Conservation 'Omics Lab
Symbiosis, population connectivity and thermal tolerance
The lab is focussed on how ecosystems respond to climate change impacts. This includes on coral reefs and seagrass meadows. We use tools like omic's techniques (genomic/transcriptomic), statistical and field ecology, and ecological modelling.
My name is Kate M. Quigley. I lead the Conservation 'Omics lab.
I am a Principal Research Scientist at Minderoo Foundation, one of Australasia’s largest philanthropies. I am also an ARC DECRA Fellow at James Cook University and hold an adjunct research position at the University of Western Australia.
Broadly, I am interested in theoretical and applied molecular ecology, and will support research themes in that space.
As a molecular ecologist, my current research focusses on understanding adaptation and the genomic basis of stress tolerance and resilience of coral reef organisms across the Indo-Pacific and Indian Oceans. I use ‘omics tools (population genomic, transcriptomic, metagenomic) and reproductive biology with field, experimental, and modelling methods to understand what makes some species resistant to stress while others are more vulnerable. I am also interested in questions relating to symbiosis and adaptation across seascapes. This includes understanding the genetic and environmental drivers of symbiosis and the introgression of adaptive traits (like thermal tolerance) across metapopulations - from both a theoretical and empirical standpoint.
My aim with these models (genetic/statistical) is to understand the marine environment and support ocean conservation and management.
Spawning 2024 at Ningaloo Reef, WA
We at the Conservation 'Omics lab are based across three institutions: Minderoo Foundation & James Cook University & the University of Western Australia. I also co-supervise PhD students at other Universities.
This year we were very grateful to collect gravid coral colonies from around the beautiful Wop-pa and Ko-no-mie Islands (Southern GBR, Keppels). After some anxious nights of waiting, we were able to collect spawn from +18 colonies across 3 different coral populations, ultimately allowing us to produce +123 of different genetic crosses for our "stress" tests.
The lovely staff of Targona Zoo were back to preserve the gametes from our spawning colonies in hopes that these parents will help secure raw genetic diversity and key heat tolerance genes.
I am very honoured to be named a National Geographic Explorer (2019-2020). Over the next year, I will be working with Traditional Owner communities along the Great Barrier Reef to build support and social license for Assisted Gene Flow through dialogue, engagement, and knowledge sharing, with the ultimate aim to develop a social investment plan for AGF on the GBR.
June 2019
First field data collection of our Assisted Gene Flow Juveniles!
Will mixing eggs and sperm from reefs with different historical temperatures impact survival of offspring?
Coral spawning is upon us in Townsville (Oct and Nov)!
Key topics for this year:
1) Can assisted gene flow help enhance the thermal tolerance of corals?
2) Accelerated laboratory evolution of heat tolerance in algal symbionts of corals
NESP Tropical Water Quality Hub
Project 4.4
The traits of corals that survived recent bleaching events
Photo by Neal Cantin
GBRLegacy Expeditions:
In 2017 we were a part of the first GBRLegacy trip: "Search for the Super Corals"
This year we are gearing up for round 2 leaving Nov 2018 the "Search for Solutions"
