top of page
Beachmere grey 02c.jpg
IMG_4262b small crop.jpg

 

Laura Grogan

 

Qualifications 

BSc(Vet) (Hons I) BVSc (Hons I) PhD

 

Position 

Research Fellow (Grade 2)

​

Contact details

Address: 

Environmental Futures Research Institute,

Building N78, Room 2.11, School of Environment,

Griffith University, Nathan campus,

170 Kessels Road, Nathan,

Queensland, Australia, 4111

Phone (work): +61 7 3735 9255

Email: l.grogan"at"griffith.edu.au

 

Research Overview and current projects

 

I work at the interface of disease ecology/epidemiology and pathogenesis/immunology of infectious diseases of wildlife, unpacking our understanding of the relative importance of processes occurring at these two scales for outcomes on both the individual host and host population. My current research focuses on koala chlamydiosis and amphibian chytridiomycosis. 

​

Background

 

I completed my Bachelor of Veterinary Science and Bachelor of Science (Veterinary) degrees at The University of Sydney. My BSc(Vet) involved research into the ecology and health of Brushtailed possums in the Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney. I undertook my PhD degree at James Cook University (Townsville), in collaboration with Taronga Zoo Conservation Society and the Queensland Institute of Medical Research Berghofer. My PhD focused on the immunology and epidemiology of chytridiomycosis in Australian frogs. 

 

Research Keywords

 

Disease, wildlife, conservation, ecology, epidemiology, chytridiomycosis, koalas, frogs, anurans, amphibians, mark-recapture, multi-state, chlamydia, modelling

 

Career Goal

 

My career goal is to contribute to leading international developments in wildlife disease ecology/epidemiology and wildlife conservation research whilst advancing public education and improving ecosystem sustainability.

 

Supervision

 

Co-Principal supervisor

  • Thais Sasso Lopes (PhD candidate, Griffith University): "Bringing together ecology and mathematical modelling to understand the recovery of amphibian populations following declines caused by the amphibian chytrid fungus"

Co-Supervisor​

  • Matthijs Hollanders (PhD candidate, Southern Cross University): "Understanding chytridiomycosis: Field testing next-gen epidemiological models in an Endangered Australian frog"

  • Maria Puig Ribas (PhD candidate, Southern Cross University): "Experimental investigation of mechanisms of resistance and tolerance to chytridiomycosis in the Fleay's barred frog (Mixophyes fleayi)"

Funding

​

  • Australian Research Council Discovery Project DP180101415: "A novel modelling approach for understanding wildlife disease dynamics"

  • New South Wales Office of Environment and Heritage Saving our Species Key Threatening Process Project: "The great leap forward; investigating recovery and resistance to amphibian chytrid fungus in an endangered frog from the World Heritage Rainforests of NSW"

  • Griffith University School of Environment and Science Research Support Scheme 2018: "Amphibians of the World Heritage-listed Gondwana Rainforests: Distribution, habitat use, conservation status and potential threats"

  • Environmental Futures Research Institute Strategic Leverage Fund 2018: "Investigation of immune gene expression in the amphibian fungal skin disease, chytridiomycosis" (Laura Grogan)

  • Early Career Researcher Travel Grant 2018 (Laura Grogan)

  • Griffith University 2019 International Workshop Award: "Generalising amphibian disease models across species and international boundaries" (Hamish McCallum and Laura Grogan)

  • 2019 Griffith University New Researcher Grant Scheme: "A metabolomic investigation of the amphibian fungal skin disease, chytridiomycosis" (Laura Grogan)

​

Publications

​

2019

  • Martin, L. B., Addison, B., Bean, A. G. D., Buchanan, K. L., Crino, O. L., Eastwood, J. R., Flies, A. S., Hamede, R., Hill, G. E., Klaassen, M., Koch, R. E., Martens, J. M., Napolitano, C., Narayan, E. J., Peacock, L., Peel, A. J., Peters, A., Raven, N., Risely, A., Roast, M. J., Rollins, L. A., Ruiz-Aravena, M., Selechnik, D., Stokes, H. S., Ujvari, B., Grogan, L. F. (2019) Extreme competence: keystone hosts of infections. Trends in Ecology and Evolution 34(4):P303-314 (link) (IF 15.938).

  • Claytor, S. C., Gummer, J., Grogan L., Skerratt, L., Webb, R., Brannelly, L., Berger, L., Roberts, A. (Early view) Susceptibility of frogs to chytridiomycosis correlates with increased levels of immunomodulatory serotonin in the skin. Cellular Microbiology https://doi.org/10.1111/cmi.13089 (link) (IF 4.410).

  • Brannelly, L. A., Scheele, B. C., Grogan, L. F. (in press) Disease and the endangered alpine tree frog: bridging research, conservation and management. Book chapter in Strategies for Conservation Success in Herpetology (BOOK CHAPTER). 

  • Kerlin, D. H., Grogan, L. F., McCallum, H. I. (in revision) Seasonal dynamics in records of koalas arriving to care facilities with signs of disease in Southeast Queensland. Wildlife Research (IF 1.410).

2018​

  • Grogan, L. F., Robert, J., Berger, L., Skerratt, L. F., Scheele, B. C., Castley, J. G., Newell, D. A., McCallum, H. I. (2018) Review of the amphibian immune response to chytridiomycosis, and future directions. Frontiers in Immunology, 9:2536, doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2018.02536 (link) (IF 5.511).

  • Grogan, L. F., Skerratt, L. F., Berger, L., Cashins, S. D., Trengove, R. D., Gummer, J. P. A. (2018) Chytridiomycosis causes catastrophic organism-wide metabolic dysregulation including profound failure of cellular energy pathways. Scientific Reports, 8:8188, doi:10.1038/s41598-018-26427-z (link) (IF 4.122).

