Marine Biology & Aquaculture

Tom Lloyd

Tom Lloyd

Alys Young

Alys Young

William Arlidge

William Arlidge

Anna Wilson

Anna Wilson

Kelly Condon

Kelly Condon

Graeme Cumming

Graeme Cumming

Takahiro Shimada

Takahiro Shimada

Peter Doll

Peter Doll

Michela Mitchell

Michela Mitchell

Jan Strugnell

Jan Strugnell

Improving skin cancer research capacity by establishing a skin cancer biobank at Townsville University Hospital
Ludwig Lopata
01 Aug 2024 - 30 Jul 2026
Australia has the highest incidence of skin cancer worldwide and of all states and territories, Queensland has the highest rate in Australia. The skin cancer biobank will provide a prospectively collected pre-treatment and post-treatment tissue and serum cohort to allow us to study the biomarkers of tumour and its immune microenvironment with next generation tools (e.g. spatial analysis of proteomic and genomic, single cell sequencing, artificial intelligence, machine learning, etc). We aim to use these biomarkers along with our prospective registry of patients with high-risk skin cancer to further characterise the cancer and immune biology of high-risk skin cancer, response to treatment, and develop new treatment targets in the future.
Circulating human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA for surveillance of HPV-related oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (HPV-OPSCC)
Ludwig Lopata
01 Aug 2024 - 30 Jul 2026
We hypothesize that cHPV-DNA-based post-treatment surveillance via capture-based NGS would have excellent negative predictive value (NPV) and positive predictive value (PPV) similar or superior to PCR-based testing in patients with HPV-OPSCC, leading to improvement in outcome prediction. We also hypothesize that cHPV-DNA-based surveillance is more cost-effective compared with standard routine clinical follow-up.
Australian Renderers Association Nutrition Workshops
Leo Nankervis
01 Oct 2024 - 20 Dec 2024
The Australian Renderers Association (ARA) are a key part of the aquaculture feed supply chain in Australia and Asia. Their products are integral to circular economy approaches to nutrition, reusing valuable nutrients in the food supply chain. This consulting project is to present seminars on aquaculture nutrition in Philippines, Vietnam and Thailand, specifically focussing on the role of rendered animal meals in aquafeeds. This aligns with other funded projects on aquaculture nutrition and circular economy of benefit to Australian and SE Asian aquaculture industries.
Australian Renderers Association Nutrition Workshops
Leo Nankervis
01 Oct 2024 - 20 Dec 2024
The Australian Renderers Association (ARA) are a key part of the aquaculture feed supply chain in Australia and Asia. Their products are integral to circular economy approaches to nutrition, reusing valuable nutrients in the food supply chain. This consulting project is to present seminars on aquaculture nutrition in Philippines, Vietnam and Thailand, specifically focussing on the role of rendered animal meals in aquafeeds. This aligns with other funded projects on aquaculture nutrition and circular economy of benefit to Australian and SE Asian aquaculture industries.
Townsville City Council Saltmarsh Restoration
Nathan Waltham
30 Oct 2024 - 31 Mar 2026
Undertake saltmarsh restoration trials with Townsville City Council within their estate.
Townsville City Council Saltmarsh Restoration
Nathan Waltham
30 Oct 2024 - 31 Mar 2026
Undertake saltmarsh restoration trials with Townsville City Council within their estate.
Circulating human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA for diagnosis and post-treatment surveillance of HPV-related oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (HPV-OPSCC)
Ludwig Lopata
01 Sep 2024 - 30 Aug 2026
