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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

129 works between 2008 and 2025

121 - 129 of 129 works

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

Lack of low frequency variants masks patterns of non-neutral evolution following domestication

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

Nature and nurture: A step towards investigating their interactions in the wild

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.

North Stradbroke Island: An island ark for Queensland's koala population?

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

Development and characterization of microsatellite loci for Khaya senegalensis (Meliaceae)

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

Characterization and multiplexing of EST-SSR primers in Cynodon (Poaceae) species

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

Inbreeding tolerance and fitness costs in wild bottlenose dolphins

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

Home range overlap, matrilineal and biparental kinship drive female associations in bottlenose dolphins

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

Thar she blows! A novel method for DNA collection from cetacean blow

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

Phylogenetic analysis of mtDNA sequences suggests revision of humpback dolphin (Sousa spp.) taxonomy is needed

Funding

Current funding

  • 2025 - 2028
    Airborne eDNA for northern bettongs
    ARC Linkage Projects
    Open grant
  • 2024 - 2026
    Developing a non-invasive Koala Health diagnostic framework
    NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water
    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 - 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
    Aquatic versus airborne eDNA for the monitoring of terrestrial vertebrate diversity - Part 1
    Logan City Council
    Open grant
  • 2024 - 2025
    Comparing aquatic to airborne eDNA for the monitoring of terrestrial vertebrate species
    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 - 2025
    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
  • 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 - 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

Supervision

Availability

Associate Professor Celine Frere is:
Available for supervision

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

Supervision history

Current supervision

  • Doctor Philosophy

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

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Nicola Jackson

  • Doctor Philosophy

    airborne eDNA for the management of terrestrial biodiversity

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Nicola Jackson

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Urbanisation and the emergence of wildlife fungal diseases

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Professor Craig Franklin

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Mechanisms of disease avoidance in eastern water dragons.

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Nicola Jackson

  • Doctor Philosophy

    airborne eDNA and northern bettongs

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Nicola Jackson

  • Doctor Philosophy

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

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Professor Craig Franklin

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Social plasticity and maternal effects in dolphins

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Associate Professor Rebecca Dunlop

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Social behaviour and emerging fungal diseases in eastern water dragons.

    Principal Advisor

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Estimating disease susceptibility to fungal pathogen in animals

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Associate Professor Katrina McGuigan

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Understanding fungal infections in wild reptiles

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Viviana Gonzalez Astudillo, Dr Laura Grogan

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Behavioural and physiological responses of estuarine crocodiles 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