Prof. (Emeritus) Gad Degani

Prof. (Emeritus) Gad Degani
Research Group Leader
Phone
97246953544

Biology and Physiology of Fish and Amphibians
This field involves research into species of fish and amphibians that are less well known. The areas of research are: reproduction growth and nutrition in nature and behavior. In addition, certain aspects of environmental physiology of species of fish and amphibians are under examination: the objects of this aspect of research is the study of metabolism, and the influence of temperature on growth, the physiological adaptation of amphibians to their environment, in water economy and the control of body fluids under the influence of different environmental conditions of moisture and temperature, especially salinity tolerance and osmoregulation. These are studies in the fields of comparative and environmental physiology.

Nutrition of Fish and Amphibians
This research can be divided into a number of areas. A portion deals with the natural food of animals. Another portion involves efforts to improve the formulation of artificial food for fish (a) through learning the chemical body composition of fish, and from this determining the percentages of its required ingredients; (b) through examining the value of protein in fish food; (c) examining the value of fats,); (d) examining the value of carbohydrates. At present, work in nutrition concentrates on the development of the formulation of food for tropical fish.

The Influence of Hormones on the Growth and Reproduction of Fish (molecular endocrinology)
Current work concerns the steroids and other hormones of fish, and their influence on various processes in fish, in particular growth, body composition, food requirements and enzymatic processes . Particularly worth mentioning is the breakthrough in which Prof. Degani has shown that growth hormones and insulin can be absorbed into the body of the fish through oral administration: up to that time it was thought that whole proteins could not be absorbed into the bloodstream via the gills or the digestive system. Further work on the reproductive system has shown that other proteinous hormones can be administered in the same way, e.g., gonadotropin. Present research work concerns hormonal control of reproduction.

Animals in the Ecological System and Environmental Behavior
Dr Degani's work on the ecology of water systems concentrates mainly on the interrelationship between various animals and their aquatic ecosystems, especially environmental influences such as water quality and food, the prime factors in animal interaction. There is an additional interest in behavioral models of animals in nature, aiming to establish how the animal adapts itself to its environment through its behavior

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Education
Ph.D. 1979, Department of Zoology, Tel Aviv University
M.Sc. 1976, Department of Biology, Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa

Academic and research experience
Since 2008-2013: Chairperson, M.Sc. Program, Department of Biotechnology, Tel Hai College
Since 1998: Professor, Tel-Hai College Faculty of Sciences and Technology
Since 1997: Professor, Faculty of Agriculture, Hebrew University
Since 1986-2011: Scientific Director, MIGAL - Galilee Technology Center
1999 – 2003: Dean of the Faculty of Sciences and Technology, Tel-Hai College
1987 – 1999: Academic Director of Agriculture, Tel-Hai College
1994: Visiting Professor, University of Maryland
1993: Adjunct Professor, East Carolina University, NC
1991: Visiting Scientist, City University of New York, Brooklyn College
1990-2000 Head of Golan Research institute
1983 – 1984: Visiting Scientist, East Carolina University, NC, USA
1981 – 1982: Research Associate, Department of Biology, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology
Since 1979: Lecturer, Tel-Hai College Faculty of Sciences and Technology and researcher at MIGAL - Galilee Technological Center.

 

Books
Degani, G. & Gallagher, M.L. (1995). Growth and Nutrition of Eels. Israel: Laser Pages Publishing.

Degani, G. (1996). The Salamander at the Southern Limit of its Distribution. Israel: Laser Pages Publishing. 1996 Salamandra Israel PDF.pdf

Degani, G. (2001). Blue Gourami (Truchogaster Trichopterus) Model for Labyrinth Fish. Israel: Laser Pages Publishing. 2001 Blue Gourami Book PDF.pdf

Degani, G. & Yom-Din, G. (2005). Research on New Fish Species for Aquaculture in Northern Israel. Haifa, Israel: Ayalon Offset Ltd. 2005 New Fish North Israel Book  PDF.pdf

Degani, G. 2019. The Fire Salamandra (Salamandra infraimmaculata) and the Banded Newt (Triturus vittatus) Along the Southern Border of Their. Published by Scientific Research Publishing, Inc. ISBN: 978-1-61896-693-3. 2019 THE FIRE SALAMANDRA E-book.pdf

Degani, G. (2022). Interaction of Sexual Behavior and Hormone Gene Expression in the Labyrinthici Fish Blue Gourami (Trichogaster trichopterus) during Reproduction. 2022 Link to the book.

