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Coming Up...

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Nazia Akram and Clare Goodhill

University of Melbourne

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"Chytrid double-header"

​2nd July 2025
Elgin Inn Hawthorn

From 6:30 pm - Talk starts 7:30 pm​​​

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"Frogs vs Fungus: How slimy skin secrets could save amphibians from extinction"

 

What if the key to saving frogs from a global killer is hidden in their skin? Nazia's PhD dives into the microscopic battlefield between frogs and Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd)—the chytrid fungus responsible for catastrophic amphibian declines. Armed with skin-derived chemical weapons like antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) and toxic alkaloids, some frogs can fight back. Nazia is using a frog cell line model (Xenopus laevis A6 cells) to track how Bd infects cells and how these natural skin secretions—and their synthetic versions—can block, weaken, or kill the fungus. By decoding these defenses, Nazia hopes to uncover new ways to protect vulnerable frog species before it’s too late.

Nazia Akram has a BS (Hons) in Zoology and is currently pursuing a PhD exploring how frog skin chemicals can fight the deadly chytrid fungus. Her research blends her passion for animals, conservation, and uncovering nature’s hidden defenses.

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"Assessing the effects of fungal metabolites as a potential prophylaxis to a lethal amphibian fungus"

 

The novel fungal pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), and the resulting disease chytridiomycosis, have decimated frog populations globally. Recent research has shown that non-infectious substances produced by Bd (termed ‘Bd metabolites’) may enhance the resilience of certain frog species against Bd infections. Clare explored the effectiveness of Bd metabolites and how this effectiveness varied across life stages in two Australian frog species, adult Kroombit Tinker Frogs (Taudactylus pleione) and post-metamorphic and larval Green Tree Frogs (Litoria caerulea). Although all tadpoles failed to develop a Bd infection following exposure to Bd metabolites or the control, metabolite-exposed L. caerulea tadpoles exhibited suppressed growth and lasting stunted development. L. caerulea metamorphs did develop Bd infections, but exposure to Bd metabolites neither affected growth nor increased their resilience to Bd. Unexpectedly, the critically endangered T. pleione did not develop a Bd infection. Overall, there were no clear benefits in exposing amphibians to Bd metabolites. Given the negative impact on tadpoles, Bd metabolites cannot be recommended as a Bd prophylactic. Clare's findings highlight the need for tailored approaches in managing Bd infections.

Clare completed her undergraduate degree at the University of Queensland in Science. In her third year she became fascinated with the chytrid fungus infecting frogs, and conducted her honours on it in the following year. Now she is studying a PhD at the University of Melbourne also in chytrid.

 

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All are welcome in the audience -
no RSVP/registration necessary​

Join us upstairs at The Elgin from 6:30 pm for dinner and drinks (available for purchase).

Talk starts at 7:30 pm at The Elgin Inn 75 Burwood Road, Hawthorn VIC 3122

   

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Sincere thanks to our 2024 speakers:

 

Sam Wallace

Jessica Keem, Kevin Newman and David De Angelis

Jeff Hughes

Matt Clancy, Justine Holmes, Sue Bendel, Dan Guinto

John Gould

Ellen Cottingham and Stephen Frankenberg

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Danielle Wallace

University of Melbourne

Twitter: @that_frog_gorl Instagram: dani_k_wallace Danielle Wallace is a herpetologist and PhD candidate in the One Health Research Group at the University of Melbourne. Her current research focuses on the impact of the devastating disease, amphibian chytrid fungus, on reproduction and breeding display in Victorian frogs. She also works as a wildlife ecologist conducting surveys for threatened species in remote forest areas.


Lovesick? The effect of chytrid fungus infection on amphibian breeding display

The devastating amphibian chytrid fungus – caused by the fungal pathogen, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, (Bd) – has caused widespread amphibian declines and extirpations. Although the development of disease been examined in a range of species, little is known about its effect on reproduction. Here, we investigated how chytrid fungus affects male mating display in the critically endangered Alpine Tree Frog (Litoria verreauxii alpina). We collected call recordings of wild frogs in the field and used a spectrophotometer to analyse male breeding colouration, while swabbing all individuals for infection. We then analysed the call characteristics and colour profiles of infected and uninfected frogs to determine whether infection influenced calling performance and breeding colouration. We found that colouration in Alpine Tree Frogs was affected by chytrid fungus, with UV chroma increasing with infection status and load. These are the first results to show that chytrid fungus influences male breeding colouration. Calling performance was also closely linked to temperature variations within different amphibian microhabitats. The results that we present here are important but often overlooked aspects of disease ecology. We have shown that sublethal effects of disease can impact breeding behaviour and display. These changes in reproduction and breeding success in response to disease might have dramatic consequences on population trajectories and substantially influence population decline or recovery potential. It is therefore crucial that we investigate sublethal effects of infection and its influence on reproduction and recruitment, so that we can understand the impact of disease on populations.



Matt Clancy

Frogs Victoria

@MattClancy94 | @clancy_wildlife Matt is a zoologist and wildlife photographer with an interest in herpetology (especially frogs) and threatened species conservation.


Frogs of Borneo

From the Giant River Toad to impressive flying frogs and minuscule microhylids; Borneo is home to an incredible amphibian diversity! There are nearly 200 known species inhabiting a range of truly wild and ancient rainforest environments.



David De Angelis

Frogs Victoria

Dave is Frogs Victoria Treasurer, a naturalist, environmental educator and zoological consultant with a background in ecological land management. He is particularly interested in the conservation and ecology of frogs and reptiles.


Persistence of the Growling Grass Frog (Litoria raniformis) in the middle Yarra River catchment

The Growling Grass Frog (Litoria raniformis) was common across the greater Melbourne area before the start of the century, but has since become largely restricted to western and northern areas close to the urban fringe, and near-coastal habitats in the outer south-east. Calls thought to be those of the Growling Grass Frog were heard on a private property in Coldstream, the Yarra Valley, in October 2019. Auditory and visual surveys targeting the species were undertaken on the property over two nights in December of the same year. Multiple individuals were head calling during both surveys and 14 were seen on the second night, including a metamorph. The record is of significance as the species is not known to have been reported from the Shire of Yarra Ranges or wider middle to upper Yarra River catchment since 2006.


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