Team research projects

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.

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 (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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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