
Overview
Background
From a PhD in 1994 at the University of Queensland, Phil Hugenholtz developed a career in microbiology and genomics in the USA and in Australia. Phil’s last position in the USA was as Staff Scientist (2004-2010) at the Department of Energy, Joint Genome Institute. In late 2010 Phil returned home to establish the Australian Centre for Ecogenomics (ACE) at the University of Queensland. He has contributed to the field of culture-independent analysis of microorganisms through the discovery and characterisation of numerous previously unrecognised major bacterial and archaeal lineages each with greater evolutionary divergence than animals and plants combined. Phil has played important roles in the development and application of metagenomics, the genome-based characterisation of microbiomes, which has revolutionised our understanding of microbial ecology and evolution. This has resulted in several discoveries in environmental and clinical microbiology sometimes overturning decades of misdirected culture-based studies. He has applied his interest in comparative genomics and metagenomics to develop a systematic genome-based taxonomy for bacteria and archaea, which is facilitating scientific communication and endeavour. Phil has published over four hundred papers on molecular microbial ecology and evolution.
As Professorial Research Fellow at UQ and Director of ACE, Phil has affiliate appointments with the Institute for Molecular Bioscience and the UQ Diamantina Institute, which supports collaborative research at ACE. Currently, Phil’s research interests include the microbial ecology and evolution of environmental and host-associated ecosystems including marsupial and insect guts, biomining, marine and genomic mapping of the microbial tree of life.
Current research includes:
- A Genome Taxonomy Database for the Kingdom Fungi
- Tracing the emergence of cellular complexity in the phylum Planctomycetota
- Dual-function ribonucleases: unexpected agents of antibiotic resistance
- Breaking critical barriers in soil formation of bauxite residues
- Changing the classification status quo with a global genome-based taxonomy
- GBR Microbial Genomic Database
In 2018, Phil co-founded a start-up company, Microba Life Sciences (microba.com), which is focused on metagenome-based diagnostics and therapeutics.
Phil received the Young Investigators Award from the International Society of Microbial Ecology (ISME) in 2016, was elected in 2012 as a Fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology (AAM), elected a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science in 2017, is a Member of the International Scientific Advisory Board (Fachbeirat) of the Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology, Bremen and is the outgoing President (2024-2026) of the International Society for Microbial Ecology (ISME). Phil has been a Clarivate Highly Cited Researcher since 2014 and one of only ~300 researchers worldwide to be highly cited in two fields (Microbiology and Biology & Biochemistry) from 2019-2024.
Availability
- Professor Phil Hugenholtz is:
- Available for supervision
Fields of research
Qualifications
- Bachelor (Honours) of Science (Advanced), The University of Queensland
- Doctor of Philosophy, The University of Queensland
Research interests
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Metagenomics
culture-independent sequence-based characterisation of microbial communities
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Microbial diversity and evolution
with a focus on a systematic genome-based prokaryotic taxonomy
Research impacts
Phil has been at the forefront of major advances in molecular microbial ecology over the last 30 years, which now form the basis of this field. Our understanding of microbiology as a whole has been profoundly changed as a result of these advances. Beginning with the recognition that we have been ignorant of most microbial diversity due to a strong cultivation bias, he has systematically directed his research to characterise “microbial dark matter” with the ultimate goal of a holistic understanding of microbial evolution and ecology. He has made central contributions to this grand challenge in biology as evidenced by a series of landmark papers (57 Science & Nature series papers ) and he has established a premier research facility at The University of Queensland, the Australian Centre for Ecogenomics (ACE), dedicated to this mission.
