PERSONAL DETAILS:
NAME: (Dr) Brett
Francis Edgerton (BSc, PhD)
BORN: 14 January
1970, Innisfail, Australia
MARITAL
STATUS: Married
EDUCATION:
|
James Cook University
of North Queensland |
1994-1996 |
Doctor of Philosophy - Thesis title: Viruses
of Freshwater Crayfish (PhD conferred 19 April 1997)
Supervisor: Dr
Leigh Owens, James Cook University of North Queensland, Townsville
Examiners: Dr
Donald V Lightner, University of Arizona, USA
Dr
Mike Hine, National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research, New Zealand
A/Prof
Louis Evans, Curtin University, Perth
The results of my PhD studies were presented
in 8 peer reviewed papers in internationally recognised journals.
|
James Cook University
of North Queensland |
1992-1993 |
MSc Research - converted to PhD in December
1993
|
James Cook University
of North Queensland |
1991-1992 |
MSc (Qualifying)
|
James Cook University
of North Queensland |
1987-1990 |
BSc majoring in Marine Biology and Zoology.
Final year subjects: Aquatic Pathobiology, Crustacean Biology,
Aquaculture, Freshwater Ecology, Benthic Ecology, Tropical Ichthyology,
Fisheries Science, Population Biology and Evolution, Coral Reef Ecology.
EMPLOYMENT HISTORY:
Retired September 10 2004
|
Honorary Research Consultant |
Jan 17 2003-Sept 10 2004 |
At the centre for Marine Studies, University of Queensland.
|
Aquatic Animal Health Specialist |
Apr 5 2004-Jul 5 2004 |
At Network of Aquaculture Centres in Asia-Pacific, Bangkok, Thailand. Work involves liaising with aquatic animal health specialists, and government and intergovernmental personnel, and managing a number of projects including: preparation of quarterly aquatic animal disease reports for the Asia-Pacific, development of disease cards for emerging diseases, preparations for training workshops, and preparation of an import risk analysis manual.
|
Research Fellow |
Feb 1 2002-Jan 31 2003 |
I was awarded a Research Fellowship from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, Germany, to work at the Institute of Zoology, Fish Biology and Fish Diseases in Munich for one year. Work involved preliminary health surveys on European freshwater crayfish populations (in France, Germany, Sweden and Finland).
|
Research Fellow |
Feb 1 2001-Jan 31 2002 |
I was awarded a Research Fellowship from the Centre National de la Recherche Scientique, France, to work with Dr JR Bonami at Montpellier France for one year. Work involved preliminary studies on viral infections in European freshwater crayfish (minor health surveys and susceptibility to white spot syndrome virus(WSSV)).
Acquired Skills: WSSV transmission and histopathology, purification of crustacean viruses, characterisation of viruses via molecular virology techniques, histopathology of native European crayfish species.
|
Quarantine Policy Officer/Senior Professional
Officer |
Sep 28 1998-19 Jan 2001 |
At Animal Biosecurity Policy, Agriculture,
Fisheries and Forestry - Australia, Canberra. Management of import risk
analyses on non-viable prawns, non-viable freshwater crayfish and non-viable
bivalve molluscs, and general involvement with matters related to aquatic
animal quarantine and disease. Represented AQIS in the national and
international arena in negotiations with domestic and overseas stakeholders
such as quarantine and fisheries agencies.
Acquired skills: Project management, import risk analysis, risk
assessment, analysis of scientific literature on crustacean and mollusc
disease, government report writing, negotiation skills.
|
Temporary Research Scientist |
Dec 9 1996-July 19 1998 |
At the Oonoonba Veterinary Laboratory, Queensland
Department of Primary Industries, working with Dr Ian Anderson on the Fisheries
Research and Development Corporation funded project “The Diagnosis and
Prevention of Mid-crop Mortality Syndrome of Pond Reared Black Tiger Prawns (Penaeus monodon)”.
Acquired Skills: Prawn histopathology, purification of prawn viruses,
transmission trials with prawn viruses, and use of genetic probes for diagnosis
and study of viral infections in prawns.
|
Postgraduate Research
Scholarship |
Jan 1 1994-Oct 30 1996 |
At Department of Biomedical and Tropical
Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, on Australian Research Council
large project “Characterisation of Cherax baculovirus and production of
virus-free stocks”.
Acquired Skills: Crayfish histopathology, transmission electron
microscopy, crayfish husbandry, viral transmission techniques, density gradient
centrifugation for viral purification. Some experience at SDS-PAGE, DNA
extraction, agarose gel electrophoresis, cell culture.
|
Visiting Scientist |
Apr 30 1995-Jul 30
1995 |
At University of Kuopio, Finland, on
Bilateral Science and Technology Research Collaboration Program (Australia) and
Centre for International Mobility (Finland) funded project “A health survey of Astacus astacus in Finland”.
Acquired Skills: Histopathology of Astacus astacus and electron microscopy of a new virus, Astacus astacus bacilliform virus. I
taught crayfish histopathology at the Nordic Academy for Advanced Study funded
“Course on Disease and Immune Defence in Crustaceans” on May 8-16 1995 at
Konnevesi and Jyväskylä, Finland.
