Lee is part of the One Health Research Group of senior and postdoctoral scientists and PhD students. Please see http://www.jcu.edu.au/cphmvs/public-health-tropical-medicine/JCU_107907.html  and https://www.facebook.com/onehealthresearchgroup for more information. 

The group is led by Dr Lee Skerratt and use methods from veterinary science, ecology, and biochemistry to investigate wildlife diseases that impact biodiversity, humans or livestock. We work closely with zoos, environment departments  and NGOs to develop improved wildlife management, in particular for frog conservation.  

Lee commenced her PhD in 1995,  with the aim of diagnosing the cause of the mysterious amphibian declines that were occurring in protected areas of Queensland.  She discovered chytridiomycosis, now recognised as the worst disease to impact biodiversity as it has caused hundreds of amphibian species to decline globally.  Since having 3 kids she has continued  research on this disease part time with her salary funded by an ARC postdoctoral fellowship and an ARC Future Fellowship.  This has  enabled further discoveries on pathogenesis, distribution, disease ecology, diagnosis,  conservation management  and immunity resulting in over 100 publications, 10,000 citations  and an H-index of 40.  During 2017 -2018 she was Associate Dean, Research for the College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences.

Recent support for the group until 2016 has come from an ARC Discovery Project and an ARC Linkage with Taronga Zoo and NSW OEH. We are currently looking for funds to use proven methods from aquaculture to improve resistance in endangered frogs.

 

Interests

Research

• Wildlife disease and its management, Amphibian pathology, Conservation
• Amphibian chytridiomycosis, including pathogenesis, immunity, treatment, virulence, diagnosis and control

Experience

• 2017 to 2018 - Associate Dean, Research, CPHMVS, JCU (Townsville)
• 2011 to 2016 - ARC Future Fellow, JCU (Townsville)
• 2004 to 2010 - ARC Aust Post Doc, JCU (Townsville)
• 2002 to 2003 - Amphibian Pathologist, National Wildlife Health Centre (Madison, Wisconsin, USA)
• 1994 to 1995 - Veterinarian, RSPCA (Melbourne)

Research Disciplines

• Veterinary Sciences (0707)

Socio-Economic Objectives

• Flora, Fauna and Biodiversity (9608)
• Control of Pests, Diseases and Exotic Species (9604)

Awards

• 2016 - Tom Thorne and Beth Williams Memorial Award, awarded by the Wildlife Disease Association and the American Association of Wildlife Veterinarians
• 2009 - James Cook University Research Excellence Team Award to Wildlife Biosecurity Team
• 2009 - Book dedication for contributions to research on amphibian decline : Amphibian Biology Vol 9. Amphibian Decline: diseases, parasites, maladies and pollution
• 2007 - Ian Clunies Ross Award for academic veterinary achievement, from the Australian and New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists
• 2000 - CSIRO Medal for excellence in research, awarded to the Amphibian Disease Research Team

These are the most recent publications associated with this author. To see a detailed profile of all publications stored at JCU, visit ResearchOnline@JCU. Hover over Altmetrics badges to see social impact.

