BRITELab is the home of biology education research in the school BioSciences. Our group researches and evaluates innovative teaching practices in our Biosciences subjects. Research interests of BRITE include improving conceptual understanding of biological concepts, supporting scientific skill development, improving assessment design and online learning
Many scientists in the school study humans and human health: how the body develops, how it is affected by mutations, pathogens and the environment, and how it has evolved.
Particular areas of focus are the study of how life begins and carries on to the next generation, and how basic mechanisms of reproduction and development are disrupted by harmful chemicals and pollution in our environment as well as by genetic disorders. We study fundamental genetic mechanisms underlying development, homeostasis, disease, and physiology using powerful biomedical organisms such as fruit flies, zebrafish, marsupials, mouse, and humans themselves. We study how the body is assailed by pathogenic agents such as fungi and mosquito-borne pathogens that cause malaria and dengue fever and explore new strategies to combat these. Finally, we address our place on earth as a species, how our genomes have evolved and how our existing populations are structured.
The supervisors below have projects available in the area of Biotechnology and Translational researchThe living cell possesses extraordinary capabilities that allow it to sense and respond to its environment, metabolise nutrients required for growth and division and undergo changes in cell shape and function. All of these processes are under the control of the hereditary instructions or genes it expresses, from among the thousands in its genome.The Ecology and Conservation group applies ecological and evolutionary principles to the fields of wildlife, conservation and applied biology across a wide range of land animals (including mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, a wide range of invertebrates, and some plant groups). Particular interests include the management of native and invasive species; habitat use and ecology of invertebrates and vertebrates; first-principles modelling of individual, population, and evolutionary dynamics; application of genomic techniques to biodiversity management; and terrestrial animals as bioindicators of environmental disturbance.Research groups in the Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Domain address both fundamental and applied questions spanning the breadth of the two disciplines. Our research includes quantitative risk assessment, ecological and species distribution modelling, vegetation mapping, integrative pest and disease management, conservation biology, marine and fisheries management, and behavioural ecology. We ask questions at different levels of organisation from individuals through to assemblages and study a broad array of organisms that span aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems.Insects and other small invertebrates make up the bulk of animal biodiversity and are critical to life. They pollinate crops, break down detritus, provide food for birds, fish and other animals, and improve soil structure. On the other hand, they also transmit diseases and damage plants. Masters projects in this area consider both beneficial and harmful insects in Australian ecosystems, and how to keep out unwanted invertebrates (biosecurity).The Evolution and Behaviour Group examines the behaviour and evolution of land animals at several levels, from genes to populations. Research on behaviour includes: visual signalling in birds, reptiles and insects; acoustic signalling in birds and amphibians; and chemical signalling in insects. Research in evolutionary biology investigates the evolutionary process that produced the diversity of life we see today. This includes the study of macro-evolutionary patterns of phenotypic diversity, phylogeny and taxonomy; biogeography and patterns of speciation; the origin, structure and maintenance of hybrid zones; sexual selection, including female choice and sperm competition; the evolution of co-operation in birds and invertebrates; and inter-specific relationships.Marine biologists in the School of BioSciences work on a diversity of topics across marine organisms, their conservation and management. We conduct our research in temperate and tropical marine environments, from estuaries to the deep sea.
Together we investigate the:
- Behaviour, ecology, evolution and biodiversity of marine organisms;
- Effects of human disturbance on habitats, species and communities;
- Technologies to improve the productivity of aquaculture and its environmental performance;
- Adaptation of aquaculture and fishery management for climate change;
- Ecological aspects of marine protected areas and fisheries management.
Life is dependent on plants: as the only organisms able to make their own food, these primary producers are vital to the world's ecosystems. From food, medicines, clothing and the air we breathe, we could not exist without them. Indeed, all of the research that occurs within the School of BioSciences is built upon the foundation of plant functions. Research groups in Plant Biology study a broad range of topics including:
- Plant diversity, classification, biogeography and conservation
- Plant growth and development
- Plant cell wall biosynthesis and cell-cell communication
- Plant nutrition and genetic engineering of crops to improve human nutrition (biofortification)
- Plant breeding systems and self incompatibility
- Plant defence against herbivory; plant secondary metabolites including cyanogenic compounds and the oils of eucalypts
- Plant interactions with fungal pathogens
- Evolution of plant, algal and protozoan cells, e.g., evolution of endosymbionts, the malaria parasite with its remnant chloroplast, and bio-mineralisation and bioadhesion of algal cell walls.
Students working in the plant biology field are eligible for support in the form of the generous scholarships and awards from the Botany Foundation.
