** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** MUSCLE COMPRISES THE MOST VALUABLE PART OF GROWTH ACROSS A MULTITUDE OF SPECIES. THE HUMAN POPULATION IS CONTINUOUSLY INCREASING, AND PROTEIN ANIMAL PRODUCTION ACROSS ALL SPECIES MUST RISE TO MEET THE DEMAND. MAMMAL MUSCLE FIBER NUMBER IS SET AT BIRTH, TENDING ONLY TO DISPLAY HYPERTROPHIC MUSCLE GROWTH AFTER BIRTH. POTENTIALLY LIMITING OVERALL MUSCLE GROWTH AND, THUS, OVERALL PROTEIN YIELD. ADDITIONALLY, THE EXPANSION OF SPECIFICALLY RAINBOW TROUT FACILITIES IS LIMITED DUE TO THEIR SPECIFIC WATER QUALITY AND QUANTITY REQUIREMENTS. THE INVESTIGATION OF THE MOLECULAR MECHANISMS BEHIND INDETERMINATE MUSCLE GROWTH IN RAINBOW TROUT (ONCORHYNCHUS MYKISS) COULD DEEPEN THE UNDERSTANDING OF HYPERPLASTIC GROWTH AS WELL AS BE ABLE TO ALTER IT USING MICRORNA APPLICATION.MIRNA-133A HAS BEEN ASSOCIATED WITH MUSCLE HYPERPLASIA AND WAS RECENTLY IDENTIFIED IN RAINBOW TROUT. FURTHER EVALUATION OF THE RESPECTIVE MIRNA ACROSS DIFFERENT DEVELOPMENTAL STAGES COULD HELP SELECT A TIME POINT WHERE THE MIRNA TECHNOLOGY COULD APPLY TO ALTER MUSCLE HYPERPLASTIC GROWTH.