchin species endemic to New Zealand. Its roe is a culinary delicacy to the indigenous Māori and a globally exported food product. Echinochrome A (Ech A) is a bioactive compound isolated from the waste product of kina shells and spines; however, the molecular mechanisms of Ech A bioactivity a...

Background Osteoarthritis (OA) can cause disability and reduce quality of life (QoL). Objectives This study aimed to determine whether GreenShell mussel (GSM) powder (PERNAULTRA) consumption was more effective than placebo at improving physical performance and subjective measures of symptoms and function in adults with early signs of knee OA. Met...

Exercise regimes provide a promising opportunity to enhance production performance during hatchery rearing, but exercise-enhanced traits are presently poorly understood in Chinook salmon. In addition, spinal health can be a concern in some farms in New Zealand and unfavourable correlations between higher condition factor and spinal curvature have b...

Simple Summary Aquaculture plays a key role in many emerging economies. Sources of fish for human consumption now exceed those from capture fisheries. However, the high cost of food to feed fish limits investment returns. Physiological inefficiencies in the way fish digest and assimilate nutrients and energy from food can be improved to lower the a...

The present study aimed to determine the effect of whole meat GSM powder on gut microbiota abundance, body composition and iron status markers in healthy overweight or obese postmenopausal women. This was a 3-months trial involving forty-nine healthy postmenopausal women with body mass index (BMI) between 25 and 35 kg/m2 who were randomly assigned...

Unaccustomed eccentric exercise results in muscle damage limiting physical performance for several days. This study investigated if Greenshell™ mussel (GSM) powder consumption expedited muscle recovery from eccentric exercise-induced muscle damage (EIMD). Methods: Twenty untrained adult men were recruited into a double-blind, placebo-controlled, cr...

Purpose The mechanisms that underpin exercise-induced muscle damage and recovery are believed to be mediated, in part, by immune cells recruited to the site of injury. The aim of this study was to characterise the effects of muscle damage from bench-stepping on circulating cytokine and immune cell populations post-exercise and during recovery. Met...

Greenshell mussel (GSM- Perna canaliculus) is the most important aquaculture species in New Zealand and produces one of the most expensive bioactive lipid extracts on the nutraceutical market. There have been numerous studies on the composition of GSM as well as pre-clinical and clinical studies on the efficacy of GSM extracts and foods. With incre...

This poster was submitted to the Blue Economy CRC's 2023 Participants workshop to present how my PhD research can impact the industry. For more information visit: https://blueeconomycrc.com.au/2023-participant-workshop/

This study investigated the effects of different temperatures on the performance, composition, and nutrient retention of Chinook salmon reared in freshwater. Individuals (187.6 ± 27.1 g) were distributed into twelve tanks of 8000 L each (155 to 157 fish per tank) at a temperature of 14 °C. The tanks were transitioned from 14 °C (hatchery temperatur...

GreenshellTM mussels (GSMs), Perna canaliculus, are Aotearoa/New Zealand’s most important aquaculture species and is sold as a variety of food products worldwide. GSMs are a traditional and culturally valuable food of the Māori people. Following the development of a series of nutraceutical products (dried powders and extracted oils) by the GSM aqua...

Objective To investigate the effect of whole greenshell mussel (GSM) powder on biomarkers of cartilage metabolism, inflammatory cytokines, and joint symptoms in postmenopausal women with overweight/obesity and joint discomfort.DesignFifty-five postmenopausal women with overweight/obesity were randomly assigned to receive 3 g/day whole GSM powder or...

Feed efficiency (FE) is a critical phenotype for aquaculture sustainability, yet it is poorly understood at the molecular level. In this study, the molecular basis of FE was investigated using a multi-omics approach to integrate proteome-level data and metabolites associated with differences in feed efficiency. To achieve this, Chinook salmon (Onco...

The effect of feeding restricted rations was investigated in two different size classes of Chinook (King) salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha). Smaller individuals (725 g initial mean weight) were fed with 100% (satiation, SR1), 90.4% (SR2), or 81.6% (SR3) feed rations for 64 days, while larger individuals (1689 g initial mean weight) were fed with 10...

Abstract Fatty acids (FA), especially polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), are key biomolecules involved in immune responses, reproduction, and membrane fluidity. PUFA in marine environments are synthesized exclusively by primary producers. Therefore the FA composition of these organisms at the base of the food web (i.e., phytoplankton) and their pr...

Symbiodiniaceae are a diverse group of dinoflagellates, the majority of which are free-living and/or associated with a variety of protists and other invertebrate hosts. Maintenance of isolated cultures is labour-intensive and expensive, and cryopreservation provides an excellent avenue for their long-term storage. We aimed to cryopreserve 15 cultur...

