Joint Biosecurity Seminar Series
The Joint Biosecurity Seminar Series is hosted collaboratively by the Centre for Tropical Biosecurity at James Cook University, the Centre for Biosecurity and One Health at Murdoch University, and CSIRO. The series brings together researchers, practitioners and industry experts to share knowledge and discuss current and emerging biosecurity challenges affecting Australia and the broader region.
Topics span invasive species ecology and management, zoonotic and emerging diseases, environmental biosecurity, surveillance, detection tools and technologies, social and systems biosecurity, and other areas critical to protecting Australia's environment, production systems, communities and economy.
Our seminars are held via Teams. To receive an invitation to upcoming Centre for Tropical Biosecurity seminars direct into your inbox, please Subscribe Here. If you would like to view recordings of previous seminars, please email us at sandra.infantevillamil@jcu.edu.au
Upcoming Seminars
Monday, 20 July 2026|1:00 pm-2:00 pm AEST
Capturing minute insect metabolism in real-time: A high-resolution ultra-low flow micro-respirometry platform by Dr Xin Du, Research Fellow, College of Environmental and Life Sciences, Harry Butler Institute, Murdoch University.
Beyond the Microscope: A Molecular Toolkit for Vector Surveillance, Biosecurity, and Biodiversity by Associate Professor Charlotte Oskam, Cryptick Lab, School of Medical, Molecular and Forensic Sciences, Harry Butler Institute, Murdoch University.
2026
June Seminar
More Than Buy-In: Rethinking Community Engagement for Next-Generation Arbovirus Interventions by Dr Tammy Allen, James Cook University.
Mosquito-borne diseases such as dengue fever represent a growing biosecurity threat to Australia. Novel vector control interventions targeting arboviral transmission or suppressing mosquito populations are increasingly being trialled and implemented both domestically and globally. While community engagement and acceptance are recognised as essential to their success, critical questions remain: What engagement approaches actually work? What minimum standards should guide meaningful engagement? And how can we move beyond community acceptance to actively collaborate with communities in shaping and implementing these interventions?
Improving Field Methods for eDNA Detection by Dr Cecilia Villacorta-Rath, James Cook University.
Environmental DNA (eDNA) detection in aquatic systems is highly dependent on field sampling methods, as eDNA is often heterogeneously distributed throughout the water column and effective capture is critical for maximising detection. Consequently, optimising capture approaches is critical for robust results and appropriate ecological inference. This challenge is particularly pronounced in tropical, turbid environments, where filtering water through small pore-size filters—the most common eDNA collection method—is often difficult.
At TropWATER, we have developed a user-friendly field collection method that has facilitated engagement with end users and community partners. However, as new active and passive sampling techniques continue to emerge, there is a need to systematically evaluate their performance. Here, I present results from field- and aquaria-based experiments designed to trial and compare these emerging methods. Expanding the range of available sampling approaches will increase flexibility under varying environmental conditions and enhance the applicability of eDNA monitoring across diverse field settings.
May Seminar
Seasonal Shifts in Movement and Space Use of Feral Buffalo: Insights from GPS Tracking for Biosecurity Management by Dr Kyana Pike, CSIRO.
Feral water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) in northern Australia present a complex biosecurity challenge, contributing to disease risk, environmental degradation, and damage to culturally significant landscapes, while also representing a potential economic resource. Effective management of this invasive species depends on a detailed understanding of their spatial and behavioural ecology, which has historically been limited by the remoteness of their habitats and the logistical challenges of monitoring large, free-ranging animals. In this study, we used GPS tracking to monitor the movements of feral buffalo over a 15-month period in the Northern Territory, spanning multiple wet and dry seasons. By integrating high-resolution tracking data with environmental variables such as water availability, vegetation, and fire history, we identified strong seasonal patterns in buffalo movement, habitat use, and social interactions. These findings provide actionable insights for adaptive buffalo management. Targeting control efforts in high-resource areas during the wet season and near key water points in the dry season may improve efficiency while reducing disease risk and limiting environmental and cultural impacts.
How Ticks Cause Turmoil: The Surprising Ways Australia's Ticks are Making Us Sick by Dr Alex Gofton, CSIRO.