  • Grogan, L. F., Cashins, S. D., Skerratt, L. F., Berger, L., McFadden, M. S., Harlow, P., Hunter, D. A., Scheele, B. C., Mulvenna, J. (2018) Evolution of resistance to chytridiomycosis is associated with a robust early immune response. Molecular Ecology, doi:10.1111/MEC.14493 (link) (IF 6.131).

  • ​​Grogan, L. F., Mulvenna, J., Gummer, J. P. A., Scheele, B. C., Berger, L., Cashins, S. D., McFadden, M. S., Harlow, P., Hunter, D. A., Trengove, R. D., Skerratt, L. F. (2018) Survival, gene and metabolite responses of Litoria verreauxii alpina frogs to fungal disease chytridiomycosis. Scientific Data, doi:10.1038/sdata.2018.33 (link) (IF 5.305).

  • Grogan, L. F., Peel, A. J., Kerlin, D., Ellis, W., Jones, D., Hero, J.-M., McCallum, H. (2018) Is disease a major causal factor in declines? An evidence framework and case study on koala chlamydiosis. Biological Conservation 221:334-344 (link) (IF 4.660).

  • Martel, A., Pasmans, F., Fisher, M.C., Grogan, L.F., Skerratt, L.F., Berger, L. (2018) Chytridiomycosis, in Seyedmousavi, de Hoog, Guillot, and Verweij (editors) Emerging and Epizootic Fungal Infections in Animals. Springer publishing, Switzerland (link) (BOOK CHAPTER).

2017​

2016

2015

  • Bataille, A., Cashins, S., Grogan, L., Skerratt, L., Hunter, D., McFaddan, M., Scheele, B., Brannelly, L., Macris, A., Harlow, P., Bell, S., Berger, L., Waldman, B. (2015). Susceptibility of amphibians to chytridiomycosis is associated with MHC class II conformation. Proceedings of the Royal Society B 282:20143127 (IF 4.847).

2014

  • Grogan, L. F., Berger, L., Rose, K., Grillo, V., Cashins, S. D., Skerratt, L. F. (2014). Surveillance for emerging biodiversity diseases of wildlife. PLoS Pathogens, 10(5):e1004015 (IF 6.158).

  • Scheele, B. C., Hunter, D., Grogan, L., Berger, L., Kolby, J., McFadden, M., Marantelli, G., Skerratt, L., Driscoll, D. (2014) Interventions for reducing extinction risk in chytridiomycosis-threatened amphibians. Conservation Biology 28(5):1195-1205 (IF 5.890).

2013

  • Cashins, S. D., L. F. Grogan, M. McFadden, D. Hunter, P. S. Harlow, L. Berger and L. F. Skerratt. (2013). Prior infection does not improve survival against the amphibian disease chytridiomycosis. Plos One 8: 7 (IF 2.766).

  • Phillott, A. D., L. F. Grogan, S. D. Cashins, K. R. McDonald, L. Berger and L. F. Skerratt. (2013). Chytridiomycosis and seasonal mortality of tropical stream-associated frogs 15 years after introduction of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis. Conservation Biology 27:1058-1068 (IF 5.890) (Please note: L.F.G. was corresponding author, did the analysis and wrote the paper).

2010

  • Piermarini, P.M., Grogan, L.F., Lau, K., Wang, L., Beyenbach, K.W. (2010). A SLC4-like anion exchanger from renal tubules of the mosquito (Aedes aegypti): evidence for a novel role of stellate cells in diuretic fluid secretion, Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol 298:R642-R660 (IF 3.082).

2009

​

​Academic experience and education and training

 

  • 2015 to present - Research Fellow, Environmental Futures Research Institute, Griffith University (Nathan Campus, QLD, Australia)

  • 2015 to present - Lecturer and Sessional Lecturer (3331ENV Ecology and Conservation of Populations, 3992SCG Science Capstone Course, 3608ENV Wildlife Ecology Field Course, 3607ENV Vertebrate Biology, 2303ENV Zoology, and 2251ENV Animal Diversity)

  • 2010-2014 - Doctor of Philosophy (Wildlife Epidemiology), James Cook University (Townsville, Queensland, Australia), Supervisors: Dr. Lee Skerratt, Dr. Richard Speare, Dr. Lee Berger, Dr. Erica Rosenblum, Dr. Scott Cashins

  • 2006-2007 - Bachelor of Veterinary Science (4th and 5th years), University of Sydney, Australia, Weighted Average Mark (WAM) as at completion of 4th year: 81.16, Awarded: BVSc with First Class Honours 14th December 2007

  • 2005 - Bachelor of Science (Veterinary), University of Sydney, Australia, Supervisor: Assoc Prof Tony English

       Thesis: “Management Strategies for Brushtail Possums in the Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney”, Mark: High distinction, mark of 85, 

       Awarded: BSc(Vet) with First Class Honours 15th December 2006

  • 2002-2004 - Bachelor of Veterinary Science (1st to 3rd year), University of Sydney, Australia

  • 2001 - Higher School Certificate (HSC), Trinity Catholic College, Lismore, NSW, Australia, Universities Admission Index (UAI): 99.9, Subjects undertaken included Mathematics Extension 2, Mathematics Extension 1, Physics, Chemistry, English Extension 1, Advanced English, Drama, Studies of Religion

 

Professional Memberships

 

  • International Wildlife Disease Association (Australasian section)

  • Wildlife Health Australia (formerly Australian Wildlife Health Network)

  • Birdlife Australia

  • Sydney University Veterinary Society

 

Links

 

 

Laura taking photos of birds (Photo credit: Thais Sasso Lopes)

Photographing birds at Bowra Sanctuary. Photo credit: Thais Sasso Lopes

 

bottom of page