Works
Search Professor Phil Hugenholtz’s works on UQ eSpace
2016
Journal Article
Validation of picogram- and femtogram-input DNA libraries for microscale metagenomics
Rinke, Christian, Low, Serene, Woodcroft, Ben J., Raina, Jean-Baptista, Skarshewski, Adam, Le, Xuyen H., Butler, Margaret K., Stocker, Roman, Seymour, Justin, Tyson, Gene W. and Hugenholtz, Philip (2016). Validation of picogram- and femtogram-input DNA libraries for microscale metagenomics. PeerJ, 4 (9) e2486, 1-28. doi: 10.7717/peerj.2486
2016
Journal Article
Near complete genome sequence of the animal feed probiotic, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens H57
Schofield, Benjamin J., Skarshewski, Adam, Lachner, Nancy, Ouwerkerk, Diane, Klieve, Athol V., Dart, Peter and Hugenholtz, Philip (2016). Near complete genome sequence of the animal feed probiotic, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens H57. Standards in Genomic Sciences, 11 (1) 60, 60. doi: 10.1186/s40793-016-0189-z
2016
Journal Article
'Candidatus Adiutrix intracellularis', an endosymbiont of termite gut flagellates, is the first representative of a deep-branching clade of Deltaproteobacteria and a putative homoacetogen
Ikeda-Ohtsubo, Wakako, Strassert, Juergen F. H., Kohler, Tim, Mikaelyan, Aram, Gregor, Ivan, Mchardy, Alice C., Tringe, Susannah Green, Hugenholtz, Phil, Radek, Renate and Brune, Andreas (2016). 'Candidatus Adiutrix intracellularis', an endosymbiont of termite gut flagellates, is the first representative of a deep-branching clade of Deltaproteobacteria and a putative homoacetogen. Environmental Microbiology, 18 (8), 2548-2564. doi: 10.1111/1462-2920.13234
2016
Journal Article
Genomic characterization of the uncultured Bacteroidales family S24-7 inhabiting the guts of homeothermic animals
Ormerod, Kate L., Wood, David L. A., Lachner, Nancy, Gellatly, Shaan L., Daly, Joshua N., Parsons, Jeremy D., Dal’Molin, Cristiana G. O., Palfreyman, Robin W., Nielsen, Lars K., Cooper, Matthew A., Morrison, Mark, Hansbro, Philip M. and Hugenholtz, Philip (2016). Genomic characterization of the uncultured Bacteroidales family S24-7 inhabiting the guts of homeothermic animals. Microbiome, 4 (1) 36, 36.1-36.17. doi: 10.1186/s40168-016-0181-2
2016
Journal Article
A catalogue of 136 microbial draft genomes from Red Sea metagenomes
Haroon, Mohamed F., Thompson, Luke R., Parks, Donovan H., Hugenholtz, Philip and Stingl, Ulrich (2016). A catalogue of 136 microbial draft genomes from Red Sea metagenomes. Scientific Data, 3 (1) 160050, 160050.1-160050.6. doi: 10.1038/sdata.2016.50
2016
Journal Article
Introducing BASE: the Biomes of Australian Soil Environments soil microbial diversity database
Bissett, Andrew, Fitzgerald, Anna, Meintjes, Thys, Mele, Pauline M., Reith, Frank, Dennis, Paul G., Breed, Martin F., Brown, Belinda, Brown, Mark V., Brugger, Joel, Byrne, Margaret, Caddy-Retalic, Stefan, Carmody, Bernie, Coates, David J., Correa, Carolina, Ferrari, Belinda C., Gupta, Vadakattu V. S. R., Hamonts, Kelly, Haslem, Asha, Hugenholtz, Philip, Karan, Mirko, Koval, Jason, Lowe, Andrew J., Macdonald, Stuart, McGrath, Leanne, Martin, David, Morgan, Matt, North, Kristin I., Paungfoo-Lonhienne, Chanyarat ... Young, Andrew (2016). Introducing BASE: the Biomes of Australian Soil Environments soil microbial diversity database. Gigascience, 5 (1) 21, 21.1-21.11. doi: 10.1186/s13742-016-0126-5
2016
Journal Article
Genome-based microbial taxonomy coming of age
Hugenholtz, Philip, Skarshewski, Adam and Parks, Donovan H. (2016). Genome-based microbial taxonomy coming of age. Cold Spring Harbor Perspectives in Biology, 8 (6) a018085, a018085. doi: 10.1101/cshperspect.a018085
2016
Journal Article
Airway dysbiosis: Haemophilus influenzae and Tropheryma in poorly controlled asthma
Simpson, Jodie L., Daly, Joshua, Baines, Katherine J., Yang, Ian A., Upham, John W., Reynolds, Paul N., Hodge, Sandra, James, Alan L., Hugenholtz, Philip, Willner, Dana and Gibson, Peter G. (2016). Airway dysbiosis: Haemophilus influenzae and Tropheryma in poorly controlled asthma. European Respiratory Journal, 47 (3), 792-800. doi: 10.1183/13993003.00405-2015
2016
Journal Article
Metagenomic insights into the uncultured diversity and physiology of microbes in four hypersaline soda lake brines
