Overview
Background
Doctor Cortesi was awarded a Bachelor of Science with a Major in Plant and Animal Biology from the University of Basel, Switzerland, in 2008. He completed a Bachelor of Science with 1st Class Honours in Marine Biology in 2009 at the University of Queensland, Australia, researching the colourful displays and toxic defences of sea slugs. He then received a PhD with Summa Cum Laude in Zoology in 2014 from the University of Basel, Switzerland, studying the molecular and behavioural function of colourful signals in coral reef fishes.
After completing his remaining Swiss National Service duties, Doctor Cortesi moved to Australia in 2015 to start a short-term postdoctoral appointment at the School of Biological Sciences at The University of Queensland. Upon winning prestigious postdoctoral Fellowships from the Swiss National Science Foundation and the University of Queensland, he transferred to the Queensland Brain Institute (QBI) in early 2016, where he developed his leadership skills under the supervision of Emr. Professor Justin Marshall. In 2020, Dr Cortesi received an ARC DECRA Fellowship, which enabled him to start his junior group under the mentorship of Emr. Prof. Marshall and A/Prof Karen Cheney from The School of the Environment (SENV), UQ. Beginning in 2023, he leads the greater Sensory Neuroscience Lab between QBI and SENV as part of UQ's Marine Sensory Ecology Group.
His research is, amongst others, funded by the SeaWorld Research and Rescue Foundation and the ARC.
Doctor Cortesi's main interests lie in the forces, from molecule to environment, which shape natural biodiversity. Focusing on the evolution of visual systems in fishes and cephalopods, he is trying to understand how other animals perceive the world, how this contributes to the formation of colours and patterns and how this can lead to species diversity. He uses various methods to understand how vision shapes single species and whole communities, including single-cell sequencing, transgenesis experiments, neurophysiological assessments of visual systems and behavioural experimentation.
Availability
- Dr Fabio Cortesi is:
- Available for supervision
- Media expert
Qualifications
- Doctoral Diploma, Universitat Basel
Research interests
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Visual Ecology, Evolution, Genomics, Transcriptomics, Behaviour, Cognition, Neurethology, Molecular Ecology, Fish
Research impacts
Doctor Cortesi's work has significantly contributed to understanding how animals other than humans see their world. Using the latest molecular, imaging and behavioural approaches, his research sheds light on the various aspects of animal visual ecology, including using colours for display, camouflage, etc. and the evolution of visual and non-visual photoreceptors.
His work has been published both as part of the peer-reviewed Scientific Literature (43 papers; 1x Science, 1x Current Biology, 1x Proceedings of The National Academy of Sciences USA) as well as Popular Science Articles (7 articles totalling > 150,000 readers/views since Jan 2015). Most recently, he has contributed to the popular science book 'Color in Nature' published by Princeton Press and co-authored by visual ecology leaders. Doctor Cortesi's articles have further experienced substantial media coverage (> 200 articles), including from The New York Times, The LA and Washington Post, BBC Earth, BBC Wildlife, Spiegel Online, Howard Hughes Image of the Week, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Cosmos Magazine, Blick am Abend, ORF.at, The Conversation, Totally Wild - Australian Network Ten, Canadian Broadcasting Radio, Swedish National Radio. He also regularly consults for blue-chip nature documentaries on using colour and colour vision in animals, such as Sir David Attenborough's recent documentary 'Life in colour'.
Works
Search Professor Fabio Cortesi’s works on UQ eSpace
2023
Journal Article
Higher ultraviolet skin reflectance signals submissiveness in the anemonefish, Amphiprion akindynos
Mitchell, Laurie J., Cortesi, Fabio, Marshall, N. Justin and Cheney, Karen L. (2023). Higher ultraviolet skin reflectance signals submissiveness in the anemonefish, Amphiprion akindynos. Behavioral Ecology, 34 (1) arac089, 19-32. doi: 10.1093/beheco/arac089
2023
Conference Publication
Quasi-ordered photonic structures colour the bluespotted ribbontail ray
Bouchat, J., Cortesi, F., Cheney, K., Vukusic, P., Justin Marshall, N., Deparis, O. and Mouchet, S. R. (2023). Quasi-ordered photonic structures colour the bluespotted ribbontail ray. 13th International Conference on Metamaterials, Photonic Crystals and Plasmonics, Paris, France, 18-21 July 2023. Paris, France: META Conference.
2023
Journal Article
Developing and adult reef fish show rapid light‐induced plasticity in their visual system
Fogg, Lily G., Cortesi, Fabio, Gache, Camille, Lecchini, David, Marshall, N. Justin and de Busserolles, Fanny (2023). Developing and adult reef fish show rapid light‐induced plasticity in their visual system. Molecular Ecology, 32 (1), 167-181. doi: 10.1111/mec.16744
2022
Journal Article
Long-wavelength-sensitive (lws) opsin gene expression, foraging and visual communication in coral reef fishes
Stieb, Sara M., Cortesi, Fabio, Jardim de Queiroz, Luiz, Carleton, Karen L., Seehausen, Ole and Marshall, N. Justin (2022). Long-wavelength-sensitive (lws) opsin gene expression, foraging and visual communication in coral reef fishes. Molecular Ecology, 32 (7), 1656-1672. doi: 10.1111/mec.16831
2022
Journal Article
Anemonefish have finer color discrimination in the ultraviolet
Mitchell, Laurie J. , Phelan, Amelia , Cortesi, Fabio , Marshall, N. Justin , Chung, Wen-Sung , Osorio, Daniel C. and Cheney, Karen L. (2022). Anemonefish have finer color discrimination in the ultraviolet.
