疾病影響生命的各個方面—在細胞、組織、器官、個體、人口和生態系統層面。由于生命起源于一種水生媒介，對各種水生分類群中的疾病現象的研究，對疾病的分析、理解、預防和治療，包括那些現在居住在陸地環境和人類中的有機體，都有著重要的貢獻。DAO的目標是全面覆蓋這些重要的研究領域。

Diseases affect all facets of life - at the cell, tissue, organ, individual, population and ecosystem level. Since life originated in an aquatic medium, studies of disease phenomena in the wide array of aquatic taxa contribute significantly to the analysis, comprehension, prevention and treatment of diseases in general, including those of organisms now inhabiting terrestrial environments and of humans. DAO aims to fully cover these important research areas