CONSULTANCIES:
|
Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry - Australia |
Nov 2001-May 2003 |
Laboratory trials to determine the susceptibility of Australian freshwater
crayfish species to white spot syndrome virus.
|
Australian Quarantine
and Inpection Service |
Jul 6 1997-Jan 6 1998 |
Principal consultant in the preparation of an
Import Risk Assessment for freshwater crayfish products.
|
Open Training and Education
Network |
Dec 1996-Jan 1997 |
Contract writer for course entitled “Health
Management of Native Freshwater Crayfish”
COMPETITIVE RESEARCH GRANTS AND FELLOWSHIPS
AWARDED:
|
Research Fellow: Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, Germany |
Feb 1 2002-Jan 31 2003 |
Project Title: Studies
on viruses in European freshwater crayfish.
|
Research Fellow: Centre National de la Recherche Scientique, France |
Feb 1 2001-Jan 31 2002 |
Project Title: Characterisation and
taxonomy of bacilliform viruses of crustaceans.
|
Australian Research
Council Large Grant ($90 000) |
1993-1996 |
Project Title: Characterisation of Cherax baculovirus and production of
virus-free stocks.
I developed the research plan and wrote the proposal,
with the aid of Dr. Leigh Owens, and I carried out the research and prepared
the biannual progress reports.
|
BSTRCP (Australia -
$4850) and CIMO (Finland - $5000) |
1995 |
Project Title: A health survey of Astacus astacus in Finland.
REFEREE AND EXAMINER ROLES:
In 2002 and 2004 I was an Expert Assessor of
International Standing for the Australian Research Council. I have examined 1
Master of Science thesis, and I have reviewed scientific papers for publication
in Diseases of Aquatic Organisms, Journal of Fish Diseases, Journal of
Invertebrate Pathology, Journal of Aquatic Animal Health, Aquaculture, Bulletin
of the European Association of Fish Pathologists, Aquaculture Research,
Bulletin Francais de la Peche et de la Pisciculture, and Aquatic Living
Resources.
RELEVANT TRAINING
COURSES OR WORKSHOPS:
|
Training Workshop on
Inland Fisheries and Aquaculture for Sustainable Development: Wuxi City,
China |
15 Oct-10 Nov 2000 |
AFFILIATION WITH PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS
AND SOCIETIES:
|
Member of the International Association of
Astacology |
1991-present |
|
Member of the Crayfish Farmers Association of
Queensland |
1992-99, 2003-04 |
|
Member of the World Aquaculture Society |
1996-present |
|
Member of the Asian Fisheries Society |
1996-present |
ORAL PRESENTATIONS AT INTERNATIONAL
CONFERENCES:
Building Capacity to Combat
Impacts of Aquatic Invasive Alien Species and Associated Trans-boundary
Pathogens in ASEAN Countries, Penang, Malyasia, Jul 12-16, 2004 –
“Trans-boundary aquatic animal pathogens in ASEAN and their management” (CV
Mohan and BF Edgerton)
Building Capacity to Combat Impacts of Aquatic Invasive Alien Species and Associated Trans-boundary Pathogens in ASEAN Countries, Penang, Malyasia, Jul 12-16, 2004 – “Key aquatic animal pathogens of concern: freshwater crustaceans” (BF Edgerton and CV Mohan)
Keynote Presentation – Craynet Meeting: European native crayfish with a special focus on Astacus astacus: linking socioeconomics and conservation – “Crayfish Pathology in Europe: A perspective on the past, present and future”
Annual Meeting of the European Community Fish Disease Reference Laboratories, September 2002 - “Exotic Pathogens of Potential Threat to European Freshwater Crayfish”
International Association of Astacology, Queretaro, Mexico, August 2002 – “Pathology of Redclaw, Cherax quadricarinatus (von Martens)”
International Association of Astacology, Queretaro, Mexico, August 2002 – “Susceptibility of the native European crayfish Austropotamobius pallipes to white spot syndrome virus: information for assessment of the likely consequences if the virus were introduction into central European freshwaters”
Knowledge-based Management of European Native Crayfishes 2001 – “Exotic Pathogens of Potential Threat to European Freshwater Crayfish”
Diseases in Asian Aquaculture IV, Cebu, Philippines, November 1999 – “Viral Infections in Australian Freshwater Crayfish”
World Aquaculture ’99, Sydney, April 1999 – “Diseases of the Redclaw Crayfish, Cherax quadricarinatus”
Third International Symposium on Aquatic Animal Health, Baltimore, USA, August 1998 - “A Review of Freshwater Crayfish Viruses”
International Association of Astacology, Augsburg, Germany, August 1998 – “A Review of Freshwater Crayfish Viruses”
International Association of Astacology, Adelaide, April 1994 – “A Health Survey of Farmed Redclaw, Cherax quadricarinatus in Tropical Australia”
Last updated: 3 October 2003