Dr Susan Kueh ~ Senior Research Fellow Aquaculture

Dr Susan Gibson-Kueh did her BVSc at Sydney University, MSc at Institute of Aquaculture, Stirling University, UK and PhD on ‘Diseases of Asian seabass or barramundi, Lates calcarifer Bloch’ at Murdoch University, Western Australia.

She has developed a broad perspective of the aquaculture industry from three decades of working in governments and academia, which guides and informs her research. One of her earlier roles was as Head of the Aquatic Animal Health Laboratory, AgriFood and Veterinary Authority of Singapore for over a decade. Her expertise spans national disease surveillance, biosecurity, fish health management, diagnostic pathology, microbiology, and the study of novel and complex diseases in tropical aquaculture.  

Dr Gibson-Kueh published the first reports of two important diseases of Asian seabass or barramundi, scale drop and big belly which can cause devastating mortalities of up to 100%. Her current research is focused on the translation of an in-depth knowledge of gaps in aquatic animal health in aquaculture into her research goals. She believes that the key to successful management of diseases lies in advancing current knowledge in applied fish physiology, immunology and gene expression. She is passionate about promoting livelihoods to empower remote communities through quality education and research, in line with UN sustainable development goals to alleviate poverty.

She was the first to describe a coccidian parasite of L. calcarifer which was subsequently named after her, Goussia kuehae. Description of Goussia kuehae n. sp. (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) 

She taught over 900 veterinary students at Murdoch University, over 200 aquaculture students at James Cook University Singapore, supervised  1 PhD and 5 Honours students successfully to completion, and is currently supervising 3 PhD students working on diseases of L. calcarifer. 

She is a member of the Australian and New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists in the Medicine and Management of Aquaculture species (by examination). 

• CNA Visionary Education Campaign 

• JCU Pop Science Series – Do Fish Get Thirsty?

Teaching

• MI2031: Diagnosis of Bacterial Diseases in Aquaculture (Level 2; SIN & TSV)

Interests

Research

• Fish Pathology
• Fish Diseases in Tropical Aquaculture
• Sustainable livelihoods in remote communities

Experience

• 2022 to present - Honorary Senior Research Fellow, Harry Butler Institute, Centre for Sustainable Aquatic Ecosystems, Murdoch University (Western Australia)
• 2019 to present - Senior Research Fellow (Aquatic Animal Health), Tropical Futures Institute, James Cook University (Singapore)
• 2022 - Guest Editor, Special Issue "Creating a brighter future for life in the tropics.", MDPI Journal, Sustainability (https://www.mdpi.com/journal/sustainability/special_issues/Sus_futurelife_tropics)
• 2017 to 2019 - Senior Veterinary Fish Pathologist, Department of Primary Industry and Regional Development (Western Australia)
• 2007 to 2017 - Lecturer (0.2 FTE), Murdoch University (Western Australia)
• 1997 to 2007 - National Focal Aquatic Animal Disease Reporting Person, AgriFood & Veterinary Authority of Singapore (Singapore)
• 1997 to 2007 - Head/Aquatic Animal Health Laboratory, AgriFood & Veterinary Authority (Singapore)
• 1995 to 1997 - Veterinary Fish Pathologist, AgriFood & Veterinary Authority (Singapore)
• 1991 to 1995 - Companion Animal Veterinarian, The Animal Clinic (Singapore)

Research Disciplines

• Fisheries sciences (3005)
• Veterinary sciences (3009)

Socio-Economic Objectives

• Fisheries - aquaculture (1002)

Memberships

• 2016 - Member of Australian and New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists in Medicine & Management of Aquaculture Species By examination

Other

• 2023 - R&D services in Exploring microbiome dynamics and potential pathogenic risks in aquatic exhibits at Singapore River Wonders. Awarded to Shen X & Gibson-Kueh S. Direct industry funding from Mandai Wildlife Group, Singapore (SGD 26,959)
• 2023 - Farm Outreach Program (Workshop series to Singaporean fish farmers). Awarded to Domingos JA & Gibson-Kueh S. Singapore Food Agency (SFA) (SGD 20,000)
• 2022 - Aquatic Veterinary Consultancy services . Awarded to Gibson-Kueh S. Direct industry funding from Aquaculture Centre of Excellence (SGD 66,000)
• 2022 - A study on seafood market consumption and production trends in Singapore, funded by World Wildlife Fund (WWF). Co-Investigator (SGD40,000)
• 2014 - The Crawford Fund Grant (WA-645-2014) for a Fish Disease Investigation Master Class held at Ninth Symposium on Diseases in Asian Aquaculture, Vietnam, 24-28 Nov 2014. AUD7,960.00 https://www.crawfordfund.org/news/fish-disease-investigation-goes-digital/
• 2022 to 2026 - Supercharging barramundi production through adv. sel. breeding for improved disease resistance, growth, and fillet yield. Co-Investigator (SGD 4,752,360)
• 2021 to 2022 - R&D services in the testing of monoglyceride feed additives for fish. Awarded to Gibson-Kueh S; Domingos JA & Shen X. Direct industry funding from Adisseo (SGD 170,228)
• 2016 - The Crawford Fund (WA-728-2016) for “Capacity Building in developing aquaculture as a sustainable means of livelihoods in Timor Leste” in collaboration with WorldFish. AUD12,000
• 2013 - Co-PI, FRDC Project 2012/050 “Aquatic Animal Health Subprogram: Edwardsiella ictaluri survey in wild catfish populations” (AUD83,536.00)

These are the most recent publications associated with this author. To see a detailed profile of all publications stored at JCU, visit ResearchOnline@JCU. Hover over Altmetrics badges to see social impact.

