Completed research projects

High-throughput collection genomics of highly variable DNA samples

The FSP has developed an inexpensive, high-throughput process to obtain genomic information from the 15 million biological specimens held in our National Research Collections Australia.

Accelerating bio-discovery: a collection genomics pipeline for high-throughput target enrichment

Genomic reference datasets are the modern go-to tool for identifying species for both conversation and biosecurity and this project will be working to further increase the efficiency of high-throughput genomics.

Close-Kin Mark-Recapture: widening the scope with new genomics

Close-Kin Mark-Recapture (CKMR) – developed at CSIRO - is already used successfully to manage southern bluefin tuna. In this new FSP project we will make CKMR cheaper and broaden the range of species it can be applied to.

Bio-prospecting for natural biosensors that detect pollution

In this project we will use the remarkable capabilities of microbes to create low-cost biosensors for detecting toxic contaminants in waterways.

Museum Epigenomics

Can we learn lessons from the past to reduce extinction risk? Our project is leveraging CSIRO’s innovative molecular expertise and the unique historical perspective held in our National Research Collections to detect changes in gene expression and epigenetic modification through time.

The CSIRO Stopwatch: A Pan-Animal Epigenetic Clock

Accurately measuring ageing and lifespan in animal species remains challenging. This project will calibrate a lifespan clock for all animal species that can be assayed quickly and inexpensively.

Novel eDNA Collection Technology Enabling Bio-monitoring and Estimation of Species Abundance

Detecting eDNA (environmental DNA) shed by aquatic species is a cost-effective and powerful tool for biodiversity and biosecurity monitoring. In this project we are developing cheap, low-tech, eDNA collection devices that will be deployable where technology is difficult to source.

Australian Microbiome Initiative

Australian Microbiome is a collaborative project to characterise the diversity and ecosystem service provision of the microorganisms inhabiting natural Australian ecosystems.

Mobilising collections through genomics

Natural history collections are vast biodiversity reference libraries, used for hundreds of years to help identify, understand and manage biodiversity.

Rapid assessment of environmental stress for major Australian plant groups

Rapid assessment of environmental stress will provide information that is important for managing and conserving Australian plants in rapidly changing environments.

Understanding stress in Australia’s animals and plants

Environmental changes cause stress to our biodiversity, increasing the chances of disease outbreaks, extinctions, waves of invasive species and other environmental problems that can occur in stressed ecosystems.

Mapping pollinator networks

Biodiversity and food security both depend on pollination of native plants and crops. But pollinators are in decline due to threats such as land clearing, habitat fragmentation, pesticides and climate change.

Online species maps from environmental DNA

The Environomics Future Science Platform has teamed with the Atlas of Living Australia to build a new online system to make cutting-edge biological records accessible.

Bioinformatics for Environomics

Our bioinformatics team is developing ways to solve the unique data analysis challenges created by high throughput sequencing of environmental samples and biological collections.

Microbes and healthy waterways

We are investigating the relationship between microbial diversity and ecosystem health in marine environments.

Environmental DNA for mapping biodiversity, detecting pests and characterising food-webs

Environmental DNA (eDNA) analysis is an emerging molecular technique for DNA-based identification of organisms.