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Associate Professor Celine Frere
Associate Professor

Celine Frere

Email: 

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

  • Urban evolutionary ecology

  • Social evolution

  • Behavioural adaptation

  • Conservation

Works

Search Professor Celine Frere’s works on UQ eSpace

107 works between 2008 and 2024

41 - 60 of 107 works

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. doi: 10.1098/rsos.220017

Correction to: A framework for the identification of long-term social avoidance in longitudinal datasets

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

Australian magpies Gymnorhina tibicen cooperate to remove tracking devices

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

Testing the effectiveness of genetic monitoring using genetic non‐invasive sampling

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

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)

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

From flames to inflammation: how wildfires affect patterns of wildlife disease

2021

Other Outputs

The epidemiology and genomics of a virulent emerging fungal pathogen in an Australian reptile

Class, B., Powell, D., Terraube, J., Albery, G., Delmé, C., Bansal, S. and Frère, C.H. (2021). The epidemiology and genomics of a virulent emerging fungal pathogen in an Australian reptile.

The epidemiology and genomics of a virulent emerging fungal pathogen in an Australian reptile

2021

Journal Article

Maternal effects and fitness consequences of individual variation in bottlenose dolphins' ecological niche

Strickland, Kasha, Mann, Janet, Foroughirad, Vivienne, Levengood, Alexis L. and Frère, Céline H. (2021). Maternal effects and fitness consequences of individual variation in bottlenose dolphins' ecological niche. Journal of Animal Ecology, 90 (8) 1365-2656.13513, 1-13. doi: 10.1111/1365-2656.13513

Maternal effects and fitness consequences of individual variation in bottlenose dolphins' ecological niche

2021

Other Outputs

Immediate and long-term genetic consequences of linear transport infrastructure: can fauna crossing mitigate its cost?

Frere, Celine, O'Reilly, Gabe, Strickland, Kasha, Schultz, Anthony , Hohwieler, K., Hanger, J., de Villiers, D., Cristescu, R., Powell, D. and Sherwin, W. (2021). Immediate and long-term genetic consequences of linear transport infrastructure: can fauna crossing mitigate its cost?.

Immediate and long-term genetic consequences of linear transport infrastructure: can fauna crossing mitigate its cost?

2021

Journal Article

Genome sequence of the fungus Nannizziopsis barbatae, an emerging reptile pathogen

Powell, Daniel, Jones, Ashley, Kent, Nicola, Kaur, Parwinder, Bar, Ido, Schwessinger, Benjamin and Frère, Céline H. (2021). Genome sequence of the fungus Nannizziopsis barbatae, an emerging reptile pathogen. Microbiology Resource Announcements, 10 (1). doi: 10.1128/mra.01213-20

Genome sequence of the fungus Nannizziopsis barbatae, an emerging reptile pathogen

2021

Journal Article

Difficulties of assessing the impacts of the 2019–2020 bushfires on koalas

Cristescu, Romane H., Gardiner, Riana, Terraube, Julien, McDonald, Kye, Powell, Dan, Levengood, Alexis L. and Frère, Céline H. (2021). Difficulties of assessing the impacts of the 2019–2020 bushfires on koalas. Austral Ecology, 48 (1), 12-18. doi: 10.1111/aec.13120

Difficulties of assessing the impacts of the 2019–2020 bushfires on koalas

2020

Journal Article

Cross-continental emergence of Nannizziopsis barbatae disease may threaten wild Australian lizards

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 (2020). Cross-continental emergence of Nannizziopsis barbatae disease may threaten wild Australian lizards. Scientific Reports, 10 (1) 20976, 1-12. doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-77865-7

Cross-continental emergence of Nannizziopsis barbatae disease may threaten wild Australian lizards

2020

Journal Article

Shrinking into the big city: influence of genetic and environmental factors on urban dragon lizard morphology and performance capacity

Baxter-Gilbert, James, Riley, Julia L., Frère, Celine H. and Whiting, Martin J. (2020). Shrinking into the big city: influence of genetic and environmental factors on urban dragon lizard morphology and performance capacity. Urban Ecosystems, 24 (4), 661-674. doi: 10.1007/s11252-020-01065-4

Shrinking into the big city: influence of genetic and environmental factors on urban dragon lizard morphology and performance capacity

2020

Journal Article

Juvenile social dynamics reflect adult reproductive strategies in bottlenose dolphins

Galezo, Allison A., Foroughirad, Vivienne, Krzyszczyk, Ewa, Frère, Céline H. and Mann, Janet (2020). Juvenile social dynamics reflect adult reproductive strategies in bottlenose dolphins. Behavioral Ecology, 31 (5), 1159-1171. doi: 10.1093/beheco/araa068

Juvenile social dynamics reflect adult reproductive strategies in bottlenose dolphins

