Marine Biology & Aquaculture

Colin Simpfendorfer

Colin Simpfendorfer

David Bellwood

David Bellwood

Jin Lim

Jin Lim

Alastair Birtles

Alastair Birtles

Orpha Bellwood

Orpha Bellwood

Garry Russ

Garry Russ

Reniel Cabral

Reniel Cabral

Morgan Pratchett

Morgan Pratchett

Sally Lau

Sally Lau

Sue-Ann Watson

Sue-Ann Watson

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
Workshop in Advanced Genomics Tools to Enhance Korean Aquaculture
Dave Jones
01 Nov 2024 - 31 Oct 2025
The development and delivery of a workshop for Advanced Genomics Tools in Korea (through Jeju National University) for korean students, academics and industry players. JCU academic staff expert knowledge will be taught to the Korean scientific community and industry, with the expectation of reinforcing relationship and create new collaboration with Korea.
Workshop in Advanced Genomics Tools to Enhance Korean Aquaculture
Cecile Massault
01 Nov 2024 - 31 Oct 2025
The development and delivery of a workshop for Advanced Genomics Tools in Korea (through Jeju National University) for korean students, academics and industry players. JCU academic staff expert knowledge will be taught to the Korean scientific community and industry, with the expectation of reinforcing relationship and create new collaboration with Korea.
Investigating shellfish and mite allergen cross-reactivity and the effect of protein diversity on allergenicity
Ludwig Lopata
05 Feb 2025 - 05 Feb 2027
Shellfish allergy increases in prevalence with age and is often a life-long condition. However, the mechanism of this persistence is largely unknown. Persistence of shellfish allergy may be due to cross-reactive interactions between evolutionarily related species, which may initiate and sustain allergen sensitisation. Cross-reactivity results from shared allergen amino acid sequences between species, causing individual IgE-binding to both. Amino acid diversity may predict sensitisation to shellfish and/or mites, e.g., mite-sensitised individuals may be more at risk of developing shellfish allergy. Other large-scale forms of protein diversity may also influence allergenicity (e.g., environmental changes). Understanding allergen cross-reactivity and diversity will inform prevention and treatment strategies. This project aims to explore immunological and clinical cross-reactivity between shellfish and mite allergens and the effect of environmental temperature on allergen diversity in muscle tissue. This project will be conducted under a postgraduate research top-up scholarship with the Centre for Food Allergy Research (CFAR), which grants $10,000 p.a. top-up to an existing PhD scholarship.
Investigating shellfish and mite allergen cross-reactivity and the effect of protein diversity on allergenicity
Shaymaviswanathan Karnaneedi
05 Feb 2025 - 05 Feb 2027
Shellfish allergy increases in prevalence with age and is often a life-long condition. However, the mechanism of this persistence is largely unknown. Persistence of shellfish allergy may be due to cross-reactive interactions between evolutionarily related species, which may initiate and sustain allergen sensitisation. Cross-reactivity results from shared allergen amino acid sequences between species, causing individual IgE-binding to both. Amino acid diversity may predict sensitisation to shellfish and/or mites, e.g., mite-sensitised individuals may be more at risk of developing shellfish allergy. Other large-scale forms of protein diversity may also influence allergenicity (e.g., environmental changes). Understanding allergen cross-reactivity and diversity will inform prevention and treatment strategies. This project aims to explore immunological and clinical cross-reactivity between shellfish and mite allergens and the effect of environmental temperature on allergen diversity in muscle tissue. This project will be conducted under a postgraduate research top-up scholarship with the Centre for Food Allergy Research (CFAR), which grants $10,000 p.a. top-up to an existing PhD scholarship.
Decoding the genomic basis underpinning Southern Ocean ecosystem resilience to change
Sally Lau
01 Jan 2025 - 31 Dec 2025
This project applies traditional and latest genome sequencing technologies to advance the knowledge of nature's natural evolutionary solutions against climate changes. Expected outcomes of this project include uncovering novel genome structures and gene functions that underpin Southern Ocean species’ adaptation capabilities to climate changes.
Restoration Grassroots ACRN
Nathan Waltham
20 Dec 2024 - 30 Jul 2025
Working with community groups to examine restoration outcomes and approaches by grass root groups
Restoration Grassroots ACRN
Nathan Waltham
20 Dec 2024 - 30 Jul 2025
Working with community groups to examine restoration outcomes and approaches by grass root groups
Cairns airport wetland restoration
Nathan Waltham
17 Dec 2024 - 01 May 2026
Working with OzFish and Cairns Airport to monitor and evaluate restoration success
Cairns airport wetland restoration
Nathan Waltham
17 Dec 2024 - 01 May 2026
Working with OzFish and Cairns Airport to monitor and evaluate restoration success

Coral bleaching, reef fish community phase shifts and the resilience of coral reefs

Regional-scale assembly rules and biodiversity of coral reefs

Confronting the coral reef crisis

Influence of age and moderate-intensity exercise training on heart rate variability in young and mature adults

Influence of intensive cycling training on heart rate variability during rest and exercise

Selection for faster growth in the freshwater crayfish Cherax destructor

Parentage determination of Kuruma prawn shrimp Penaeus (Marsupenaeus) japonicus using microsatellite markers

Phylogenetic relationships of Australian members of the family Percichthyidae inferred from mitochondrial 12S rRNA sequence data

Phylogeography of the freshwater crayfish Cherax destructor Clark (Parastacidae) in inland Australia: historical fragmentation and recent range expansion

Larval growth history determines juvenile growth and survival in a tropical marine fish

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