Designing the future of fish health

Prospective Research has secured $1.7 million in funding in order to develop feed-based alternatives to antibiotics and other medications in aquaculture.

The Boston-based biotechnology company, has recently diversified from the human health sector into aquaculture. It employs specific bacteria paired with microbial signaling molecules to modulate bacterial behavior and provide preventative solutions against harmful bacteria and parasites found in fish, shrimp and shellfish. 

Founders Dakota Hamil (CEO) and Jake Cotter (COO) stated that: "We are excited to be building products that will solve real problems in the industry in a non-intrusive, cost effective, and natural way. Bacteria have been around for a lot longer than we have and we’ve spent the past few years learning to speak their language. Being able to influence the behavior of a group of organisms that’s been perfecting its chemistry over billions of years is yielding promising results. Our major focuses right now for product development are on EMS in shrimp and sea-lice in salmon. We believe we can have the greatest impact in the shortest time-frame in these particular sectors.” 

Prospective Research is part of aquaculture accelerator Hatch’s second cohort, which recently spent six months in Cork, Ireland.

Dr Carsten Krome, CEO of Hatch, says: “It is fantastic to see another one of our companies receive institutional funding from an experienced investor. We´re excited for the team at Prospective Research, they have a good shot at revolutionising the multi-billion dollar industry of disease management while making aquaculture more sustainable by reducing the need for antibiotics even further.”