Mammalian meat allergy (MMA), also known as alpha-gal syndrome (AGS), is one of the few known food allergies triggered by an environmental exposure rather than direct contact with the allergen itself. In Australia, sensitisation occurs following the bite of the paralysis tick, Ixodes holocyclus, which introduces alpha-gal, a sugar molecule found in mammalian tissues, into the bloodstream. This talk will draw on data from Australia's national MMA surveillance programme to examine the geographic distribution and burden of the condition, the clinical spectrum of disease, and what current evidence tells us about the underlying immunological mechanisms. Dr Gofton will also outline priorities for future research and the public health implications of an allergy that remains significantly underdiagnosed across the country.
April Seminar
Shipping Container Re-design to Improve Biosecurity by Dr Samuel Lymbery, Murdoch University.
Hitchhiker pests in the global sea container pathway represent a significant risk to international biosecurity. Design elements of sea containers may provide microhabitats for hitchhikers and enhance the rate of contamination, thereby increasing propagule pressure and the risk of pest invasion and establishment. The structure of sea containers also influences the speed and efficiency of inspections by biosecurity officers. New sea container designs have been produced which aim to minimise gaps and other microhabitats for pest species while providing easier inspection surfaces. We tested these new (Modified) container designs in a closed shipping loop alongside traditional general purpose (Standard) containers. We found that Standard containers posed a significantly higher biosecurity risk, and took significantly longer to inspect, compared to Modified containers. These results provide the first formal statistical demonstration of the effect of container redesigns on biosecurity risk and suggest that modifying containers can be a viable approach to management.
Polyphagous Shothole Borer-Fusarium Dieback: An Introduction to the Research Program in Western Australia by Dr Kirsty Moynihan, Murdoch University.
Following the introduction of this pest to Australia in 2021 in the Fremantle area of Perth, a nationally cost-shared eradication program was established under the Emergency Plant Pest Response Deed. However, in June 2025, national management authorities determined that eradication was no longer technically feasible, due to the beetle's wide host range, cryptic spread and difficulty of detecting early infestations. From mid‑2025 onward, the response formally transitioned to a long‑term management phase, focused on slowing the spread, protecting regions outside Perth, and building enduring management capacity across local governments, industry, and the community.
The Western Australian Agriculture Research Collaboration, a collective including Murdoch University, UWA, Curtin University, DPIRD, CSIRO and the Grower Group Alliance funded by the WA State Government, developed a $2.19M research program to assist with early detection and slowing the spread of the beetle.
Laboratory Colony Development and Behavioural Bioassay Study of Polyphagous Shothole Borer by Mr Shahidul Khan, PhD candidate, Murdoch University.
Following the detection of Polyphagous Shot Hole Borer (Euwallacea fornicatus) in Western Australia, eradication efforts have proven challenging due to the beetle's cryptic lifestyle and its symbiotic association with pathogenic Fusarium fungi, prompting a strategic shift from eradication to management. Our research focuses on the chemical ecology of PSHB to support the development of sustainable, eco-friendly management strategies. A stable laboratory colony of PSHB has been successfully developed using sawdust-based artificial diets, enabling detailed investigation of its life cycle, reproductive biology, and gallery-constructing behavior. Comparative observations were conducted to assess infestation dynamics across different host types, alongside monitoring of fungal symbiont development and microbial interactions. Developmental stage duration was also assessed to identify critical intervention windows. Our research is also screening for potential attractants. The identification of novel semiochemicals offers promising opportunities for lure-based surveillance and attract-and-kill strategies.
2025
November Seminar
Putting the excitement in eDNA: Does eDNA deliver on the potential to better manage risk of disease in Aquaculture? by Dr Kelly Condon, Aquatic Animal Health Specialist, James Cook University.
September Seminar
Investigating Japanese Encephalitis Virus host and vector species presence under a changing climate in Australia by Dr Justin Sexton, CSIRO.
August Seminars
Celebrating National Biosecurity Week by Professor Lori Lach, Head of the Centre for Tropical Biosecurity, James Cook University.
Mapping weed distribution in grazing farms by Dr Mohammad Jahanbakht, Software Engineer, James Cook University.