Researchers in the Centre for Anthropogenic Pollution Impact and Management investigate the fate, behaviour, toxicity and management of pollution in the environment including in water, soil, air, light and waste. Our research covers human health and ecological sustainability including traditional pollutants (e.g. metals, nitrogen and hydrocarbons) as well as emerging contaminants such as per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and microplastics. Outcomes from our research are used by government, industry and the community to make decisions and more safely manage polluted environments.The Population and Quantitative Genetics Group investigate the causes and consequences of genetic variation in natural populations. A broad range of statistical techniques such as Genome-Wide Association and Genomic Selection methods are used to explore the pattern and effect of molecular variation at the whole genome level. Biological models of interest include humans, plants and insects with an emphasis on biological questions related to human health and agriculture.The Reproduction and Development Groups study the very beginnings of life and factors that influence the growth and health of the embryo, foetus and offspring. Basic and biomedical research of mammalian systems focuses on the genetics and molecular control of early embryo development, sexual differentiation, environmental disruptors of development, stem cell biology, comparative genomics and reproductive physiology. Reproduction is the science of the transmission of life!Supervisors
Alex Andrianopoulos
Microbial and developmental genetics
Luke Barrett
Marine ecology and sustainable aquaculture
Phil Batterham
Neurogenetics, behaviour and systems biology in insects
Simon Baxter
Applied insect genetics
Mike Bayly
Plant Evolution
Joanne Birch
Plant Evolution
Anthony Boxshall
Marine ecology, coastal climate adaptation, pollution impact and management, and environmental sciences
Hayley Bugeja
Innovation and Impact in BioSciences Education
Paolin Rocio Cáceres Vélez
Therapies and genetics underlying neuronal cell health
Melissa Carew
Freshwater biological monitoring
Daniel Czech
Innovation and Impact in BioSciences Education
Rob Day
Abalone aquaculture, fisheries, shark fishery effects, Effects of marine climate change
Tim Dempster
Marine ecology and aquaculture
Andrew Drinnan
Plant development, morphology, anatomy, architecture and evolution
Jessica Dunleavy
Male reproductive biology, cell biology, spermatogenesis
Berit Ebert
Plant cell wall biosynthesis
Mark Elgar
Evolutionary ecology
Nancy Endersby-Harshman
Insecticide resistance, ecology and population genetics
Mary Familari
Developmental biology
Jane Fenelon
Reproductive and developmental biology
Alex Fournier-Level
Adaptive evolution
Jennifer Fox
Innovation and Impact in BioSciences Education
Stephen Frankenberg
Development, reproduction, genomics, genetic biocontrol and synthetic biology
Amanda Franklin
Visual ecology
Irene Gallego Romero
Human evolution and functional genomics
David Gardner
Reproductive biology
Lisa Godinho
Innovation and Impact in BioSciences Education
John Golz
Developmental regulation and translational research
Jason Goodger
Plant natural products
Mark Green
Reproductive biology
Lara Grollo
Innovation and Impact in BioSciences Education
Xinyue Gu
Molecular entomology,endosymbionts, environmental stress
Alexandra Harvey
Embryonic stem cells
Mike Haydon
Plant cell signalling
Joshua Heazlewood
Plant glycomics
Ary Hoffmann
Pest and environmental adaptation
Brendan Houston
Genetics of male infertility, spermatogenesis and sperm function
Rebecca Hull
Innovation and Impact in BioSciences Education
Alexander Idnurm
Fungal biology
Greg Jenkins
Marine ecology
Alex Johnson
Plant and food biotechnology
Therésa Jones
Behavioural ecology, Urban Light Pollution and Evolutionary Ecology
Patricia Jusuf
Neural development and regeneration, and disease modelling and treatment screening
Michael Kearney
Physiological ecology, climate change responses, metabolic ecology, insect conservation, grasshopper biology
Mick Keough
Marine ecology
Edwin Lampugnani
Plant evolution and development
Stephen Leslie
Statistical and population genetics
James Maino
Insect spatial ecology
Justin Maire
Marine microbiology and coral reef conservation
Margie Mayfield
Plant and insect community ecology
Geoffrey McFadden
Malaria and endosymbiosis
Iliana Medina Guzman
Evolutionary ecology
Rebecca Morris
Marine ecology and coastal climate adaptation
John Morrongiello
Marine and freshwater ecology and evolution
Raoul Mulder
Behavioural ecology
Ed Newbigin
Pollen biology
Allyson O'Brien
Marine pollution, ecology, and environmental management
Allyson O'Brien
Innovation and Impact in BioSciences Education
Moira O'Bryan
Male infertility and germ cell biology
Madeleine van Oppen
Marine ecology and evolution
Andrew Pask
Evolution, development and reproduction
Ben Phillips
Population biology
Andrew Pomeroy
Coastal adaption, restoration, engineering and protection
Suzie Reichman
Pollution impact and management
Marilyn Renfree
Reproductive and developmental biology
Charles Robin
Insect population genetics and molecular evolution
Nick Robinson
Aquaculture breeding and genetics
Karen Rowe
Ecology and conservation using museum collections and acoustics
Kevin Rowe
Integrative mammalogy: taxonomy, evolution, genomics, morphology, conservation biology
Lauren Salo
Innovation and Impact in BioSciences Education
Marc Somssich
The Role of the Cell Wall in Plant Immunity
Perran Stott-Ross
Environmental stress, evolution, entomology and endosymbionts
Devi Stuart-Fox
Evolutionary ecology
Michael Stumpf
Theoretical systems biology
Steve Swearer
Marine ecology and environmental science
Gerard Tarulli
Reproductive and developmental biology
Joshua Thia
Population genomics, evolutionary biology, and applied science
Paul Umina
Insect ecology and management
Allison Van de Meene
Plant cell biology using high-end microscopy techniques
Angela Van de Wouw
Plant pathogen interactions
Belinda van Heerwaarden
Climate change adaptation
Heroen Verbruggen
Marine genomics and microbiology
Robert Walker
Plant, soil and microbe interactions
Fletcher Warren-Myers
Marine ecology and aquaculture
Michelle Watt
Plant root system discovery and application to human and environmental challenges in Earth and in Space
Vicky Waymouth
Soil microbes and rhizosphere interactions
Andrew Weeks
Conservation biology
Matt West
Applied ecology and wildlife conservation
Qiong Yang
Insect pest and endosymbionts