Associate Professor Celine Frere
Associate Professor

Celine Frere

Email: 

Background

I am an ARC Future Fellow with 13 years as an active researcher (2 years academic interruption). My research seeks to bring significant fundamental advances about how animals adapt to changing environments and see its translation into industry and government as a critical aspect of my academic career. A critical part of my research has been the development of innovative genomic tools to enhance the conservation of Australian animals, including the development and validation of [1] non-invasive molecular disease diagnostics tools, [2] next generation sequencing for improved genotyping of DNA extracted from faecal samples , [3] metagenomics as tool for the identification of meta-populations, and most recently [4] airborne eDNA as a tool to monitor threatened species (e.g. koalas and its surrounding mammalian community). I am also a passionate advocate for women in STEM and was named Queensland Tall Poppy Scientist of the Year in 2020 and SuperStar of STEM Science and Technology Australia (2017).

Availability

Associate Professor Celine Frere is:
Available for supervision

Qualifications

  • Bachelor of Science, The University of Queensland
  • Bachelor (Honours) of Science (Advanced), The University of Queensland
  • Doctor of Philosophy, University of New South Wales

Research interests

  • Urban evolutionary ecology

  • Social evolution

  • Behavioural adaptation

  • Conservation

Search Professor Celine Frere’s works on UQ eSpace

112 works between 2008 and 2024
All (112) Journal Article (97) Book Chapter (2) Conference Publication (1) Other Outputs (12)

1 - 20 of 112 works

Featured

2022

Journal Article

Selection in the city: rapid and fine-scale evolution of urban eastern water dragons

Jackson, Nicola, Littleford-Colquhoun, Bethan L., Strickland, Kasha, Class, Barbara and Frere, Celine H. (2022). Selection in the city: rapid and fine-scale evolution of urban eastern water dragons. Evolution, 76 (10), 2302-2314. doi: 10.1111/evo.14596

Selection in the city: rapid and fine-scale evolution of urban eastern water dragons

Featured

2022

Journal Article

Heterogeneity in resource competition covaries with individual variation in long-term social relationships

Levengood, Alexis L., Strickland, Kasha, Foroughirad, Vivienne, Mann, Janet, Cristescu, Romane H., Krzyszczyk, Ewa and Frère, Céline H. (2022). Heterogeneity in resource competition covaries with individual variation in long-term social relationships. Behavioral Ecology, 33 (4), 745-757. doi: 10.1093/beheco/arac037

Heterogeneity in resource competition covaries with individual variation in long-term social relationships

Featured

2022

Journal Article

How microbiomes can help inform conservation: landscape characterisation of gut microbiota helps shed light on additional population structure in a specialist folivore

Littleford-Colquhoun, B. L., Weyrich, L. S., Hohwieler, K., Cristescu, R. and Frere, C. H. (2022). How microbiomes can help inform conservation: landscape characterisation of gut microbiota helps shed light on additional population structure in a specialist folivore. Animal Microbiome, 4 (1) 12, 1-15. doi: 10.1186/s42523-021-00122-3

How microbiomes can help inform conservation: landscape characterisation of gut microbiota helps shed light on additional population structure in a specialist folivore

Featured

2021

Journal Article

Lifetime stability of social traits in bottlenose dolphins

Evans, Taylor, Krzyszczyk, Ewa, Frère, Céline and Mann, Janet (2021). Lifetime stability of social traits in bottlenose dolphins. Communications Biology, 4 (1) 759. doi: 10.1038/s42003-021-02292-x

Lifetime stability of social traits in bottlenose dolphins

Featured

2021

Journal Article

Microchromosomes are building blocks of bird, reptile, and mammal chromosomes

Waters, Paul D., Patel, Hardip R., Ruiz-Herrera, Aurora, Alvarez-Gonzalez, Lucia, Lister, Nicholas C., Simakov, Oleg, Ezaz, Tariq, Kaur, Parwinder, Frere, Celine, Grutzner, Frank, Georges, Arthur and Marshall Graves, Jennifer A. (2021). Microchromosomes are building blocks of bird, reptile, and mammal chromosomes. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 118 (45) e2112494118. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2112494118

