Evolutionary genetics and genomics

New methods in genetics and genomics have allowed a rapid expansion of research into the basis of variations in phenotype, development and the epigenetic variations induced by diet and other lifetime experiences. Genetics research in the Research School of Biology spans plants and animals and model and non-model organisms. We have a strong reputation in epigenetics, chromosome evolution, developmental biology and in plant-animal interactions and are well equipped in large scale sequencing facilities.

Project Groups
New methods in phylogenetics Lanfear Group - Mutation, molecular evolution and phylogenetics
A synthetic biology approach to detect pathogen molecules in crops Schwessinger Group - Plants, fungi, evolution
Australian Mountain Research Facility (AMRF, ARC LIEF project)
  • Head Group – Ecology and evolution of sex
  • Nicotra Group - Plant physiological ecology, plant evolutionary biology, reproductive ecology
  • Linde Group - Population genetics, evolution, phylogeography and molecular phylogenetics of fungi
  • Borevitz Group - Plant genomics for climate adaption
  • Bioinformatic / Computational methods Huttley Group - Bioinformatics, molecular evolution of genomes
    C4 Rice Project
  • Furbank Group – Improving photosynthesis and crop yield
  • von Caemmerer Group - CO2 fixation and water loss of leaves
  • Characterising the Zymospetoria tritici - wheat interaction Solomon Group - Wheat biosecurity
    CO2 acquisition by cyanobacteria and plants, & Synthetic Biology strategies for transplanting cyanobacterial CO2 Concentrating mechanism parts in crop plants
  • Price Group - The cyanobacterial CO2 concentrating mechanism and the use of synthetic biology to transfer it to C3 crop plants
  • von Caemmerer Group - CO2 fixation and water loss of leaves
  • Detection of fungal pathogens and their associated microbiome Schwessinger Group - Plants, fungi, evolution
    Developing new genetic systems for hybrid breeding in wheat Melonek Group – Unlocking genetic secrets of cytoplasmic male sterility and fertility restoration in plants
    Developing novel methods to monitor Australia's dark taxa Head Group – Ecology and evolution of sex
    Domesticating Australian native bees for use as alternative pollinators Mikheyev Group - Evolutionary genomics
    Drivers of phenotypic evolution in a vulnerable alpine ecosystem
  • Head Group – Ecology and evolution of sex
  • Nicotra Group - Plant physiological ecology, plant evolutionary biology, reproductive ecology
  • Linde Group - Population genetics, evolution, phylogeography and molecular phylogenetics of fungi
  • Ecology and ecophysiology in Australian plant species in a climate change context Nicotra Group - Plant physiological ecology, plant evolutionary biology, reproductive ecology
    Epigenetic integration of genomic and environmental information in honey bees Maleszka Group - From molecules to behaviour
    Epigenetics of brain plasticity Maleszka Group - From molecules to behaviour
    Evolution of Varroa tolerance in feral honey bees Mikheyev Group - Evolutionary genomics
    Evolutionary biology of Australian reptiles and amphibians Keogh Group - Evolutionary biology & ecology of reptiles and amphibians
    Evolutionary significance of early developmental environments: Interaction between maternal effects and offspring thermal environment on phenotypic development and fitness Noble Group - Animal ecophysiology and evolutionary ecology
    Explore the Secrets of Australian Plants: Unravelling Ecological, Chemical, Molecular, and Genomic Mysteries of Specialised Plant-Pollinator Interactions. Peakall Group - Pollination, evolution and conservation
    Factors impacting gene silencing efficacy in plants Millar Group - Plant microRNA biology and disease resistance
    Fungal bioinformatics Linde Group - Population genetics, evolution, phylogeography and molecular phylogenetics of fungi
    Fungal genomics, evolution, and host adaptation Schwessinger Group - Plants, fungi, evolution
    Genes, diet and environment Maleszka Group - From molecules to behaviour
    Genome wide association mapping Borevitz Group - Plant genomics for climate adaption
    Genomics of wild Australian brewing yeasts Schwessinger Group - Plants, fungi, evolution
    Honours projects are now available to study a wide range of topics in biosecurity and pathogenesis Solomon Group - Wheat biosecurity
    How mTERF proteins contribute to fertility restoration in plants? Melonek Group – Unlocking genetic secrets of cytoplasmic male sterility and fertility restoration in plants
    Identification of 2000 novel protein isoforms in the human and mouse genomes Fahrer Group - Immunology
    Identification of molecular mechanisms of action and direct target genes of developmental signalling pathways in sponges Adamska Group - Genomic and evolutionary basis of animal development
    Identification of target genes of developmental transcription factors Brachyury, Gata and Caudal in sponges Adamska Group - Genomic and evolutionary basis of animal development
    Impact of early thermal environments on thermal behaviour and physiology in lizards Noble Group - Animal ecophysiology and evolutionary ecology
    Landscape genomics Borevitz Group - Plant genomics for climate adaption
    Maternal effects and phenotypic development in lizards Noble Group - Animal ecophysiology and evolutionary ecology
    Metagenomics and the analysis of microbial genomes Huttley Group - Bioinformatics, molecular evolution of genomes
    MicroRNA target recognition; the role of the target RNA secondary structure. Millar Group - Plant microRNA biology and disease resistance
    Molecular evolution and Phylogenetics Huttley Group - Bioinformatics, molecular evolution of genomes
    Nutrient acquisition in apicomplexan parasites
  • Lehane Group - Antimalarial drug action and resistance
  • van Dooren Group - Cell biology and metabolism of apicomplexan parasites
  • PhD projects are now available to study a wide range of topics in biosecurity and pathogenesis Solomon Group - Wheat biosecurity
    Phylogeny, biogeography and diversification of Australian plants
  • Cardillo Group - Macroevolution, Macroecology and Biogeography
  • Bromham Group - Macroevolution, molecular evolution & Language evolution
  • Rates of molecular evolution in parasites Bromham Group - Macroevolution, molecular evolution & Language evolution
    Save Our Snow gum: Understanding Snow Gum Dieback for Effective and Integrated Management Nicotra Group - Plant physiological ecology, plant evolutionary biology, reproductive ecology
    Sexual selection in changing in environments Head Group – Ecology and evolution of sex
    Skeleton formation in soft corals and calcareous sponges Adamska Group - Genomic and evolutionary basis of animal development
    Sponge and coral microbiomes Adamska Group - Genomic and evolutionary basis of animal development
    Statistical methods of sequence divergence Huttley Group - Bioinformatics, molecular evolution of genomes
    Student opportunities in molecular analysis of CO2 acquisition by cyanobacteria Price Group - The cyanobacterial CO2 concentrating mechanism and the use of synthetic biology to transfer it to C3 crop plants
    The biology of the mitochondrion of apicomplexan parasites van Dooren Group - Cell biology and metabolism of apicomplexan parasites
    The ecology and evolution of aposematism Head Group – Ecology and evolution of sex

    Updated:  13 June 2019/Responsible Officer:  Web Services/Page Contact:  Web Services