The University of Sydney
Dr Carolyn Hogg made a call for Antarctic Peninsula Marine Protected Area, published in Nature and co-signed by 289 other women in STEMM. This work also had an associated article in The Conversation and was promoted in Science.
This was featured in global media in Australia, UK, USA, Korea, Indonesia & Spain.
McLennan, E. A. (2020). To move or not to move? A genetic toolkit for monitoring assisted colonisations. University of Sydney.
Worldwide there are over one million species threatened with extinction. Assisted colonisations are becoming increasingly relevant as in situ threat mitigation fails to keep pace with population declines. Human-mediated movement of species to habitats beyond their native range has been used to protect species against prevailing disease threats, invasive species and climate change. To be successful, scientifically derived principles for planning and implementation of assisted colonisations are needed. Recent technological advancements have increased our capacity to monitor wildlife. With genetic methods we can assess a myriad of population processes such as diet, interindividual relationships, shifts in genetic diversity profiles and ultimately a population’s capacity to adapt to new challenges. Here I demonstrate that a “toolkit” of genetic monitoring techniques can be used to critically examine an assisted colonisation and inform adaptive management. Through the compilation of large genetic datasets, my work has helped identify a toolkit of genetic monitoring protocols most appropriate for monitoring an assisted colonisation and performing adaptive management. I recommend careful monitoring of the inter- and intraspecific interactions that occur following an assisted colonisation with the most appropriate sampling regime and marker type for a given question. Doing so will enable appropriate remedial management such as protection of vulnerable native species at the release site or identification of genetically overrepresented individuals. The work presented here provides a genetic toolkit for global conservation managers who are using assisted colonisation to prevent the extinction of threatened species.
https://sydney.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/61USYD_INST/1c0ug48/alma991032033232205106
Vet Practice
Carolyn Hogg is co-editor of the new book Saving the Tasmanian devil: Recovery through Science-based Management
Read more here: https://www.vetpracticemag.com.au/new-book-documents-how-science-is-saving-the-tasmanian-devil/
Peel, E. J. (2018). Peptides from the Pouch: Marsupial and Monotreme Cathelicidins. The University of Sydney.
The rise in antimicrobial resistance and paucity of new antimicrobial compounds calls for alternatives to traditional antibiotics. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have emerged as potential candidates. Cathelicidins are a major family of AMPs in mammals which form part of innate immunity through antimicrobial and immunomodulatory functions. Marsupial and monotreme cathelicidins are of particular interest due to their involvement in protecting immunologically naive young during development in the pouch via expression in the pouch lining and milk where they modulate microbial flora and provide passive immunity. As such, the cathelicidin gene family has expanded in marsupials and monotremes, with a high number of cathelicidins in the tammar wallaby, gray short-tailed opossum and platypus. However our knowledge is limited to these species and functional studies involving antimicrobial activity are lacking. This thesis describes the characterisation of cathelicidins in the Tasmanian devil, koala and echidna, and investigates the antimicrobial function of all marsupial and monotreme cathelicidins. As expected, cathelicidins have expanded in the Tasmanian devil and koala, resulting in a high number of cathelicidins which were widely expressed throughout the body, including in pouch lining and milk. Only a single cathelicidin was identified in the echidna due to the quality of the genome. Out of 26 cathelicidins tested, six displayed broad-spectrum antibacterial activity against gram-negative and positive bacteria, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. One koala cathelicidin rapidly inactivated C. pecorum and significantly reduced the number of chlamydial inclusions in vitro. Activity was reduced in the presence of serum and whole blood, and peptides displayed varying levels of haemolytic and cytotoxic activity. Many cathelicidins did not display antimicrobial activity and future work is required to explore their potential immunomodulatory properties. The results presented in this thesis have advanced our understanding of cathelicidins in marsupials and monotremes on a genetic and functional level, and highlights their potential as novel therapeutics in the future.
https://sydney.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/61USYD_INST/1c0ug48/alma991032033232205106
ABC News
Carolyn Hogg was interviewed by ABC News about Tasmanian Devil facial tumour disease in Tasmanian Devils raised in captivity.
Read more here: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-05-20/release-methods-trialled-for-tasmanian-devils/8543764
PhD candidate Emma Peel from the School of Life and Environmental Sciences was interviewed about new research that has proved Tasmanian Devil’s milk can kill some of the most deadly bacterial and fungal infections
Read the full article here: https://www.smh.com.au/technology/devils-milk-could-be-the-killer-ingredient-in-war-on-superbugs-20161014-gs29l5.html