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
2012
Journal Article
A review of fauna in mine rehabilitation in Australia: current state and future directions
Cristescu, Romane H., Frere, Celine and Banks, Peter B. (2012). A review of fauna in mine rehabilitation in Australia: current state and future directions. Biological Conservation, 149 (1), 60-72. doi: 10.1016/j.biocon.2012.02.003
2012
Journal Article
Differentiated or not? An assessment of current knowledge of genetic structure of Sousa chinensis in China
Lin, Wenzhi, Chang, Lihong, Frere, Céline H., Zhou, Ruilian, Chen, Jialin, Chen, Xi and Wu, Yuping (2012). Differentiated or not? An assessment of current knowledge of genetic structure of Sousa chinensis in China. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology, 416, 17-20. doi: 10.1016/j.jembe.2012.02.002
2012
Journal Article
Isolation and characterisation of novel microsatellite and mitochondrial DNA markers for the Eastern Water Dragon (Physignathus lesueurii)
Frere, C. H., Prentis, P. J., Ezaz, T. and Georges, A. (2012). Isolation and characterisation of novel microsatellite and mitochondrial DNA markers for the Eastern Water Dragon (Physignathus lesueurii). Conservation Genetics Resources, 4 (1), 113-116. doi: 10.1007/s12686-011-9487-3
2011
Journal Article
Multiple lines of evidence for an Australasian geographic boundary in the Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin (Sousa chinensis): Population or species divergence?
Frére, C. H., Seddon, J., Palmer, C., Porter, L. and Parra, G. J. (2011). Multiple lines of evidence for an Australasian geographic boundary in the Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin (Sousa chinensis): Population or species divergence?. Conservation Genetics, 12 (6), 1633-1638. doi: 10.1007/s10592-011-0242-9
2011
Journal Article
Lack of low frequency variants masks patterns of non-neutral evolution following domestication
Frere, Celine H., Prentis, Peter J., Gilding, Edward K., Mudge, Agnieszka M., Cruickshank, Alan and Godwin, Ian D. (2011). Lack of low frequency variants masks patterns of non-neutral evolution following domestication. PLoS One, 6 (8 Article # e23041) e23041, e23041-1-e23041-5. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0023041
2011
Journal Article
Nature and nurture: A step towards investigating their interactions in the wild
Frere, Celine H., Mann, Janet, Krutzen, Michael, Connor, Richard, Bejder, Lars and Sherwin, William B. (2011). Nature and nurture: A step towards investigating their interactions in the wild. Communicative and Integrative Biology, 4 (2), 192-193. doi: 10.4161/cib.4.2.14297
2011
Journal Article
North Stradbroke Island: An island ark for Queensland's koala population?
Cristescu, R., Ellis, W., de Villiers, D., Lee, K., Woosnam-Merchez, O., Frere, C., Banks, P. B., Dique, D., Hodgkison, S., Carrick, H., Carter, D., Smith, P. and Carrick, F. (2011). North Stradbroke Island: An island ark for Queensland's koala population?. Proceedings of the Royal Society of Queensland, 117, 309-333.
2010
Journal Article
Development and characterization of microsatellite loci for Khaya senegalensis (Meliaceae)
Sexton, G. J., Frere, C. H., Dieters, M. J., Godwin, I. D. and Prentis, P. J. (2010). Development and characterization of microsatellite loci for Khaya senegalensis (Meliaceae). American Journal of Botany, 97 (11), E111-E113. doi: 10.3732/ajb.1000300
2010
Journal Article
Characterization and multiplexing of EST-SSR primers in Cynodon (Poaceae) species
Jewell, MC, Frere, CH, Prentis, PJ, Lambrides, CJ and Godwin, ID (2010). Characterization and multiplexing of EST-SSR primers in Cynodon (Poaceae) species. American Journal of Botany, 97 (10), E99-E101. doi: 10.3732/ajb.1000254
2010
Journal Article
Inbreeding tolerance and fitness costs in wild bottlenose dolphins
Frere, Céline H., Krutzen, Michael, Kopps, Anna M., Ward, Patrick, Mann, Janet and Sherwin, William B. (2010). Inbreeding tolerance and fitness costs in wild bottlenose dolphins. Proceedings of The Royal Society B-Biological Sciences, 277 (1694), 2667-2673. doi: 10.1098/rspb.2010.0039
2010
Journal Article
Home range overlap, matrilineal and biparental kinship drive female associations in bottlenose dolphins
Frere, C. H., Krutzen, M., Mann, J., Watson-Capps, J. J., Tsai, Y. J., Patterson, E. M., Connor, R., Bejder, L. and Sherwin, W. B. (2010). Home range overlap, matrilineal and biparental kinship drive female associations in bottlenose dolphins. Animal Behaviour, 80 (3), 481-486. doi: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2010.06.007
2010
Journal Article
Thar she blows! A novel method for DNA collection from cetacean blow
Frère, Céline H., Krzyszczyk, Ewa, Patterson, Eric M., Hunter, Sue, Ginsburg, Alison and Mann, Janet (2010). Thar she blows! A novel method for DNA collection from cetacean blow. PLoS ONE, 5 (8) e12299, e12299-1-e12299-5. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0012299
2008
Journal Article
Phylogenetic analysis of mtDNA sequences suggests revision of humpback dolphin (Sousa spp.) taxonomy is needed
Frere, Celine H., Hale, Peter T., Porter, Lindsay, Cockcroft, Victor G. and Dalebout, Merel L. (2008). Phylogenetic analysis of mtDNA sequences suggests revision of humpback dolphin (Sousa spp.) taxonomy is needed. Marine and Freshwater Research, 59 (3), 259-268. doi: 10.1071/MF07120
Funding
Current funding
Past funding
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
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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
behaviour, fitness and emerging wildlife fungal diseases
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Rebecca Cramp
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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
Urbanisation and the emergence of wildlife fungal diseases
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Rebecca Cramp, Professor Craig Franklin
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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
Social plasticity and maternal effects in dolphins
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Rebecca Dunlop
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Doctor Philosophy
Koalas Poop Plenty: Harnessing the Scat Microbiome as a Conservation Tool
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Craig Franklin
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Doctor Philosophy
Urbanisation and the emergence of wildlife fungal diseases
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Rebecca Cramp, Professor Craig Franklin
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Doctor Philosophy
Social behaviour and emerging fungal diseases in eastern water dragons.
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Rebecca Cramp
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Doctor Philosophy
Koalas Poop Plenty: Harnessing the Scat Microbiome as a Conservation Tool
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Craig Franklin
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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
Estimating disease susceptibility to fungal pathogen in animals
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Katrina McGuigan
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Doctor Philosophy
Behavioural and physiological responses of a large ectotherm to environmental conditions
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Craig Franklin
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Doctor Philosophy
Understanding fungal infections in wild reptiles
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Viviana Gonzalez Astudillo
Completed supervision
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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
Other advisors: Professor Craig Franklin
Media
Enquiries
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