2022
Journal Article
Multiple rod layers increase the speed and sensitivity of vision in nocturnal reef fishes
Fogg, Lily G. , Chung, Wen-Sung , Cortesi, Fabio , Marshall, N. Justin and de Busserolles, Fanny (2022). Multiple rod layers increase the speed and sensitivity of vision in nocturnal reef fishes.
2022
Conference Publication
Bluespotted ribbontail ray colored by quasi-ordered natural photonic structures
Bouchat, Julien, Cortesi, Fabio, Cheney, Karen, Vukusic, Peter, Marshall, N. Justin, Deparis, Olivier and Mouchet, Sébastien R. (2022). Bluespotted ribbontail ray colored by quasi-ordered natural photonic structures. SPIE Optical Engineering + Applications, San Diego, CA United States, 21-26 August 2022. Bellingham, WA United States: SPIE. doi: 10.1117/12.2646127
2022
Journal Article
Development of dim-light vision in the nocturnal reef fish family Holocentridae I: retinal gene expression
Fogg, Lily G., Cortesi, Fabio, Lecchini, David, Gache, Camille, Marshall, N. Justin and de Busserolles, Fanny (2022). Development of dim-light vision in the nocturnal reef fish family Holocentridae I: retinal gene expression. Journal of Experimental Biology, 225 (17) jeb244513. doi: 10.1242/jeb.244513
2022
Journal Article
Development of dim-light vision in the nocturnal reef fish family Holocentridae. II: retinal morphology
Fogg, Lily G., Cortesi, Fabio, Lecchini, David, Gache, Camille, Marshall, N. Justin and de Busserolles, Fanny (2022). Development of dim-light vision in the nocturnal reef fish family Holocentridae. II: retinal morphology. Journal of Experimental Biology, 225 (17) jeb244740. doi: 10.1242/jeb.244740
2022
Journal Article
Extensive hybridisation throughout clownfishes evolutionary history
Schmid, Sarah , Micheli, Baptiste , Cortesi, Fabio , Donati, Giulia and Salamin, Nicolas (2022). Extensive hybridisation throughout clownfishes evolutionary history.
2022
Book Chapter
Marine fishes
Williams, Samuel M., Holmes, Bonnie J., Barnett, Adam, Rogers, Troy, Fetterplace, Lachlan, Middleton, Heather, Mitchell, Jonathan, Sih, Tiffany, Harasti, David, Sheaves, Marcus, Henderson, Christopher J., Tibbetts, Ian R., Mitchell, Laurie , Martin, Tyson, Pepperell, Julian, Moore, Andy, Skelton, Megan, Taylor, Matthew, Gilby, Ben L., Chargulaf, Craig, Cortesi, Fabio, Currey-Randall, Leanne M., Tracey, Sean, Rabbitt, Sheridan and Campbell, Matthew (2022). Marine fishes. Wildlife research in Australia: practical and applied methods. (pp. 519-542) edited by Bradley Smith, Helen Waudby, Corinne Alberthsen and Jordan Hampton. Clayton South, VIC, Australia: CSIRO Publishing. doi: 10.1071/9781486313457
2022
Other Outputs
Data for: Seeing Picasso: an investigation into the visual system of the triggerfish, Rhinecanthus aculeatus
Cheney, Karen , de Busserolles, Fanny, Luehrmann, Martin , Shaughnessy, Abigail , van den Berg, Cedric, Green, Naomi , Marshall, Justin and Cortesi, Fabio (2022). Data for: Seeing Picasso: an investigation into the visual system of the triggerfish, Rhinecanthus aculeatus. The University of Queensland. (Dataset) doi: 10.48610/bb0f237
2022
Journal Article
Seeing Picasso: an investigation into the visual system of the triggerfish, Rhinecanthus aculeatus
Cheney, Karen L., Hudson, Jemma, de Busserolles, Fanny, Luehrmann, Martin, Shaughnessy, Abigail, van den Berg, Cedric, Green, Naomi F., Marshall, N. Justin and Cortesi, Fabio (2022). Seeing Picasso: an investigation into the visual system of the triggerfish, Rhinecanthus aculeatus. Journal of Experimental Biology, 225 (7) jeb243907. doi: 10.1242/jeb.243907
2022
Other Outputs
Higher ultraviolet skin reflectance signals submissiveness in the anemonefish, Amphiprion akindynos
Mitchell, Laurie J. , Cortesi, Fabio, Marshall, Justin N. and Cheney, Karen L. (2022). Higher ultraviolet skin reflectance signals submissiveness in the anemonefish, Amphiprion akindynos. Dryad. (Dataset) doi: 10.5061/dryad.kwh70rz6t
2021
Journal Article
Visual gene expression reveals a cone-to-rod developmental progression in deep-sea fishes
Lupše, Nik, Cortesi, Fabio, Freese, Marko, Marohn, Lasse, Pohlmann, Jan-Dag, Wysujack, Klaus, Hanel, Reinhold and Musilova, Zuzana (2021). Visual gene expression reveals a cone-to-rod developmental progression in deep-sea fishes. Molecular Biology and Evolution, 38 (12), 5664-5677. doi: 10.1093/molbev/msab281
2021
Other Outputs
Gene-editing in anemonefish
Cortesi, Fabio, Dunn, Simon, Cheney, Karen, Powell, Samuel, Tettamanti, Valerio, Mitchell, Laurie, Luehrmann, Martin, van den Berg, Cedric, Green, Naomi and Mailer, Chelsea (2021). Gene-editing in anemonefish. The University of Queensland. (Dataset) doi: 10.48610/ddf0baa
