Team research projects

Exploring the Biodiscovery Potential of Natural History Collections

Valuable new compounds and enzymes with bio-engineering potential are often discovered from natural products. By uncovering the chemical diversity of our collections, we will contribute to the exploration of the biodiscovery potential of little-known organisms.

A black bird with wings outstretched sitting on a rock at the side of a lake.

The dartR package: a platform for population genomics

dartR is an open source platform that provides user‐friendly functions that enables analysis of large genomics datasets.

The National Biodiversity DNA Library

We are working with partners to create a National Biodiversity DNA Library.

Hundreads of European bees on a hive.

I spy with my little hive: area-wide bio-surveillance with honeybees

This project will optimise eDNA sampling from bee hives and create a early detection surveillance system for weeds and pathogens.

Harnessing the versatility of target capture in natural resource management

We will be refining the bioinformatic and molecular aspects of miniaturised target capture.

Scientific conical glass flasks filled with algae solutions of different colours.

Algae bioprospecting prediction through ‘omics characterisation and machine learning

This project will develop a platform to predict algae species most likely to yield bioproducts.

Next-Generation Surveillance: Building affordable non-invasive “AIR-borne DNA and RNA tRAP” (AIRDRAP) technology

Research to develop technology to collect airborne eDNA and RNA.

Cane lobster pots in the foreground in front of fishing boats at Apollo Bay

Biomarkers for animal life history

Developing biomarkers to identify significant life history traits and creating cost-effective assays for their use in managing fisheries and wildlife.

Red soil sparsely covered in plants, predominatley by a small white and yellow flowering daisy.

Optimising metagenomic bioprospecting in microbiomes for novel enzymes and proteins

This work will aim to identify a complete list of microorganisms in soil microbiome communities.

A single tree with it's trunk in shallow estuarine water with the sea in the background.

Development and application of environmental indicators; beyond compliance targeted metrics, toward causative understanding

This research will make location and/or environment specific evaluations of ecosystem health.

Gearing high-throughput collection genomics to production

This research will generate cost-efficient, large-scale DNA Sequence libraries from vouchered reference collections.

A person leaning over the edge of a ship lifting up a large toothfish.

Seafood provenance through population-specific DNA methylation

The project will provide an exciting opportunity to examine variation in DNA methylation at a population level and will provide insight into the usefulness of this biomarker in provenance applications.

A whale jumping out of the sea.

Estimating animal abundance by genotyping single cells from the environment

In this project, we will be collecting whole cells shed by animals naturally into the water to develop an estimate of animal abundance.

A kangaroo obscured behind shrubs and tall grass.

The CSIRO Stopwatch: Reloaded

This project seeks to extend the findings from the predecessor project “The CSIRO Stopwatch”.