Overview
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
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Urban evolutionary ecology
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Social evolution
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Behavioural adaptation
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Conservation
Works
Search Professor Celine Frere’s works on UQ eSpace
2023
Journal Article
Conditional alternative movement tactics in male crocodiles
Barham, Kaitlin E., Baker, Cameron J., Franklin, Craig E., Campbell, Hamish A., Frére, Celine H., Irwin, Terri R. and Dwyer, Ross G. (2023). Conditional alternative movement tactics in male crocodiles. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology, 77 (3) 31. doi: 10.1007/s00265-023-03303-z
2023
Journal Article
Post-whaling shift in mating tactics in male humpback whales
Dunlop, Rebecca and Frere, Celine (2023). Post-whaling shift in mating tactics in male humpback whales. Communications Biology, 6 (1) 162, 1-11. doi: 10.1038/s42003-023-04509-7
2023
Journal Article
Evaluating the genetic consequences of population subdivision as it unfolds and how to best mitigate them: a rare story about koalas
Frère, C. H., O’Reilly, G. D., Strickland, K., Schultz, A., Hohwieler, K., Hanger, J., de Villiers, D., Cristescu, R., Powell, D. and Sherwin, W. (2023). Evaluating the genetic consequences of population subdivision as it unfolds and how to best mitigate them: a rare story about koalas. Molecular Ecology, 32 (9), 2174-2185. doi: 10.1111/mec.16877
2023
Journal Article
Small effects of family size on sociality despite strong kin preferences in female bottlenose dolphins
Foroughirad, Vivienne, Frère, Celine H., Levengood, Alexis L., Kopps, Anna M., Krzyszczyk, Ewa and Mann, Janet (2023). Small effects of family size on sociality despite strong kin preferences in female bottlenose dolphins. Animal Behaviour, 195, 53-66. doi: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2022.10.011
2022
Other Outputs
Influence of scat ageing on the gut microbiome
Oliveros, Alejandro, Terraube, Julien, Levengood, Alexis, Powell, Daniel and Frere, Celine (2022). Influence of scat ageing on the gut microbiome. doi: 10.22541/au.166739051.16123667/v1
2022
Journal Article
Roads and water availability influence the occurrence of koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus) in secondary habitat: a multiscale approach
Gardiner, Riana, Terraube, Julien, Frere, Celine and Cristescu, Romane (2022). Roads and water availability influence the occurrence of koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus) in secondary habitat: a multiscale approach. Biodiversity and Conservation, 32 (1), 1-18. doi: 10.1007/s10531-022-02493-8
2022
Other Outputs
A species-specific qPCR assay for the reptile pathogen Nannizziopsis barbatae and mitochondrial genomes of Nannizziopsis and Paranannizziopsis
Powell, Daniel, Schwessinger, Benjamin and Frere, Celine (2022). A species-specific qPCR assay for the reptile pathogen Nannizziopsis barbatae and mitochondrial genomes of Nannizziopsis and Paranannizziopsis. doi: 10.22541/au.166385168.88835660/v1
2022
Journal Article
Susceptibility to a sexually transmitted disease in a wild koala population shows heritable genetic variance but no inbreeding depression
Cristescu, Romane H., Strickland, Kasha, Schultz, Anthony J., Kruuk, Loeske E. B., de Villiers, Deidre and Frère, Céline H. (2022). Susceptibility to a sexually transmitted disease in a wild koala population shows heritable genetic variance but no inbreeding depression. Molecular Ecology, 31 (21), 5455-5467. doi: 10.1111/mec.16676
2022
Other Outputs
CN-19503 (1804863) Koala Survey by Detection Dogs - Torbanlea
Frere, Celine (2022). CN-19503 (1804863) Koala Survey by Detection Dogs - Torbanlea. https://www.tmr.qld.gov.au: QLD TMR.
2022
Journal Article
Reproductive timing as an explanation for skewed parentage assignment ratio in a bisexually philopatric population
Foroughirad, Vivienne, McEntee, Molly, Kopps, Anna M., Levengood, Alexis, Frère, Celine and Mann, Janet (2022). Reproductive timing as an explanation for skewed parentage assignment ratio in a bisexually philopatric population. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology, 76 (9) 129. doi: 10.1007/s00265-022-03233-2
2022
Other Outputs
Changes in social position predict survival in bottlenose dolphins
Rankin, Robert William, Jilla Foroughirad, Vivienne, Krzyszczyk, Ewa Beata, Frère, Céline H. and Mann, Janet (2022). Changes in social position predict survival in bottlenose dolphins. doi: 10.1101/2022.08.25.505273
2022
Other Outputs
Bruce Highway Upgrade Cooroy to Curra Section C (Traveston to Woondum) EPBC Act Koala Research Program
Frere, C. (2022). Bruce Highway Upgrade Cooroy to Curra Section C (Traveston to Woondum) EPBC Act Koala Research Program. https://www.tmr.qld.gov.au: Qld TMR.
2022
Other Outputs
Testing the use of airborne eDNA for the monitoring of koalas and other terrestrial vertebrates in the Redlands
Frere, Celine, Jackson, Nicola, Powell, Daniel, Ball, Sarah and Schwessinger, Benjamin (2022). Testing the use of airborne eDNA for the monitoring of koalas and other terrestrial vertebrates in the Redlands. Redland City Council Website: Redland City Council.