Vavourakis, Charlotte D., Ghai, Rohit, Rodriguez-Valera, Francisco, Sorokin, Dimitry Y., Tringe, Susannah G., Hugenholtz, Philip and Muyzer, Gerard (2016). Metagenomic insights into the uncultured diversity and physiology of microbes in four hypersaline soda lake brines. Frontiers in Microbiology, 7 (FEB) 211, 211.1-211.18. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2016.00211
2016
Journal Article
High-resolution phylogenetic microbial community profiling
Singer, Esther, Bushnell, Brian, Coleman-Derr, Devin, Bowman, Brett, Bowers, Robert M., Levy, Asaf, Gies, Esther A., Cheng, Jan-Fang, Copeland, Alex, Klenk, Hans-Peter, Hallam, Steven J., Hugenholtz, Philip, Tringe, Susannah G. and Woyke, Tanja (2016). High-resolution phylogenetic microbial community profiling. ISME Journal, 10 (8), 2020-2032. doi: 10.1038/ismej.2015.249
2016
Journal Article
A phylogenomic analysis of the bacterial phylum fibrobacteres
Abdul Rahman, Nurdyana, Parks, Donovan H., Vanwonterghem, Inka, Morrison, Mark, Tyson, Gene W. and Hugenholtz, Philip (2016). A phylogenomic analysis of the bacterial phylum fibrobacteres. Frontiers in Microbiology, 6 (JAN) 1469, 1469.1-1469.15. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2015.01469
2016
Conference Publication
Treatment of ZAP-70 Mutant SKG Mice with Anti-IL-23 Antibody Alters Fecal Microbiota Composition and Prevents Outgrowth of Bacteria Associated with Susceptibility to Spondyloarthritis and Ileitis
Rehaume, Linda, Matigian, Nicholas, Kang, Alicia, Zbarskaya, Olga, Kikly, Kristine, Lachner, Nancy, Daly, Joshua, Hugenholtz, Philip, Morrison, Mark, Le Cao, Kim-Anh and Thomas, Ranjeny (2016). Treatment of ZAP-70 Mutant SKG Mice with Anti-IL-23 Antibody Alters Fecal Microbiota Composition and Prevents Outgrowth of Bacteria Associated with Susceptibility to Spondyloarthritis and Ileitis. 2016 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting, Washington, DC United States, 11–16 November 2016 . Hoboken, NJ United States: Wiley.
2016
Conference Publication
Healthy gut microbiota ameliorates experimental chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Gellatly, S., Dennis, P., Jarnicki, A., Lachner, N., Wood, D., Fricker, M., Budden, K., Liu, G., Keely, S., Morrison, M., Willner, D., Cooper, M., Hugenholtz, P. and Hansbro, P. (2016). Healthy gut microbiota ameliorates experimental chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Annual Scientific Meeting of the Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand and the Australian and New Zealand Society of Respiratory Science 2014, Perth, WA, Australia, 1–6 April 2016. Hoboken, NJ United States: Wiley. doi: 10.1111/resp.12754_22
2016
Conference Publication
An Australian prospective cohort of rheumatoid arthritis patients and their first-degree relatives characterising environmental, genetic, microbial and immune factors
Benham, Helen, Wood, John, Nagl, Lisa, Maradana, Muralidhara, Daly, Joshua, Lachner, Nancy, Hugenholtz, Philip and Thomas, Ranjeny (2016). An Australian prospective cohort of rheumatoid arthritis patients and their first-degree relatives characterising environmental, genetic, microbial and immune factors. Australian Rheumatology Association in conjunction with Rheumatology Health Professionals Association, 57th Annual Scientific Meeting, Darwin, NT, Australia, 30 April–4 May 2016. Richmond, VIC, Australia: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Asia. doi: 10.1111/imj.13052
2016
Conference Publication
Distinct Oral and Fecal Community Profiles Enriched in Opportunistic Pathogens in RA Patients and First Degree Relatives Are Influenced By Environmental Risk Factors, Including Smoking, Dental History and Lung Infection
Benham, Helen, Maradana, Muralidhara, Lakis, Vanessa Anne, Cuiv, Paraic O., Wood, John, Nagl, Lisa, Rammouth, Nishta, Owens, Clare, Daly, Joshua., Lachner, Nancy, Morrison, Mark, Hugenholtz, Philip, Le Cao, Kim-Anh and Thomas, Rarljeny (2016). Distinct Oral and Fecal Community Profiles Enriched in Opportunistic Pathogens in RA Patients and First Degree Relatives Are Influenced By Environmental Risk Factors, Including Smoking, Dental History and Lung Infection. 2016 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting, Washington, DC, 11-16 November 2016. Hoboken, NJ, United States: John Wiley & Sons.
