Dr P. Eckhard Witten joins Skretting ARC as Manager of Health Department

Dr Paul Eckhard Witten was appointed Manager of the Health Department at Skretting Aquaculture Research Centre in Stavanger with effect from 1 October 2010.

Dr Witten has a long and broad expertise in fish nutrition and health. His educational background comprises a Master of Science in microbiology, biochemistry and zoology and a PhD on skeletal development and remodelling.

Previously Dr Witten was Guest Professor in the Biology Department at Ghent University, Belgium. Prior to that he worked as researcher at several institutions such as the School of Medicine in his native city Hamburg in Germany, the Institute of Marine Research at the University of Kiel and the Institute of Aquatic Research (Sunndalsøra, Norway). He also held academic positions as Adjunct Professor at Dalhousie University (Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada) and as a Guest Scientist at the Institute for Marine Research, also in Halifax.

Dr Witten has collaborated with researchers from Skretting ARC in a number of projects since 2000. In his new position he will manage a team of five researchers and several PhD students.

“Through my work with people at Skretting ARC I’ve gained respect for the high quality of the research performed here. I look forward very much to being a part of the international team in Stavanger. My ambition is to contribute as much as possible to the scientific work to keep fish farming healthy and sustainable,”  Witten said.