2021
Journal Article
Molecular evolution of ultraviolet visual opsins and spectral tuning of photoreceptors in anemonefishes (Amphiprioninae)
Mitchell, Laurie J, Cheney, Karen L, Lührmann, Martin, Marshall, Justin, Michie, Kyle and Cortesi, Fabio (2021). Molecular evolution of ultraviolet visual opsins and spectral tuning of photoreceptors in anemonefishes (Amphiprioninae). Genome Biology and Evolution, 13 (10) evab184. doi: 10.1093/gbe/evab184
2021
Other Outputs
GBE anemonefish visual gene supporting data
Cortesi, Fabio, Dunn, Simon, Cheney, Karen, Powell, Samuel, Tettamanti, Valerio, Mitchell, Laurie, Luehrmann, Martin, van den Berg, Cedric, Green, Naomi and Mailer, Chelsea (2021). GBE anemonefish visual gene supporting data. The University of Queensland. (Dataset) doi: 10.14264/673b710
2021
Journal Article
Multiple ancestral and a plethora of recent gene duplications during the evolution of the green sensitive opsin genes (RH2) in teleost fishes
Musilova, Zuzana and Cortesi, Fabio (2021). Multiple ancestral and a plethora of recent gene duplications during the evolution of the green sensitive opsin genes (RH2) in teleost fishes.
2021
Journal Article
Multiple ancestral duplications of the red-sensitive opsin gene (LWS) in teleost fishes and convergent spectral shifts to green vision in gobies
Cortesi, Fabio , Camacho, Daniel Escobar , Luehrmann, Martin , Sommer, Gina Maria and Musilova, Zuzana (2021). Multiple ancestral duplications of the red-sensitive opsin gene (LWS) in teleost fishes and convergent spectral shifts to green vision in gobies.
Funding
Supervision
Availability
- Dr Fabio Cortesi is:
- Available for supervision
Before you email them, read our advice on how to contact a supervisor.
Available projects
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Coral reef fish visual plasticity in the Anthropocene
I am seeking two new HDR students to work on a recently funded Future Fellowship project. The project asks whether and how coral reef fishes adapt their vision to human-induced environmental disturbances such as artificial light at night, reef degradation and increases in turbidity. One project will focus on the anatomical and physiological aspects of vision from the eye to the brain. The second project will focus on the molecular and behavioural aspects of visual plasticity.
Please contact me via email (f.cortesi@uq.edu.au) should you be interested in either of these topics.
Supervision history
Current supervision
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Doctor Philosophy
Comparative anatomy and evolution of reef and deep sea fishes brains
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Wen-Sung Chung
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Doctor Philosophy
Plasticity in the visual systems of coral reef fishes
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Karen Cheney
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Doctor Philosophy
Understanding the highly complex visual systems of seahorses and implications for conservation measures.
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Wen-Sung Chung, Associate Professor Karen Cheney
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Doctor Philosophy
Cohabitation and hybridization in anemonefish: behaviour, ecology, and strategies for mitigation
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Karen Cheney, Dr JP Hobbs
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Doctor Philosophy
Colour Vision in Coral Reef Fish with Five Cone Spectral Sensitivities
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Wen-Sung Chung, Associate Professor Karen Cheney
Completed supervision
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2024
Doctor Philosophy
Novel methodologies for investigating the development of vision and colouration in a coral reef fish family (Pomacentridae)
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Karen Cheney
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2022
Doctor Philosophy
Seeing in a changing sea: Development, plasticity, and ecology of the visual system in marine teleosts
Associate Advisor
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2021
Doctor Philosophy
Colour Vision in Anemonefishes (Amphiprioninae): Molecular Evolution and Behavioural Significance of Seeing in the Ultraviolet
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Karen Cheney
Media
Enquiries
Contact Dr Fabio Cortesi directly for media enquiries about:
- Animal Colour
- Evolution
- Fish
- Marine Biology
- Molecular Ecology
- Neuroethology
- Vision
- Visual Ecology
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