2022
Journal Article
Genetic erosion detected in a specialist mammal living in a fast-developing environment
Hohwieler, Katrin R., de Villiers, Deidre L., Cristescu, Romane H. and Frere, Celine H. (2022). Genetic erosion detected in a specialist mammal living in a fast-developing environment. Conservation Science and Practice, 4 (7) e12738, 1-17. doi: 10.1111/csp2.12738
2022
Other Outputs
Methods for detection of recent population subdivisions
O'Reilly, Gabe, Frere, Celine, Schultz, Anthony, Kirkland, Layla and Sherwin, William (2022). Methods for detection of recent population subdivisions.
2022
Journal Article
Correction to: A framework for the identification of long-term social avoidance in longitudinal datasets
Strickland, K., Levengood, A., Foroughirad, V., Mann, J., Krzyszczyk, E. and Frère, C. H. (2022). Correction to: A framework for the identification of long-term social avoidance in longitudinal datasets. Royal Society Open Science, 9 (1) 220017, 220017. doi: 10.1098/rsos.220017
2022
Journal Article
Australian magpies Gymnorhina tibicen cooperate to remove tracking devices
Crampton, Joel, Frère, Celine and Potvin, Dominique (2022). Australian magpies Gymnorhina tibicen cooperate to remove tracking devices. Australian Field Ornithology, 39, 7-11. doi: 10.20938/afo39007011
2022
Journal Article
Testing the effectiveness of genetic monitoring using genetic non‐invasive sampling
Schultz, Anthony James, Strickland, Kasha, Cristescu, Romane H., Hanger, Jonathan, Villiers, Deidre and Frère, Céline H. (2022). Testing the effectiveness of genetic monitoring using genetic non‐invasive sampling. Ecology and Evolution, 12 (1) e8459, e8459. doi: 10.1002/ece3.8459
2021
Journal Article
Publisher Correction: Cross-continental emergence of Nannizziopsis barbatae disease may threaten wild Australian lizards (Scientific Reports, (2020), 10, 1, (20976), 10.1038/s41598-020-77865-7)
Peterson, Nicola R., Rose, Karrie, Shaw, Stephanie, Hyndman, Tim H., Sigler, Lynne, Kurtböke, D. İpek, Llinas, Josh, Littleford‑Colquhoun, Bethan L., Cristescu, Romane and Frère, Celine (2021). Publisher Correction: Cross-continental emergence of Nannizziopsis barbatae disease may threaten wild Australian lizards (Scientific Reports, (2020), 10, 1, (20976), 10.1038/s41598-020-77865-7). Scientific Reports, 11 (1) 6871. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-86463-0
2021
Journal Article
From flames to inflammation: how wildfires affect patterns of wildlife disease
Albery, Gregory F., Turilli, Isabella, Joseph, Maxwell B., Foley, Janet, Frere, Celine H. and Bansal, Shweta (2021). From flames to inflammation: how wildfires affect patterns of wildlife disease. Fire Ecology, 17 (1) 23. doi: 10.1186/s42408-021-00113-4
Funding
Current funding
Supervision
Availability
- Associate Professor Celine Frere is:
- Available for supervision
Looking for a supervisor? Read our advice on how to choose a supervisor.
Available projects
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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.
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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.
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Urban Evolution and Emerging Infectious Diseases
I have PhD projects investigating links between urbanisation, animals' immunity and emerging fungal diseases.
Supervision history
Current supervision
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Doctor Philosophy
Urbanisation and the emergence of wildlife fungal diseases
Principal Advisor
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Doctor Philosophy
Social behaviour and emerging fungal diseases in eastern water dragons.
Principal Advisor
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Doctor Philosophy
Mechanisms of disease avoidance in eastern water dragons.
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Nicola Jackson
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Doctor Philosophy
the role of urbanisation on the emergence of reptile fungal pathogens in Australia
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Nicola Jackson
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Doctor Philosophy
What lies within: understanding intraindividual variation of behaviour in Indo-Pacific bottlenose Tursiops aduncus
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Rebecca Dunlop
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Doctor Philosophy
airborne eDNA and northern bettongs
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Nicola Jackson
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Doctor Philosophy
Estimating disease susceptibility to fungal pathogen in animals
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Katrina McGuigan
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Doctor Philosophy
airborne eDNA for the management of terrestrial biodiversity
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Nicola Jackson
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Doctor Philosophy
Understanding fungal infections in wild reptiles
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Viviana Gonzalez Astudillo, Dr Laura Grogan
Completed supervision
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2025
Doctor Philosophy
Koalas Poop Plenty: Harnessing the Scat Microbiome as a Conservation Tool
Principal Advisor
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2025
Doctor Philosophy
Behavioural and physiological responses of estuarine crocodiles to environmental conditions
Associate Advisor
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2023
Doctor Philosophy
Using spatial ecology to reveal sociality: The movement ecology, behaviour, and social structure of the estuarine crocodile, Crocodylus porosus
Associate Advisor
Media
Enquiries
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