Microchromosomes are building blocks of bird, reptile, and mammal chromosomes

Featured

2021

Journal Article

Crocodile social environments dictated by male philopatry

Baker, Cameron J., Frère, Céline H., Franklin, Craig E., Campbell, Hamish A., Irwin, Terri R. and Dwyer, Ross G. (2021). Crocodile social environments dictated by male philopatry. Behavioral Ecology, 33 (1), 156-166. doi: 10.1093/beheco/arab120

Crocodile social environments dictated by male philopatry

Featured

2021

Journal Article

Repeatability and heritability of social reaction norms in a wild agamid lizard

Strickland, Kasha, Mitchell, David J., Delmé, Coralie and Frère, Céline H. (2021). Repeatability and heritability of social reaction norms in a wild agamid lizard. Evolution, 75 (8), 1953-1965. doi: 10.1111/evo.14298

Repeatability and heritability of social reaction norms in a wild agamid lizard

Featured

2020

Journal Article

Inbreeding and disease avoidance in a free‐ranging koala population

Schultz, Anthony J., Cristescu, Romane H., Hanger, Jon, Loader, Jo, de Villiers, Deidre and Frère, Celine H. (2020). Inbreeding and disease avoidance in a free‐ranging koala population. Molecular Ecology, 29 (13), 2416-2430. doi: 10.1111/mec.15488

Inbreeding and disease avoidance in a free‐ranging koala population

Featured

2019

Journal Article

City life alters the gut microbiome and stable isotope profiling of the eastern water dragon ( Intellagama lesueurii )

Littleford‐Colquhoun, Bethan L., Weyrich, Laura S., Kent, Nicola and Frere, Celine H. (2019). City life alters the gut microbiome and stable isotope profiling of the eastern water dragon ( Intellagama lesueurii ). Molecular Ecology, 28 (20), 4592-4607. doi: 10.1111/mec.15240

City life alters the gut microbiome and stable isotope profiling of the eastern water dragon ( Intellagama lesueurii )

Featured

2019

Journal Article

Individual variation in the social plasticity of water dragons

Strickland, Kasha and Frère, Céline H. (2019). Individual variation in the social plasticity of water dragons. The American Naturalist, 194 (2), 194-206. doi: 10.1086/704089

Individual variation in the social plasticity of water dragons

Featured

2019

Journal Article

Quality and quantity of genetic relatedness data affect the analysis of social structure

Foroughirad, Vivienne, Levengood, Alexis L., Mann, Janet and Frère, Céline H. (2019). Quality and quantity of genetic relatedness data affect the analysis of social structure. Molecular Ecology Resources, 19 (5), 1181-1194. doi: 10.1111/1755-0998.13028

Quality and quantity of genetic relatedness data affect the analysis of social structure

Featured

2019

Journal Article

How sexual and natural selection shape sexual size dimorphism: Evidence from multiple evolutionary scales

Littleford‐Colquhoun, Bethan L., Clemente, Christofer, Thompson, Graham, Cristescu, Romane H., Peterson, Nicola, Strickland, Kasha, Stuart‐Fox, Devi and Frere, Celine H. (2019). How sexual and natural selection shape sexual size dimorphism: Evidence from multiple evolutionary scales. Functional Ecology, 33 (8), 1446-1458. doi: 10.1111/1365-2435.13337

How sexual and natural selection shape sexual size dimorphism: Evidence from multiple evolutionary scales

Featured

2017

Journal Article

Archipelagos of the Anthropocene: rapid and extensive differentiation of native terrestrial vertebrates in a single metropolis

Littleford-Colquhoun, Bethan L. , Clemente, Christofer, Whiting, Martin J. , Ortiz-Barrientos, Daniel and Frere, Celine H. (2017). Archipelagos of the Anthropocene: rapid and extensive differentiation of native terrestrial vertebrates in a single metropolis. Molecular Ecology, 26 (9), 2466-2481. doi: 10.1111/mec.14042

Archipelagos of the Anthropocene: rapid and extensive differentiation of native terrestrial vertebrates in a single metropolis

