Madeleine van Oppen

From 2005 to 2022, the main node of the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies was headquartered at James Cook University in Townsville, Queensland (Australia)

Professor and Partner Investigator

Senior Principal Research Scientist in the "A Healthy and Resilient GBR" Program.

PhD, University of Groningen, Netherlands

Member and adjunct Professorial Research Fellow of the ARC Centre of Excellence for Integrated Coral Reef Studies at JCU (2006-2021)
Great Barrier Reef Foundation working group Solutions and Adaptations (2009-2011)
Member of the ReFuGe2020 consortium (2012-present)
Subject editor Molecular Ecology (2010-present)

Australian Institute of Marine Science

m.vanoppen@aims.gov.au

+61 (0)7 4753 4370

Madeleine holds a halftime position as a Senior Principal Research Scientist at the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS), and a halftime Chair in Marine Biology at the University of Melbourne (School of BioSciences). Her research focuses on microbial symbiosis in corals, adaptation/acclimatisation to climate change, and connectivity of coral reefs. Her work is increasingly focusing on ‘assisted evolution’, where mechanisms of adaptation and acclimatisation in corals and genetic manipulations to enhance stress tolerance and fitness of corals in a changing environment are explored.

Link to researcher’s profile

Media Releases

12 Oct 2022

DNA reveals the past and future of coral reefs

New DNA techniques are being used to understand how coral reacted to the end of the last ice age in order to better predict how they will cope with current changes to the climate. James Cook Univer

06 Jul 2022

The double burden of climate change

A new study on the effects of climate change in five tropical countries has found fisheries are in more trouble than agriculture, and poor people are in the most danger. Distinguished Profess

17 Mar 2022

Fade to grey – fish communities become duller as coral reefs die

James Cook University researchers have found brightly coloured fish are becoming increasingly rare as coral declines, with the phenomenon likely to get worse in the future. Christopher Hemingson, a

11 Mar 2022

New strategies for saving the Great Barrier Reef

Researchers working with stakeholders in the Great Barrier Reef region have come up with ideas on how groups responsible for looking after the reef can operate more effectively when the next bleaching

Seminars

07 Mar

The Centre closed on the 31st December, 2022

14 Sep

Exploring the heat tolerance of a common reef-building coral: variability, symbionts, and life history trade-offs

Abstract: As marine species adapt to climate change, their heat tolerance will likely be under strong selection. Individual variation in heat tolerance and its heritability underpin the potential fo

31 Aug

Why are there so many endemic species in the Red Sea?

Abstract: The Reef Ecology Lab in KAUST’s Red Sea Research Center explores many aspects of movement ecology of marine organisms, ranging from adult migrations to intergenerational larval dispersal

31 Aug

Fish and fisheries associated with tropical macroalgal meadows

Abstract: Macroalgal meadows are a prominent, yet often maligned component of the tropical seascape. Our work at Ningaloo reef in WA demonstrate that canopy forming macroalgae provide habitat for ad

31 Aug

Does being different pay off? Sharks under anthropogenic pressure

Abstract: Sharks are generally perceived as strong and fearsome animals. With fossils dating back at least 420 million years, sharks are not only majestic top predators but they also outlived dinosa

18 Aug

Seascape connectivity, scale, and management

Abstract: Connectivity plays a vital role in many ecosystems through its effects on fundamental ecological and evolutionary processes. Its consequences for populations and metapopulations have been

30 Jun

Population genomic approach to understanding microevolution of gutless-worm symbiosis

Abstract: Evolution of many eukaryotic organisms is affected by interactions with microbes. Microbial symbioses can ultimately reflect host’s diet, habitat range, and even body shape. However, how

03 Jun

Coral symbioses are restructured by mass coral bleaching

Abstract: The past few years have seen unprecedented coral bleaching and mortality on the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) but the consequences of this on biodiversity are not yet known. This talk will expl

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People and ecosystems

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Ecosystem dynamics: past, present and future

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Responding to a changing world

Coral Bleaching

People