The objective of this study was to develop a nutrient-demand model for King salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) based on a factorial nutrient demand approach. Growth potential was defined using laboratory data to define the thermal response boundaries and benchmarked against commercial farm-data. These factors were combined to determine the size spec...

Fatty acids (FA), especially polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), are key biomolecules involved in immune responses, reproduction, and membrane fluidity. PUFA in marine environments are synthesized exclusively by primary producers. Therefore the FA composition of these organisms at the base of the food web (i.e., phytoplankton) and their primary con...

Understanding the molecular mechanisms that underlie differences in feed efficiency (FE) is an important step toward optimising growth and achieving sustainable salmonid aquaculture. In this study, the liver and white muscle proteomes of feed efficient (EFF) and inefficient (INEFF) Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) reared in seawater were i...

In groups of fish, there is often interindividual and intraindividual variation in feed intake. To better understand mechanisms that underpin feed intake, the proteomic profiles of brain, liver, and intestine in high feed intake (HFI) and low feed intake (LFI) Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) were investigated. Liquid chromatography-tandem...

Obesity is considered to impair long‐term health by disturbing multiple physiological functions. However, it remains controversial issue, as to whether obesity has beneficial or detrimental effects on bone health in post‐menopausal women. The aims of this study were to investigate the relationships between obesity and bone mineral density (BMD) und...

We investigated the effects of temperature and fasting on chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) at different life stages. In the first stage, fish were reared at 13 °C (198.5 ± 34.6 g) or 17 °C (218.3 ± 47.6 g) and fasted for 27 and 26 days, respectively. In the second stage, fish reared at 13 °C (481.8 ± 54.3 g) and 17 °C (597.3 ± 64.3 g) were...

This study aimed to examine the changes in lipid and metabolite profiles of ovariectomized (OVX) rats with diet-induced metabolic syndrome-associated osteoarthritis (MetOA) after supplementation with greenshell mussel (GSM) using an untargeted liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) metabolomics approach. Ninety-six rats were fed with one o...

Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha), also referred to as King salmon, is a premium aquaculture species farmed in New Zealand and to a small extent in western Canada. Despite the high research investment in the 50s and 60s, literature on nutrition on chinook salmon from recent years is sparse, particularly when compared to other salmonid aquac...

Feed efficiency, the relative ability to convert feed nutrients into growth, is an important factor in the primary production of animals. Farming fish with improved feed efficiency is necessary to reduce production costs and achieve sustainability for the aquaculture industry. Proteomics provides an approach to discover biochemical mechanisms drivi...

The osteoclast-dependent bone resorption process is a crucial part of the bone regulatory system. The excessive function of osteoclasts can cause diseases of bone, joint, and other tissues such as osteoporosis and osteoarthritis. Greenshell mussel oil (GSM), a good source of long chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCn-3PUFAs), was fractiona...

Objectives Intervention studies using New Zealand green-lipped or greenshell™ mussel (GSM) ( Perna canaliculus ) extract in osteoarthritis (OA) patients have shown effective pain relief. This systematic review summarises the efficacy of GSM extracts in the treatment of OA. Methods A literature search of the three databases EMBASE, MEDLINE, and Sco...

Background New Zealand Greenshell™ mussels (GSM; Perna canaliculus ) have recently been shown to decrease cartilage degradation in a rat model of induced metabolic osteoarthritis (MetOA). However, this effect has not been investigated in human subjects. This study aims to determine the effect of GSM powder on biomarkers of cartilage metabolism, bon...

Greenshell™ mussel (GSM, Perna canaliculus) is New Zealand's most important aquaculture species. They are a good source of long chain-polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 LC PUFA). Beyond a traditional food product, GSMs are also sold as mussel powders and oil extract formats in the nutraceutical markets. In this study, a four-sequence, single dose, ra...

The prevalence of metabolic osteoarthritis has been increasing worldwide, particularly among women. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of the New Zealand greenshell mussel (Perna canaliculus; GSM) on osteoarthritis (OA) prevention in a rat model. One-hundred-and-eight female rats aged 12 weeks were divided into four test groups, c...

17 The prevalence of osteoarthritis (OA) is rising worldwide, with the most pronounced increase being 18 in the category of metabolic-associated osteoarthritis (MetOA). This is predicted to worsen with the 19 global rise in aging societies and obesity. To address this health burden, research is being conducted 20 to identify foods that can reduce t...

Background: New Zealand Greenshell™ mussels (GSM; Perna canaliculus) has recently been shown to decrease cartilage degradation in a rat model of induced metabolic osteoarthritis (MetOA). However, this effect has not been investigated in human subjects. This study aims to determine the effect of GSM powder on biomarkers of cartilage metabolism, bone...

The prevalence of osteoarthritis (OA) is rising worldwide, with the most pronounced increase being in the category of metabolic-associated osteoarthritis (MetOA). This is predicted to worsen with the global rise in aging societies and obesity. To address this health burden, research is being conducted to identify foods that can reduce the incidence...