2016
Conference Publication
Addressing the nitrogen problem in sugarcane production to reduce pollution of the Great Barrier Reef
Robinson, N., Brackin, R., Paungfoo-Lonhienne, C., Lonhienne, T., Westermann, M., Salazar, M., Yeoh, Y. K ., Hugenholtz, P., Ragan, M. A., Redding, M., Pratt, C., Wang, W. J., Royle, A., DiBella, L., Lakshmanan, P. and Schmidt, S. (2016). Addressing the nitrogen problem in sugarcane production to reduce pollution of the Great Barrier Reef. International Nitrogen Initiative Conference, Melbourne, Australia, 4-8 December 2016. Melbourne, Australia: International Nitrogen Initiative.
2016
Conference Publication
Profiling immunogenic bacteria within the microbiota of SKG mice associated with spondyloarthritis and ileitis using IgA-SEQ
Rehaume, L. M., Kang, A., Zbarskaya, O., Mullaney, J. A., Kim, M., Cuiv, O. P., Angel, N., Lachner, N., Daly, J., Morrison, M., Hugenholtz, P. and Thomas, R. (2016). Profiling immunogenic bacteria within the microbiota of SKG mice associated with spondyloarthritis and ileitis using IgA-SEQ. International Congress of Immunology (ICI 2016), Melbourne, Australia, 21-26 August 2016. Weinheim, Germany: Wiley.
2015
Journal Article
Comparative genomics of candidate phylum TM6 suggests that parasitism is widespread and ancestral in this lineage
Yeoh, Yun Kit, Sekiguchi, Yuji, Parks, Donovan H. and Hugenholtz, Philip (2015). Comparative genomics of candidate phylum TM6 suggests that parasitism is widespread and ancestral in this lineage. Molecular Biology and Evolution, 33 (4), 915-927. doi: 10.1093/molbev/msv281
2015
Journal Article
Evaluating DNA Extraction Methods for Community Profiling of Pig Hindgut Microbial Community
Lu, Yang, Hugenholtz, Phillip and Batstone, Damien John (2015). Evaluating DNA Extraction Methods for Community Profiling of Pig Hindgut Microbial Community. PLoS One, 10 (11) e0142720, e0142720.1-e0142720.10. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0142720
2015
Journal Article
Draft genome sequences of Anaerolinea thermolimosa IMO-1, Bellilinea caldifistulae GOMI-1, Leptolinea tardivitalis YMTK-2, Levilinea saccharolytica KIBI-1, Longilinea arvoryzae KOME-1, previously described as members of the class Anaerolineae (Chloroflexi
Matsuura, Norihisa, Tourlousse, Dieter M., Ohashi, Akiko, Hugenholtz, Philip and Sekiguchia, Yuji (2015). Draft genome sequences of Anaerolinea thermolimosa IMO-1, Bellilinea caldifistulae GOMI-1, Leptolinea tardivitalis YMTK-2, Levilinea saccharolytica KIBI-1, Longilinea arvoryzae KOME-1, previously described as members of the class Anaerolineae (Chloroflexi. Genome Announcements, 3 (5) e00975-15. doi: 10.1128/genomeA.00975-15
Funding
Current funding
Past funding
Supervision
Availability
- Professor Phil Hugenholtz is:
- Available for supervision
Before you email them, read our advice on how to contact a supervisor.
Available projects
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Dual-function ribonucleases: unexpected agents of antibiotic resistance
Bacterial pathogens use a group of enzymes called metallo-β-lactamases (or MBLs) that enable them to be multi-drug resistant. Our project aims to determine how MBLs have evolved from harmless and widespread ribonucleases, both deep in the past and potentially very recently in response to modern use of antibiotics. These insights will provide valuable functional and structural information that will enable the development of urgently needed strategies to combat β-lactam antibiotic resistance.