Scientific Publications

Oogenesis and steroid profile during the reproductory cycle of female angelfish Pterophyllum scalare

G. Degani; R. Boker; E. Gal; K. Jackson
Indian Journal of Fisheries 1997 Volume 44 Pages 1-10
1997

The relationship between gonadotropin and sexual behavior of male Trichogaster trichopterus (Pallas)

E. Mananos; Y. Zohar; G. Degani
Indian Journal of Fisheries 1997 Volume 44 Pages 239-246
1997

Apparent digestibility of protein and carbohydrate in feed ingredients for adult tilapia (Oreochromis aureus x O. niloticus)

G. Degani; S. Viola; Y. Yehuda
Israeli Journal of Aquaculture - Bamidgeh 1997 Volume 49 Issue 3 Pages 115-123
1997

Oogenesis and the ovarian cycle in Salamandra salamandra infraimmaculata Mertens (Amphibia; Urodela; Salamandridae) in fringe areas of the Taxon's distribution

R. Sharon; G. Degani; M. R. Warburg
Journal of Morphology 1997 Volume 231 Issue 2 Pages 149-160
1997

Changes in plasma and pituitary GtH-II levels in vitro and in vivo in female blue gourami during the end of vitellogenesis and final oocyte maturation

G. Degani; E. L. Mananos; K. Jackson; M. Abraham; Y. Zohar
Journal of Experimental Zoology 1997 Volume 279 Issue 4 Pages 377-385
1997

Salamandra Salamandra at The Southern Limit of Its Distribution

Book
Tel-Hai College School of Science and Technology, Israel
Golan Research Institute, University of Haifa, Kazrin, Israel
Department of Biology, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, USA
1996

Growth hormone, gonad development, and steroid levels in female carp

G. Degani; R. Boker; K. Jackson
Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology - C Pharmacology Toxicology and Endocrinology 1996 Volume 115 Issue 2 Pages 133-140
1996

Steroid and carp pituitary extract influences on follicle frequency in vitellogenesis and maturation of Trichogaster trichopterus

G. Degani; M.L. Gallagher
Journal of Aquaculture in the Tropics 1996 Volume 11 Pages 39-48
1996

The effect of dietary protein level, water temperature and growth hormone administration on growth and metabolism in the common carp (Cyprinus carpio)

M. Fine; D. Zilberg; Z. Cohen; G. Degani; B. Moav; A. Gertler
Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology - A Physiology 1996 Volume 114 Issue 1 Pages 35-42
1996

The salamander at the southern limit of its distribution

Degani, G.
Israel: Laser Pages Publishing ,1996
1996

Effect of diets on reproduction of angelfish, Pterophyllum scalare (Cichlidae)

G. Degani; Y. Yehuda
Indian Journal of Fisheries 1996 Volume 43 Pages 121-126
1996

Growth and nutrition of eels

Degani, G. & Gallagher, M.L.
Israel: Laser Pages Publishing ,1995
1995

Sexual dimorphism in yellow European eels, Anguilla anguilla (L.)

D. Kushnirov; G. Degani
Aquaculture Research 1995 Volume 26 Issue 6 Pages 409-414
1995

The effect of LHRH analogue on sex steroid profiles in female Trichogaster trichopterus (Anabantidae, Pallas)

G. Degani; K. Jackson; G. Marmelstein
Journal of Aquaculture in the Tropics 1995 Volume 10 Pages 297-307.
1995

Variations in brood size and birth rates of Salamandra salamandra (Amphibia, Urodela) from different habitats in northern Israel

G. Degani; M. R. Warburg
Amphibia-Reptilia 1995 Volume 16 Issue 4 Pages 341-349
1995

Eel culture

Gallagher, M.L. & Degani, G.
In Encyclopedia of aquaculture ,1995, Stickney, R. Ed. ,John Wiley and Sons, Inc Hoboken, NJ, Pages 277-283
1995

Ecophysiology of Salamandra salamandra at the southern limit of its distribution

G. Degani
Mertensiella 1994 Volume 4 Pages 111-124
1994

Effect of gonadotropin and steroids on vitellogenesis during ovarian development in Trichogaster trichopterus

G. Degani
J.AQUACULT.TROP. 1994 Volume 9 Issue 1 Pages 15-23
1994

In vitro biosynthesis of steroids in ovary of asynchronic Trichogaster trichopterus (Pallus, 1770)

G. Degani; E. Gal; J. Vaya
Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology - B Biochemistry and Molecular Biology 1994 Volume 109 Issue 4 Pages 715-723
1994

Oocyte maturation triggered by the presence of male in the blue gourami, Trichogaster trichopterus

K. Jackson; M. Abraham; G. Degani
Journal of Morphology 1994 Volume 220 Issue 1 Pages 08-???
1994

Relationship between current velocity, depth and the invertebrate community in a stable river system

G. Degani; G. N. Herbst; R. Ortal; H. J. Bromley; D. Levanon; Y. Netzer; N. Harari; H. Glazman
Hydrobiologia 1993 Volume 263 Issue 3 Pages 163-172
1993

Effect of sexual behavior on oocyte development and steroid changes in Trichogaster trichopterus (Pallas)

G. Degani
Copeia 1993 Issue 4 Pages 1091-1096
1993

Reproduction control in multi-spawning asynchronic Tricho-gaster trichopterus (Pallas) as a model for anabantidae family

G. Degani
Trends in Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology 1993 Volume 1 Pages 1269-1275
1993

Growth and body composition of juveniles of Pterophyllum scalare (Lichtenstein) (Pisces; Cichlidae) at different densities and diets

G. Degani
Aquaculture & Fisheries Management 1993 Volume 24 Issue 6 Pages 725-730
1993

Pheromone of male blue gourami and its effect on vitellogenesis, steroidogenesis and gonadotropin cells in pituitary of the female

G. Degani; M. P. Schreibman
Journal of Fish Biology 1993 Volume 43 Issue 3 Pages 475-485
1993