Journal Articles

• Brannelly L, Webb R, Hunter D, Clemann N, Howard K, Skerratt L, Berger L and Scheele B (2018) Non-declining amphibians can be important reservoir hosts for amphibian chytrid fungus. Animal Conservation, 21 (2). pp. 91-101
• Grogan L, Mulvenna J, Gummer J, Scheele B, Berger L, Cashins S, McFadden M, Harlow P, Hunter D, Trengrove R and Skerratt L (2018) Data Descriptor: Survival, gene and metabolite responses of Litoria verreauxii alpina frogs to fungal disease chytridiomycosis. Scientific Data, 5.
• Grogan L, Cashins S, Skerratt L, Berger L, McFadden M, Harlow P, Hunter D, Scheele B and Mulvenna J (2018) Evolution of resistance to chytridiomycosis is associated witha robust early immune response. Molecular Ecology, 27 (4). pp. 919-934
• Kosch T, Silva C, Brannelly L, Roberts A, Lau Q, Marantelli G, Berger L and Skerratt L (in press) Genetic potential for disease resistance in critically endangered amphibians decimated by chytridiomycosis. Animal Conservation,
• O’Hanlon S, Rieux A, Farrer R, Rosa G, Waldman B, Bataille A, Kosch T, Murray K, Brankovics B, Fumagalli M, Martin M, Wales N, Alvarado-Rybak M, Bates K, Berger L, Böll S, Brookes L, Clare F, Courtois E, Cunningham A, Doherty-Bone T, Ghosh P, Gower D, Hintz W, Höglund J, Jenkinson T, Lin C, Laurila A, Loyau A, Martel A, Meurling S, Miaud C, Minting P, Pasmans F, Schmeller D, Schmidt B, Shelton J, Skerratt L, Smith F, Soto-Azat C, Spagnoletti M, Tessa G, Toledo L, Valenzuela-Sánchez A, Verster R, Vörös J, Webb R, Wierzbicki C, Wombwell E, Zamudio K, Aanensen D, James T, Gilbert M, Weldon C, Bosch J, Balloux F, Garner T and Fisher M (2018) Recent Asian origin of chytrid fungi causing global amphibian declines. Science, 360 (6389). pp. 621-627
• Roberts A, Berger L, Robertson S, Webb R, Kosch T, McFadden M, Skerratt L, Glass B, Motti C and Brannelly L (in press) The efficacy and pharmacokinetics of terbinafine against the frog-killing fungus (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis). Medical Mycology,
• Shima A, Berger L and Skerratt L (in press) Conservation and health of Lumholtz's tree-kangaroo (Dendrolagus lumholtzi). Australian Mammalogy,
• Brannelly L, Roberts A, Skerratt L and Berger L (2017) Epidermal cell death in frogs with chytridiomycosis. PeerJ, 5. pp. 1-20
• Grant E, Muths E, Katz R, Canessa S, Adams M, Ballard J, Berger L, Briggs C, Coleman J, Gray M, Harris M, Harris R, Hossack B, Huyvaert K, Kolby J, Lips K, Lovich R, McCallum H, Mendelson III J, Nanjappa P, Olson D, Powers J, Richgels K, Russell R, Schmidt B, Spitzen-van der Sluijs A, Watry M, Woodhams D and White C (2017) Using decision analysis to support proactive management of emerging infectious wildlife diseases. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, 15 (4). pp. 214-221
• Greenspan S, Bower D, Webb R, Roznik E, Stevenson L, Berger L, Marantelli G, Pike D, Schwarzkopf L and Alford R (2017) Realistic heat pulses protect frogs from disease under simulated rainforest frog thermal regimes. Functional Ecology, 31. pp. 2274-2286
• Greenspan S, Bower D, Webb R, Berger L, Rudd D, Schwarzkopf L and Alford R (2017) White blood cell profiles in amphibians help to explain disease susceptibility following temperature shifts. Developmental and Comparative Immunology, 77. pp. 280-286

Book Chapters

• Martel A, Pasmans F, Fisher M, Grogan L, Skerratt L and Berger L (2018) Chytridiomycosis. In: Emerging and Epidemic Fungal Infections in Animals. Springer, Cham, Switzerland, pp. 309-335

More

ResearchOnline@JCU stores 113+ research outputs authored by Dr Lee Berger from 1997 onwards.

Current and recent Research Funding to JCU is shown by funding source and project.

Advisory Accreditation: I can be on your Advisory Panel as a Primary or Secondary Advisor.

These Higher Degree Research projects are either current or by students who have completed their studies within the past 5 years at JCU. Linked titles show theses available within ResearchOnline@JCU.

Current

• A one health approach to investigate and improve health and conservation of snow leopards in Mongolia (PhD , Secondary Advisor)
• Reducing Virulence of Fungal Pathogens using Genetics Tools (PhD , Secondary Advisor)
• Studies of Bellinger River Virus (PhD , Secondary Advisor)
• Development and Validation of a Model for Percutaneous Absorption in Frogs (PhD , Secondary Advisor)
• Using Emerging Genetic Tools to Impart Disease Resistance on Amphibian Species at Risk of Extinction (PhD , Secondary Advisor)
• Controlling Chytridiomycosis: Characterizing immunosuppressants and mycoviruses from the frog-killing fungus, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (PhD , Primary Advisor)

Completed

• Pathways of amphibian chytrid fungus dispersal: global biosecurity and conservation implications (2017, PhD , Secondary Advisor)
• Modelling transmission of Hendra virus from flying foxes to horses (2017, PhD , Secondary Advisor)
• Investigating disease ecology, pathogenesis and population persistence of frogs threatened by chytridiomycosis to improve management outcomes (2016, PhD , Primary Advisor)
• Understanding host and environmental factors in the immunology and epidemiology of chytridiomycosis in anuran populations in Australia (2015, PhD , Secondary Advisor)

The map shows research collaborations by institution from the past 7 years.
Note: Map points are indicative of the countries or states that institutions are associated with.