Associate Professor Tomer Ventura pioneered the application of single gene silencing to induce fully functional sex change in crustaceans. This has wide application for practicing Monosex Population Culture (all-male or all-female), which has tremendous value for the entire aquaculture industry. This is the first application of gene silencing in aquaculture. Associate Professor Ventura’s molecular expertise is vital in translating novel basic scientific results into applicable biotechnologies. He is leading a group dedicated to better understand the molecular mechanism underlying crustacean masculinity and metamorphosis and is participating in an attempt to understand the genetic cause for vertebrae deformities and flesh colour variation in salmon.