Supervision history
Current supervision
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Doctor Philosophy
Changing the prokaryotic classification status quo with a global genome-based taxonomy
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Mikael Boden
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Doctor Philosophy
Use of structural phylogeny and reconciliation in molecular phylogenetics
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor David Ascher, Dr Kate Bowerman
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Doctor Philosophy
Exploration of the Genome Taxonomy Database at the Species and Subspecies Level
Principal Advisor
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Doctor Philosophy
Diversity, ecology and biotechnological potential of chain elongating microorganisms from natural and engineered ecosystems
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Paul Evans, Dr Kate Bowerman
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Doctor Philosophy
Changing the prokaryotic classification status quo with a global genome-based taxonomy
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Mikael Boden
-
Doctor Philosophy
Characterization of Uncultured Basal Clades of Planctomycetota
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Kate Bowerman
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Doctor Philosophy
Extant and Evolutionary Analysis of Uncultured Bacterial Lineages Phylogenetically Affiliated with the Orders Rickettsiales and Mycoplasmatales
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Kate Bowerman
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Doctor Philosophy
Dual-function ribonucleases: unexpected agents of antibiotic resistance
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Mikael Boden
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Doctor Philosophy
Protein structure guided precision medicine
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Stephanie Portelli, Professor David Ascher
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Doctor Philosophy
Understanding the metabolic capabilities and evolutionary relatiosnhips of novel microorganisms from hot springs
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Cheong Xin Chan, Dr Paul Evans
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Doctor Philosophy
The Role of Bacterially Induced Inflammation in Squamous Cell Carcinoma Development
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Mark Morrison, Dr Debottam Sinha, Dr Janin Chandra, Professor Ian Frazer
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Doctor Philosophy
Functionalisation of Metalloproteins and Applications in Biotechnology
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Gary Schenk
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Doctor Philosophy
Evolution of an efficient antibiotic resistance mechanism from a common enzymatic fold.
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Gary Schenk
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Doctor Philosophy
Building a better understanding of acetogen's metabolism
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Kate Bowerman, Dr Paul Evans
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Doctor Philosophy
Identification and characterisation of virally-encoded, antibiotic-degrading metalloenzymes
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Gary Schenk
Completed supervision
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2024
Doctor Philosophy
Extant and Evolutionary Analysis of Uncultured Bacterial Lineages Phylogenetically Affiliated with the Orders Rickettsiales and Mycoplasmatales
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Kate Bowerman
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2021
Doctor Philosophy
Classification and functional characterisation of the murine gut bacterial family Muribaculaceae
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Antiopi Varelias
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2021
Doctor Philosophy
A phylogenomic investigation of the largely uncharacterised Firmicutes classes, Dehalobacteriia and TC1
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Ulrike Kappler
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2020
Doctor Philosophy
Exploring a Genome-Based Taxonomy for Tailed Double-Stranded DNA Viruses
Principal Advisor
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2016
Doctor Philosophy
Molecular Investigation of Australian Termites and their Gut Symbionts
Principal Advisor
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2015
Doctor Philosophy
Investigation of root and associated soil microbiomes of sugarcane and other plants
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Susanne Schmidt
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2024
Doctor Philosophy
The Role of Bacterially Induced Inflammation in Squamous Cell Carcinoma Development
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Mark Morrison, Dr Debottam Sinha, Dr Janin Chandra, Professor Ian Frazer
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2024
Doctor Philosophy
The ecology and evolution of non-photosynthetic Cyanobacteria
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Paul Evans
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2023
Doctor Philosophy
Culture-independent exploration of microbial dark matter with a focus on Asgardarchaeota
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Paul Evans
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2017
Doctor Philosophy
Functional and comparative studies of members of the genus Methanosphaera, and their adaptations to the gut environment
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Mark Morrison
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2017
Doctor Philosophy
Microbial Community Structure and Functionality in Ruminants Fed the Probiotic Bacillus amyloliquefaciens H57
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Peter Dart
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2017
Doctor Philosophy
Viral/bacterial respiratory tract co-infections in children
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Keith Chappell
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2016
Doctor Philosophy
Moving targets: Microevolution of pathogenic species within the laboratory and the human host
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor James Fraser
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2015
Doctor Philosophy
Molecular characterisation of microbial communities involved in coal bed methane production
Associate Advisor
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2015
Doctor Philosophy
Molecular characterisation of microbial communities involved in nitrate-driven anaerobic oxidation of methane
Associate Advisor
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2014
Doctor Philosophy
Microbial Ecology of Fermentative Microbes in Anaerobic Granules
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Damien Batstone, Associate Professor Paul Jensen
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2013
Master Philosophy
The characterisation of the microbiome of the demosponge Amphimedon queenslandica reveals host immune responses to changes in the symbiotic bacterial community
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Bernard Degnan, Professor Sandie Degnan
Media
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