Final MBT Annual General Meeting
We held the final AGM for the Marine Biosecurity Toolbox project, after five years of intensive research and collaborations.
Kyle Hilliam hands-in his PhD!
We are thrilled to announce that one of our brilliant PhD students, Kyle, has just submitted his thesis at Deakin University, titled "Predicting Marine Invasions for Optimised Management."
The Toolbox returns to Nayland
About 250 year nine college students had again hands-on experience using marine biosecurity tools to identify pest species that inhabit our coastal waters.
Quantifying the movement dynamics of New Zealand’s recreational vessels to inform proactive management of non-indigenous species
Kyle Hilliam’s newest publication focuses on quantifying the movement dynamics of New Zealand’s recreational vessels to inform proactive management to prevent the spread of non-indigenous species (NIS). The identification of spreading hubs and locations at particular risk of NIS introductions, enables managers to design risk-based and effective surveillance and monitoring programmes.
Environmental DNA–RNA dynamics provide insights for effective monitoring of marine invasive species
In this most recent publication of our PhD student Michelle Scriver, we used permeable dialysis bags to simulate real-world environmental conditions and field storage to understand eDNA/eRNA dynamics.
Showcasing our research at the first Fiordland Marine Research Symposium
We were showcasing our research from collaborative expeditions at the first Fiordland Marine Research Symposium in Te Anau, hosted by the Fiordland Marine Guardians and Department of Conservation.
Drop it all: extraction-free detection of targeted marine species through optimized direct droplet digital PCR
In partnership with Nucleic Sensing Systems, our research team demonstrated the ability to detect species-specific marine environmental DNA (eDNA) directly from water samples, eliminating the need for extraction!
New Zealand Biosecurity Science Award winners of 2024!!!
We are enormously proud of being the New Zealand Biosecurity Science Award winners of 2024!
Ngā mihi nui to our team, collaborators and end-users for all your hard work and enthusiasm over the last 4.5 years!
Priorities for improving predictions of vessel-mediated marine invasions
A new study on priorities for improving predictions of vessel-mediated marine invasions has been published, identifying all of the biological, vessel and environmental factors influencing the progress of a species through the invasion process.
Filter no more: A modified plankton sampler for rapid in-water eDNA capture
A cruising speed net (CSN) device with a modified cod-end provides a streamlined process that combines high-speed towing with innovative filtration, showcasing the potential to transform the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of eDNA isolation.