Journal Articles

• Chew X and Gibson-Kueh S (in press) The haematology of clinically healthy, farmed juvenile Asian seabass (Lates calcarifer Bloch)-reference intervals, and indicators of subclinical disease. Journal of Fish Diseases,
• Chew X, Gibson-Kueh S, Jerry D and Shen X (2023) Comparison of intestinal bacterial communities in asymptomatic and diseased Asian seabass (Lates calcarifer) with chronic enteritis and mixed bacterial infections. Aquaculture, 572.
• Gibson-Kueh S, Awate S and Schrittwieser M (2023) The pathology of Lates calcarifer herpesviral disease—Disseminated intravascular coagulation explains mortality spikes. Journal of Fish Diseases, 46 (8). pp. 861-871
• Domingos J, Shen X, Terence C, Senapin S, Dong H, Tan M, Gibson-Kueh S and Jerry D (2021) Scale Drop Disease Virus (SDDV) and Lates calcarifer Herpes Virus (LCHV) coinfection downregulate immune-relevant pathways and cause splenic and kidney necrosis in barramundi under commercial farming conditions. Frontiers in Genetics, 12.
• Gibson-Kueh S and Uichanco J (2021) The pathology associated with putative algal toxicosis in red snapper, Lutjanus species (Bloch 1790). Journal of Fish Diseases, 44 (6). pp. 857-861
• Gibson-Kueh S, Terence C, Chew X, Uichanco J and Shen X (2021) PCR, in-situ hybridization, and phylogenetic analysis suggest that ‘big belly’ disease in barramundi, Lates calcarifer (Bloch), is caused by a novel Vibrio species. Journal of Fish Diseases, 44 (12). pp. 1985-1992
• Terence C, Domingos J, Angelo Uichanco J, Monteil Y, Monteil L, De Braux E, Banh Q, Gibson-Kueh S and Jerry D (2021) Early sex change of barramundi Lates calcarifer farmed in Singapore. Aquaculture Reports, 20.
• Zorin B, Gibson-Kueh S and Zilberg D (2019) A novel treatment against the monogenean parasite, Gyrodactylus turnbulii, infecting guppies (Poecilia reticulata), using a plant-based commercial insecticide Timor C. Aquaculture, 501. pp. 313-318
• Kelly E, Barbosa A, Gibson-Kueh S and Lymbery A (2018) Haematozoa of wild catfishes in northern Australia. International Journal for Parasitology: Parasites and Wildlife, 7 (1). pp. 12-17
• Kelly E, Martin P, Gibson-Kueh S, Morgan D, Ebner B, Donaldson J, Buller N, Crook D, Brooks S, Davis A, Hammer M, Foyle L, Hair S and Lymbery A (2018) First detection of Edwardsiella ictaluri (Proteobacteria: Enterobacteriaceae) in wild Australian catfish. Journal of Fish Diseases, 41 (2). pp. 199-208
• Chin H, Loh R, Hong Y and Gibson-Kueh S (2017) Case studies of spinal deformities in ornamental koi, Cyprinus carpio L. Journal of Fish Diseases, 40 (1). pp. 65-71
• Kelly E and Gibson-Kueh S (2017) Renal mucous production in Australian freshwater plotosid and ariid catfishes. Journal of Fish Biology, 90 (1). pp. 435-442

More

ResearchOnline@JCU stores 29+ research outputs authored by Dr Susan Kueh from 2001 onwards.

Advisory Accreditation: I can be on your Advisory Panel as a Primary or Secondary Advisor.

These Higher Degree Research projects are either current or by students who have completed their studies within the past 5 years at JCU. Linked titles show theses available within ResearchOnline@JCU.

Current

• The Pathobiology of Enteritis Complex in Cultured Barramundi, Lates calcarifer (PhD , Secondary Advisor)
• The Epidemiology of 'Scale Drop Disease' in Farmed Lates Calcarifer in Singapore (PhD , Primary Advisor)
• Using Environmental DNA (eDNA) as an early Detection and Monitoring Tool for Fish Ectoparisites Affecting Aquaculture in Southeast Asia (PhD , Primary Advisor)

The map shows research collaborations by institution from the past 7 years.
Note: Map points are indicative of the countries or states that institutions are associated with.