2020

Journal Article

Fitness benefits of male dominance behaviours depend on the degree of individual inbreeding in a polyandrous lizard

Piza-Roca, Carmen, Schoeman, David and Frere, Celine (2020). Fitness benefits of male dominance behaviours depend on the degree of individual inbreeding in a polyandrous lizard. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 287 (1927) 20200097, 20200097. doi: 10.1098/rspb.2020.0097

Fitness benefits of male dominance behaviours depend on the degree of individual inbreeding in a polyandrous lizard

2020

Journal Article

Sniffing out solutions to enhance conservation: How detection dogs can maximise research and management outcomes, through the example of koalas

Cristescu, Romane H., Miller, Russell L. and Frère, Céline H. (2020). Sniffing out solutions to enhance conservation: How detection dogs can maximise research and management outcomes, through the example of koalas. Australian Zoologist, 40 (3), 416-432. doi: 10.7882/az.2019.030

Sniffing out solutions to enhance conservation: How detection dogs can maximise research and management outcomes, through the example of koalas

2020

Other Outputs

Koala Forever Noosa. Securing the future of wild koalas and wild koala eco-tourism in the Noosa Biosphere Reserve

Hohwieler, Katrin , Chudleigh, Sally , Frere, Celine and Cristescu, Romane (2020). Koala Forever Noosa. Securing the future of wild koalas and wild koala eco-tourism in the Noosa Biosphere Reserve. Interim Report Sunshine Coast, QLD, Australia: Noosa Biosphere.

Koala Forever Noosa. Securing the future of wild koalas and wild koala eco-tourism in the Noosa Biosphere Reserve

2019

Journal Article

Quantifying koala locomotion strategies: implications for the evolution of arborealism in marsupials

Gaschk, Joshua L., Frère, Celine H. and Clemente, Christofer J. (2019). Quantifying koala locomotion strategies: implications for the evolution of arborealism in marsupials. Journal of Experimental Biology, 222 (24) jeb207506. doi: 10.1242/jeb.207506

Quantifying koala locomotion strategies: implications for the evolution of arborealism in marsupials

2019

Journal Article

Robust science underpinning legislation can create better outcomes for threatened species impacted by infrastructure projects : robust science is critical for EIAs

Cristescu, R. H., Scales, K. L., Schultz, A. J., Miller, R. L., Schoeman, D. S., Dique, D. and Frère, C. H. (2019). Robust science underpinning legislation can create better outcomes for threatened species impacted by infrastructure projects : robust science is critical for EIAs. Animal Conservation, 22 (4), 328-330. doi: 10.1111/acv.12528

Robust science underpinning legislation can create better outcomes for threatened species impacted by infrastructure projects : robust science is critical for EIAs

2019

Journal Article

Environmental impact assessments can misrepresent species distributions: a case study of koalas in Queensland, Australia

Cristescu, R. H., Scales, K. L., Schultz, A. J., Miller, R. L., Schoeman, D. S., Dique, D. and Frère, C. H. (2019). Environmental impact assessments can misrepresent species distributions: a case study of koalas in Queensland, Australia. Animal Conservation, 22 (4), 314-323. doi: 10.1111/acv.12455

Environmental impact assessments can misrepresent species distributions: a case study of koalas in Queensland, Australia

2019

Journal Article

Applying network analysis to birdsong research

Potvin, Dominique A., Strickland, Kasha, MacDougall-Shackleton, Elizabeth A., Slade, Joel W.G. and Frère, Celine H. (2019). Applying network analysis to birdsong research. Animal Behaviour, 154, 95-109. doi: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2019.06.012

Applying network analysis to birdsong research

Funding

Current funding

  • 2024 - 2026
    Developing a non-invasive Koala Health diagnostic framework
    NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water
    Open grant
  • 2024 - 2025
    Aquatic versus airborne eDNA for the monitoring of terrestrial vertebrate diversity.
    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
    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 - 2024
    Koala management impacted by linear infrastructure building and construction
    Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads
    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
    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
    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

Supervision

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

    Adaptation to environmental change; how plastic is the gut bacterial microbiome of koalas?

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Professor Craig Franklin

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Social behaviour and emerging fungal diseases in eastern water dragons.

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Rebecca Cramp

  • Doctor Philosophy

    airborne eDNA for the management of terrestrial biodiversity

    Principal Advisor

  • 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

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Urbanisation and the emergence of wildlife fungal diseases

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Rebecca Cramp, Professor Craig Franklin

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Social plasticity and maternal effects in dolphins

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Associate Professor Rebecca Dunlop

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Behavioural and physiological responses of a large ectotherm to environmental conditions

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Professor Craig Franklin

Completed supervision

Media

Enquiries

For media enquiries about Associate Professor Celine Frere's areas of expertise, story ideas and help finding experts, contact our Media team:

communications@uq.edu.au