HPV is an established cause of the majority of oropharyngeal cancer cases in Australia, and its incidence is rising. The conventional diagnosis of HPV-OPSCC relies on histopathology via primary-site or nodal biopsy. This has limitations including diagnostic accuracy, health care resource, patient comfort, and time. Histopathology does not provide molecular and genetic information to guide personalised treatment. Despite of its favourable treatment outcome, 15% to 25% of patients will relapse with locoregional or distant metastatic disease after standard therapy. Post-treatment surveillance requires frequent visits to tertiary hospitals and imaging, causing high burden to the patients and costs to the health system. Yet, it has low sensitivity to detect early recurrence of cancer. The detection of HPV DNA in patients’ blood can be used as an adjunct biomarker for diagnosis and surveillance of HPV-OPSCC. Models suggest that using circulating tumour biomarkers for surveillance is more cost-effective. Although PCR-based HPV DNA liquid biopsy has high specificity, the sensitivity is approximately 88-91% [1], signifying that 1 in 10 negative tests are false negative. We aim to establish a highly sensitive method to detect HPV DNA in patients’ blood using capture-based next generation sequencing (NGS) and utilise data for post-treatment monitoring of cancer recurrence.
Revisiting Coral Taxonomy: biodiversity of Acropora across the Indian Ocean
Peter Cowman
01 May 2025 - 31 May 2025
Accurate species identification is crucial for biological and ecological research. Corals, key ecosystem engineers on tropical reefs, are declining due to climate change. However, current coral taxonomy is outdated, hindering our understanding of species-specific population trends and reef ecosystem impacts. This project focuses on the species richness and biogeography of Acropora corals in the Indian Ocean. Partnering with Save Our Seas Foundation, I will collect data from D'Arros island in the Seychelles, comparing it with existing data. Using phylogenomics and morphology, I aim to refine coral taxonomy, inform conservation efforts, and identify species at risk of extinction.
Revisiting Coral Taxonomy: biodiversity of Acropora across the Indian Ocean
Tom Bridge
01 May 2025 - 31 May 2025
Accurate species identification is crucial for biological and ecological research. Corals, key ecosystem engineers on tropical reefs, are declining due to climate change. However, current coral taxonomy is outdated, hindering our understanding of species-specific population trends and reef ecosystem impacts. This project focuses on the species richness and biogeography of Acropora corals in the Indian Ocean. Partnering with Save Our Seas Foundation, I will collect data from D'Arros island in the Seychelles, comparing it with existing data. Using phylogenomics and morphology, I aim to refine coral taxonomy, inform conservation efforts, and identify species at risk of extinction.
Sediment offset Technical Advisor Port Townsville
Nathan Waltham
19 Mar 2024 - 30 Jun 2025
Provide technical advise and attend meetings on sediment offsets project for Port of Townsville
Title: JCU reef scientist goes global after plumbing the depths, Townsville Bulletin
Reseracher: Gemma Galbraith (AIMS@JCU Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Reef Connectivity)
Start Date: 10 Nov 2024
Title: Deep dive: How I use robots to survey coral reefs, Nature
Reseracher: Gemma Galbraith (AIMS@JCU Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Reef Connectivity)
Start Date: 31 Mar 2025
Title: Wet Tropics Management Authority - Scientific Advisory Committee
Reseracher: Nathan Waltham (Associate Professor, Blue Carbon)
Start Date: 01 Jan 2024
Title: Aquaculture without Frontiers (AwF), Australia
Reseracher: Simon Das (Research Fellow - Grouper Nutrition)
Start Date: 01 Jan 2024
End Date: 01 Jan 2027
Title: Australian Coral Reef Society
Reseracher: Morgan Pratchett (Professor, Marine Biology & Aquaculture)
Title: International Coral Reef Society
Reseracher: Morgan Pratchett (Professor, Marine Biology & Aquaculture)
Title: BSc Ecology, University of Cape Town
Reseracher: Mark Cyrus (Senior Lecturer Aquaculture Macroalgae)
Start Date: 01 Jan 2004
End Date: 01 Jan 2006
Title: BSc Honours, University of Cape Town
Reseracher: Mark Cyrus (Senior Lecturer Aquaculture Macroalgae)
Start Date: 01 Jan 2007
End Date: 01 Jan 2007
Title: PhD, James Cook University
Reseracher: Leo Nankervis (Associate Professor, Aquaculture)
Start Date: 01 Jan 2002
End Date: 01 Jan 2005
Title: BSc(Hons), James Cook University
Reseracher: Leo Nankervis (Associate Professor, Aquaculture)
Start Date: 01 Jan 1996
End Date: 01 Jan 1999