July Seminars
New insights into infant strongyloidiasis in Papua New Guinea by Associate Professor Richard Bradbury, Public Health & Tropical Medicine, James Cook University
Grower Perceived Risk and Preventive Action: A Social-Psychological Science Approach to Tomato Virus Preparedness by Dr Connar McShane, Senior Lecturer, Psychology, James Cook University
June Seminars
Myrtle Rust – the silent rainforest killer by Professor Darren Crayn
Modelling to support the control of the global mosquito miscreants: Aedes albopictus by Associate Professor Roslyn Hickson
May Seminars
Finding invasive species using ecoacoustics by Distinguished Professor Lin Schwarzkopf
Bat fly diversity and virus transmission in North Queensland megabats by Robyn Pearce
April Seminars
The Phylogenetics and Pathogen Population Dynamics of Infectious Hypodermal and Hematopoietic Necrosis Virus (IHHNV) in Global Shrimp Populations by Emmanuel Ofori-Amponsah
A review of drivers of emerging infectious diseases in the West Pacific Tropics by Em Lastica-Ternura
March Seminars
Rainforest ant community recovery seven years after eradication of an invasive ant by Dr Peter Yeeles, Research Fellow, College of Science & Engineering, James Cook University
Development of serodiagnostic tests for an infectious cancer by Distinguished Professor, Alex Loukas, Australian Institute of Tropical Health & Medicine, James Cook University
2024
October Seminars
Travelling the world and finding friends: do alien invasive plants need to find a pollinator match and why does this matter? by Laura Lopresti, PhD Student, College of Science & Engineering, James Cook University
Harnessing AI for Biosecurity: Optimising Weed and Disease Management in Sugarcane by Associate Professor Mostafa Rahimi Azghadi, Head, Electrical & Electronic Engineering / Deputy Director, ARC Training Centre in Plant Biosecurity / Acting Director Agriculture Technology & Adoption Centre, College of Science & Engineering, James Cook University
September Seminars
The human face of biosecurity – social and behavioural change foci by Professor Maxine Whittaker, Public Health Physician,
Director, WHO Collaborating Centre for Vector Borne and Neglected Tropical Diseases, James Cook University
Bridging the Gaps in International Measures to Safeguard Small Island Developing States from Marine Invasive Species by Bhavnah Komul Kalidin, PhD Candidate, College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University
August Seminars
Advancing the development of an improved vaccine for tuberculosis by Associate Professor Andreas Kupz, National Health and Medical Research Council Investigator
Principal Research Fellow, Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University
Many invasives are here to stay, what now? by Dr Daniel Montesinos, Senior Researcher, Australian Tropical Herbarium, College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University
July Seminars
Exploring Community Engagement Strategies in Aedes Mosquito Control: A Historical Analysis and Future Perspectives in North Queensland by Tammy Allen, Senior Lecturer, Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University
Travel and Emerging Infectious Diseases by Associate Professor Lars Henning, Communicable Disease Control and Tropical Medicine Public Health and Tropical Medicine. James Cook University
June Seminars
Measuring insect flight behaviour in the field and laboratory by Dr Myles Menz. Lecturer in Zoology and Ecology, James Cook University
Smart Farming and Biosecurity: AI Innovations in Weed Detection by Dr Erin Graham, eResearch Specialist, James Cook University
May Seminar
Invasive Mosquito and Regional Biosecurity by Professor Tom Burkot, Australian Institute of Tropical Health & Medicine, James Cook University
April Seminars
Environmental DNA: Revolutionizing how we investigate northern Australia aquatic and terrestrial life by Dr Cecilia Villacorta Rath, Senior Research Officer, TropWATER, James Cook University
Improving fruit fly management through near infrared spectroscopy by Associate Professor Bronson Philippa, Electronic Systems and IoT Engineer, James Cook University
2023
November Seminar
Forecasting of Vector Borne Diseases (VBD) by Professor Emma McBryde, Professorial Research Fellow, Infectious Diseases and Epidemiology, Australian Institute of Tropical Health & Medicine and Dr Alec Henderson, Research Fellow, Computer Science, Australian Institute of Tropical Health & Medicine, James Cook University
October Seminars
Pathology in fish disease research by Dr Susan Gibson-Kueh, Senior Research Fellow Aquaculture, JCU Singapore
How infected are our threatened animals? by Dr Subir Sarker, Senior Lecturer in Microbiology, JCU College of Public Health, Medical Veterinary Sciences
September Seminars
How are ant invasions like COVID? by Centre Director, Assoc Prof Lori Lach
Introduction of Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) into Australia by Centre Deputy Director, Assoc Prof Paul Horwood