Dr Phillip England leads the CSIRO Genomics and Taxonomy Research Group of CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research.
Current activities
Dr Phillip England is a research scientist with expertise in:
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population genetics
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molecular ecology
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conservation genetics.
He leads CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research's Genomics and Taxonomy Research Group, which has laboratories in:
The Genomics and Taxonomy Research Group consists of:
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40 staff across molecular genetics, taxonomy, environmental genomics, molecular ecology and aquaculture
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three well-equipped genetics facilities at three sites, the National Fish Collection, the Photographic Index of Australian Fishes and a large aquaculture research facility.
Dr England is involved in the study of oceanscape genetics - what genetics can tell us about how physical ocean processes, such as the Leeuwin and East Australia Currents, influence the distribution, dispersal and connectedness of marine species and ecosystems.
Dr England's projects include studying:
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connectivity and dispersal among marine invertebrate populations on Australia’s deep seamounts and the effectiveness of marine protected areas
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population and stock structure in an iconic fishery, the Western Australian (WA) dhufish
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fine-scale population structure of spangled emperor in and around the Ningaloo Marine Park
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phylogeography of benthic invertebrates in Western Australia and the influence of the Leeuwin Current.
Dr England also develops conservation genetic tools for management. This involves:
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estimating genetic effective population size in subdivided populations
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describing the spatial structure of marine populations
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estimating key parameters for management such as abundance and migration rates.
Background
Dr England joined CSIRO in 2004 after working for three years in France as a postdoctoral scientist at Insitute National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA) Dijon, and then with the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) Grenoble.
Dr Phillip England studies genetic clues to how physical ocean processes affect the distribution, dispersal and connectedness of marine species and ecosystems.
At Dijon, he studied the genetics of metapopulations and at Grenoble he worked on projects concerned with the evolution of domestication in sheep, goats and cattle.
Prior to this Dr England studied the molecular ecology of the rare plant Grevillea barklayana at the University of Wollongong in New South Wales (NSW), Australia, where he was awarded an Australian Research Council Postdoctoral Fellowship.
Other research projects in which he has been involved include:
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evolution of an altruistic soldier caste in aphids
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sequence specific DNA damage using antisense and triple helix forming oligonucleotides
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developing conservation genetic tools for the study of small populations using the model system Drosphila and computer simulation
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microsatellite development in long-footed potoroo, koala, and aphids.
Academic qualifications
Dr England has been awarded a:
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Bachelor of Science with Honours majoring in population genetics and biochemistry at Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, in 1986
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Master of Science focussed on DNA structure and gene targeting at the University of NSW in 1994
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Doctor of Philosophy, working on the conservation genetics of population bottlenecks, also from Macquarie University, in 1998.
Achievements
Dr England's achievements include:
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recipient of an Australian Academy of Sciences Overseas Travel Grant to the US, 2007
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Associate Editor, Molecular Ecology Notes 2003–05
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recipient of an Australian Postdoctoral Fellowship, 1999–2002
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recipient of a Region Bourgogne Research Fellowship, 2000–01
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elected to the Australian Biodiversity Council, 1998
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recipient of a Macquarie University Postgraduate Award, 1994–97.
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