Featured

2013

Journal Article

Whole-genome sequencing reveals untapped genetic potential in Africa's indigenous cereal crop sorghum

Mace, Emma S., Tai, Shuaishuai, Gilding, Edward K., Li, Yanhong, Prentis, Peter J., Bian, Lianle, Campbell, Bradley C., Hu, Wushu, Innes, David J., Han, Xuelian, Cruickshank, Alan, Dai, Changming, Frere, Celine, Zhang, Haikuan, Hunt, Colleen H., Wang, Xianyuan, Shatte, Tracey, Wang, Miao, Su, Zhe, Li, Jun, Lin, Xiaozhen, Godwin, Ian D., Jordan, David R. and Wang, Jun (2013). Whole-genome sequencing reveals untapped genetic potential in Africa's indigenous cereal crop sorghum. Nature Communications, 4 (1) 2320, 2320.1-2320.8. doi: 10.1038/ncomms3320

Whole-genome sequencing reveals untapped genetic potential in Africa's indigenous cereal crop sorghum

Featured

2013

Journal Article

Allelic variation at a single gene increases food value in a drought-tolerant staple cereal

Gilding, Edward K., Frere, Celine H., Cruickshank, Alan, Rada, Anna K., Prentis, Peter J., Mudge, Agnieszka M., Mace, Emma S., Jordan, David R. and Godwin, Ian D. (2013). Allelic variation at a single gene increases food value in a drought-tolerant staple cereal. Nature Communications, 4 (1) 1483, 1483.1-1483.5. doi: 10.1038/ncomms2450

Allelic variation at a single gene increases food value in a drought-tolerant staple cereal

Featured

2010

Journal Article

Social and genetic interactions drive fitness variation in a free-living dolphin population

Frere, Celine H., Krutzen, Michael, Mann, Janet, Connor, Richard C., Bejder, Lars and Sherwin, William B. (2010). Social and genetic interactions drive fitness variation in a free-living dolphin population. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of USA, 107 (46), 19949-19954. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1007997107

Social and genetic interactions drive fitness variation in a free-living dolphin population

2024

Journal Article

Adult males are less social than juveniles and adult females in a wild agamid species

Delmé, Coralie, Class, Barbara, Strickland, Kasha and Frère, Céline H. (2024). Adult males are less social than juveniles and adult females in a wild agamid species. Animal Behaviour, 218, 37-53. doi: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2024.09.006

Adult males are less social than juveniles and adult females in a wild agamid species

2024

Journal Article

Koalas, friends and foes—The application of airborne eDNA for the biomonitoring of threatened species

Frere, Celine, Jackson, Nicola, Moreno, Jarred, Oliveros Sandino, Alejandro, Ball, Sarah and Powell, Daniel (2024). Koalas, friends and foes—The application of airborne eDNA for the biomonitoring of threatened species. Journal of Applied Ecology, 61 (11), 2837-2847. doi: 10.1111/1365-2664.14784

Koalas, friends and foes—The application of airborne eDNA for the biomonitoring of threatened species

2024

Journal Article

Sex-specific associations between social behavior, its predictability and fitness in a wild lizard

Class, Barbara, Strickland, Kasha, Potvin, Dominique, Jackson, Nicola, Nakagawa, Shinichi and Frere, Celine (2024). Sex-specific associations between social behavior, its predictability and fitness in a wild lizard. The American Naturalist, 204 (5), 501-516. doi: 10.1086/732178

Sex-specific associations between social behavior, its predictability and fitness in a wild lizard

2024

Journal Article

Cooling down is as important as warming up for a large-bodied tropical reptile

Barham, Kaitlin E., Dwyer, Ross G., Frere, Celine H., Bentley, Lily K., Baker, Cameron J., Campbell, Hamish A., Irwin, Terri R. and Franklin, Craig E. (2024). Cooling down is as important as warming up for a large-bodied tropical reptile. Royal Society of London. Proceedings B. Biological Sciences, 291 (2034) 20241804, 20241804. doi: 10.1098/rspb.2024.1804