Greenshell™ mussel (GSM, Perna canaliculus) and king (Chinook) salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) are New Zealand's two major aquaculture species generating $380 million NZD in exports during the 2017–18 financial year. This study addresses the development and validation of a method based on Fourier transform—near infrared reflectance spectroscopy (...

Background: Obesity-induced chronic inflammation is associated with metabolic syndrome, andoften leads to the development of osteoarthritis [...]

Near infrared spectroscopy has been employed to determine the proximate composition of Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) and Greenshell Mussels™ (Perna canaliculus). This work was presented at the Australian Near Infrared Spectroscopy Group and New Zealand Near Infrared Spectroscopy Society meeting in Rotorua, 11–12 April 2018, where it won...

The therapeutic benefits of Greenshell™ mussel (GSM; Perna canaliculus) preparations have been studied using in vitro test systems, animal models, and human clinical trials focusing mainly on anti-inflammatory and anti-arthritic effects. Activity is thought to be linked to key active ingredients that include omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, a v...

Greenshell™ mussel (GSM, Perna canaliculus) is New Zealand's most important aquaculture species. This study looked at changes in the proximate composition, lipid class and fatty acid profile of male and female market ready mussels over a year from April 2016 through to March 2017. There were differences over the season as well as differences betwee...

Docosapentaenoic acid (22:5n-3, n-3 DPA) is a n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) found in fish oil, and has been reported to have health benefits. This study investigated conversion of n-3 DPA, and examined the anti-inflammatory effects of n-3 DPA on activated macrophages. Murine macrophage-like RAW264.7 cells were incubated in culture media con...

The Australasian section of the American Oil Chemists’ Society (AAOCS) held their 9th biennial meeting in Geelong, Australia from 9 to 11 September 2015. Over 100 scientists, researchers and industry representatives gathered for the conference and two industry focused workshops. The conference theme was “looking back, thinking forward” which reflec...

The aim of this research was to determine the potential of immobilised digestive lipase from Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) to generate flavour compounds in milk. The lipase was immobilised on hydrophobic resin (Toyopearl® Butyl) and used to hydrolyse milk lipids in a batch reactor. The lipase was stable when immobilised and there was no...

For decades, the microalgae Isochrysis spp. have been widely utilised as a live feed in aquaculture practices. This species possesses a number of favourable characteristics, notably its long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (LC n-3 PUFA) content; primarily docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6n-3). This article describes the lipid class content a...

The joint symposium of The Omega-3 Centre and the Australasian Section American Oil Chemists Society; Recent Advances in Omega-3: Health Benefits, Sources, Products and Bioavailability, was held November 7, 2013 in Newcastle, NSW, Australia. Over 115 attendees received new information on a range of health benefits, aquaculture as a sustainable sour...

A rapid analytical approach for discrimination and quantitative determination of polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) contents, particularly eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), in a range of oils extracted from marine resources has been developed by using attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and m...

The beneficial health effects of a diet rich in n-3 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 LC-PUFA) have been extensively researched in recent years. Marine oils are an important dietary source of n-3 LC-PUFA, being especially rich in two of the most important fatty acids of this class, EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid; 20:5n-3) and DHA (docosahexae...

Greenshell™ mussels (GSM-Perna canaliculus) are a source of omega-3 (n-3) long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFA). Farmed GSM are considered to be a sustainable source of LC-PUFA as they require no dietary inputs, gaining all of their oil by filter-feeding microorganisms from sea water. GSM oil is a high-value product, with a value as much...

This selection of papers highlights a range of forward looking and also new (including) positive scientific outcomes in the omega-3 field.

Cyanobacterial mats are common in Antarctic lakes, ponds and on moist soils. The species comprising these mats have adapted to tolerate extreme conditions (e.g. high salinities and UV radiation, freezing and extended periods of darkness). In this study, cyanobacterial mats were collected from shallow melt-water ponds in Pyramid Trough in Southern V...

Greenshell™ mussels (Perna canaliculus) were dry-stored at 6.44±0.54°C for 8days during which time volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were monitored using SPME GC-MS. Thirty-four VOCs were identified in homogenised mussel meat and 29 in the mussel liquor (i.e. the seawater enclosed in the mantle cavity). Of the 34 VOCs identified 20 were reliably id...

The diatom Chaetoceros calcitrans is a microalgal species used as food for larva in aquaculture for many species worldwide. Chaetoceros calcitrans is an important source of omega 3 long chain (C ≥ 20) polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 LC PUFA), chiefly eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, 20:5n-3). This article reports lipid content, lipid class composition...