Cooling down is as important as warming up for a large-bodied tropical reptile

Current funding

  • 2024 - 2025
    Understanding the links between the koala gut microbiome, diet and nutritional ecology of the northern and southern koala populations across mainland's Redland Coast
    Redland City Council
    Open grant
  • 2024 - 2026
    Developing a non-invasive Koala Health diagnostic framework
    NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water
    Open grant
  • 2024 - 2025
    Comparing aquatic to airborne eDNA for the monitoring of terrestrial vertebrate species
    Logan City Council
    Open grant
  • 2024 - 2025
    Airborne eDNA for the detection of koalas and co-occurring mammals along the Wind Forest's proposed transmission line route
    Forest Wind Stage 1 Pty Ltd
    Open grant
  • 2023 - 2025
    The application of airborne eDNA for the cataloguing of Gorton Forest Sanctuary's wildlife
    Australian Wildlife Conservancy
    Open grant
  • 2021 - 2026
    Animal social behaviour and emerging infectious fungal diseases in nature
    ARC Future Fellowships
    Open grant

Past funding

  • 2024
    Aquatic versus airborne eDNA for the monitoring of terrestrial vertebrate diversity - Part 1
    Logan City Council
    Open grant
  • 2024
    Linking koala gut microbiome, diet and Chlamydia and comparing health between northern and southern populations across mainlands Redland Coast
    Redland City Council
    Open grant
  • 2024
    Improving our understanding of Queensland's terrestrial threatened species use of privately held land using airborne eDNA and citizen scientists
    Logan City Council
    Open grant
  • 2023 - 2024
    Koala management impacted by linear infrastructure building and construction
    Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads
    Open grant
  • 2023 - 2024
    Design and delivery of a Victorian Koala population, genetics and health status survey (Vic Govt. Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action grant administered by Federation University)
    Federation University Australia
    Open grant
  • 2023
    Testing the use of eDNA for the monitoring of terrestrial communities in the Redlands
    Redland City Council
    Open grant

Availability

Associate Professor Celine Frere is:
Available for supervision

Before you email them, read our advice on how to contact a supervisor.

Available projects

  • Threatened species conservation

    I have PhD projects available which focus on developing new and innovative tools for the conservation of threatened species. These include airborne eDNA and microbiome analyses. Contact me if you are interested in applying genomic tools to advance conservation of animals.

  • Social Evolution

    I have PhD projects available to study the evolution of sociality using long-term datasets on individuals which include, but not limited to, species like eastern water dragons, dolphins, koalas and many others. I seek PhD students which are keen to work across species using publically available datasets to answer important questions about the evolution of the sharing of relationships.

  • Urban Evolution and Emerging Infectious Diseases

    I have PhD projects investigating links between urbanisation, animals' immunity and emerging fungal diseases.

Supervision history

Current supervision

  • Doctor Philosophy

    behaviour, fitness and emerging wildlife fungal diseases

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Rebecca Cramp

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Mechanisms of disease avoidance in eastern water dragons.

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Nicola Jackson

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Urbanisation and the emergence of wildlife fungal diseases

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Rebecca Cramp, Professor Craig Franklin

  • Doctor Philosophy

    the role of urbanisation on the emergence of reptile fungal pathogens in Australia

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Nicola Jackson

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Social plasticity and maternal effects in dolphins

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Associate Professor Rebecca Dunlop

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Koalas Poop Plenty: Harnessing the Scat Microbiome as a Conservation Tool

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Professor Craig Franklin

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Urbanisation and the emergence of wildlife fungal diseases

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Rebecca Cramp, Professor Craig Franklin

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Social behaviour and emerging fungal diseases in eastern water dragons.

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Rebecca Cramp

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Koalas Poop Plenty: Harnessing the Scat Microbiome as a Conservation Tool

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Professor Craig Franklin

  • Doctor Philosophy

    airborne eDNA for the management of terrestrial biodiversity

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Nicola Jackson

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Estimating disease susceptibility to fungal pathogen in animals

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Associate Professor Katrina McGuigan

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Behavioural and physiological responses of a large ectotherm to environmental conditions

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Professor Craig Franklin

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Understanding fungal infections in wild reptiles

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Viviana Gonzalez Astudillo

Completed supervision

Enquiries

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