This study describes the potential use of New Zealand seaweed extracts as antioxidants in fish oils. The extracts from two brown seaweeds (Ecklonia radiata, Macrocystis pyrifera) and two red species (Champia sp. and Porphyra sp.), were added to hoki (Macruronus novaezelandiae) oil and assessed by production of oxidation products in an elevated temp...

The Australasian section of the American Oil Chemists Society (AAOCS) held their biennial meeting in Adelaide, Australia on 8–11 November 2011. Over 70 scientists, researchers and industry representatives gathered for three days of talks and discussions on lipid related topics. A highlight was the hot topic symposium on the new olive oil standard b...

This study investigated the levels of γ-linolenic (GLA, 18:3n-6) and stearidonic acid (SDA, 18:4n-3) in various parts of the borage plant (Borago officinalis L.) to elucidate Δ6-desaturase activity. Lipid class and fatty acid (FA) composition during germination of the seeds and FA composition of various borage parts were determined as well as FA co...

Digestive lipases from Chinook salmon and New Zealand hoki were evaluated as flavour modifying agents in dairy products. Cream was incubated either with fish lipase or commercially available lipases used in dairy flavour development – calf pregastric esterase (Renco™ PGE) and microbial lipase (Palatase® 20,000 L). The fish enzymes were more similar...

The lipid profiles of the two most important New Zealand marine oil sources were investigated, with particular attention to the regioisomeric compositions of triacylglycerides (TAG), using 13C-nuclear magnetic resonance analysis. Oils from hoki (Macruronus novaezelandiae) and Greenshell™ mussel (Perna canaliculus) (GSM) were analyzed for their lipi...

Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) can produce (n-3) long-chain (LC)-PUFA when fed biosynthetic precursors. This has potential for developing sustainable aquafeeds. Echium oil (EO) is rich in stearidonic acid [SDA; 18:4(n-3)] and bypasses the initial Delta6 desaturase (FAD6) step in the (n-3) LC-PUFA biosynthetic pathway. EO was fed to seawater Atlan...

The present review examines renewable sources of oils with n-3 long-chain (> or = C20) PUFA (n-3 LC-PUFA) as alternatives to oil from wild-caught fish in aquafeeds. Due to the increased demand for and price of wild-caught marine sources of n-3 LC-PUFA-rich oil, their effective and sustainable replacement in aquafeeds is an industry priority, especi...

Phytosterols occur in high concentration in canola (Brassica napus L.) and other vegetable oils such as from the borage plant Echium (Echium plantagineum L.). We investigated if Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) digest and accumulate dietary phytosterols in significant amounts in muscle and liver. Phytosterols are lipid soluble, lower cholesterol and r...

Replacing fish oil with that from a docosahexaenoic acid (22:6omega3, DHA) rich single cell micro-organism, thraustochytrid Schizochytrium sp. L, in diets for Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) was investigated. Four experimental diets containing 100% thraustochytrid oil (TO), 100% palm oil (PO) and a 4:1 palm and thraustochytrid oil mixture (MX) were c...

The worldwide increase in aquaculture production and the concurrent decrease of wild fish stocks has made the replacement of fish oil in aquafeeds an industry priority. Oil from a plant source Echium plantagineum L., Boraginaceae, has high levels of stearidonic acid (SDA, 18:4omega3, 14%) a biosynthetic precursor of omega-3 long-chain (> or =C(20))...

Regiospecific and traditional analysis, of both storage and membrane lipids, was performed on gill, white muscle, and red muscle samples taken from Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) to gauge the effect of elevated water temperature. The fish, fed a commercial diet, were held at an elevated water temperature of 19 degrees C. Total n-3 PUFA, total PUFA,...

The major phospholipids of Halorubrum lacusprofundi grown at 25 degrees C were archaeol phosphatidylglycerol, archaeol phosphatidylglycerylsulphate and archaeol phosphatidylglycerylphosphate methyl ester. Glycolipids included a monoglycosyl archaeol and the sulphate ester of a diglycosyl archaeol. Cultures grown at 12 degrees C contained the same s...

Direct analysis of membrane lipids by liquid chromatography-electrospray mass spectrometry was used to demonstrate the role of unsaturation in ether lipids in the adaptation of Methanococcoides burtonii to low temperature. A proteomics approach using two-dimensional liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry was used to identify enzymes involved in li...

A Clathria sp. collected during scientific trawling operations in the Great Australian Bight, Australia, has yielded the new alkaloid mirabilin G (1). A structure was secured for 1 by detailed spectroscopic analysis and comparison to known marine alkaloids.

A Clathria sp. collected in the Great Australian Bight has yielded the novel metabolites clathrins A (6), B (7), and C (8). Structures were assigned to clathrins A-C on the basis of spectroscopic analysis. Clathrin A (6) represents a plausible biosynthetic intermediate that provides an inferred link between marine sesquiterpene/benzenoids and mixed...