Professor Karen Gibb
I am an environmental microbiologist with expertise in aquatic and marine systems and the impact of environmental change and industrial pollution on water quality and marine harvest, especially oysters. I am also interested in developing ways to monitor the health of marine systems using multiple values and indicators and led a team that in 2021 produced the first Darwin Harbour Integrated Report Card. I co-lead Bioscience North Australia (BNA) (https://www.cdu.edu.au/riel/consultancy-services/bioscience-north-australia) at Charles Darwin University. BNA conducts high impact research and customized research consultancies that focus on detecting and interpreting microbiological threats in a complex world. We specialise in microbiological and molecular analyses in aquatic and terrestrial environments, including animal-microbe interactions, and analyses of sediment, water and biota. Our research supports shellfish food safety, safe drinking water and animal health, and we use microbial signatures to monitor the footprint of pollution in the environment. My scientific output includes 165 refereed papers, over 5,000 citations and an h-index of 41 but the most rewarding aspect of my job is being part of the incredibly dedicated and professional BNA team, mentoring postgraduate students and collaborations with researchers from other universities, NT Government and First Nation Scientists. I am also a very engaged and committed educator and teach both a summer intensive where students develop skills in traditional and molecular water quality analysis, and a unit that explores organisms and environmental change in marine systems. I find teaching at both the undergraduate and postgraduate levels to be an extremely rewarding and important part of my professional life.
You can see my Google Scholar profile at: Karen Gibb - Google Scholar
Research Interests:
- Microbial DNA detection & diagnosis
- Emerging pathogens
- Opportunistic pathogens in water
- Microbial source tracking
- Monitoring impact
HDR project opportunities
Water and land stewardship
Professor Gibb and her team are interested in developing and evaluating efficient tools and protocols for mapping and monitoring environmental values relating to biodiversity and water. This will involve remote sensing and direct terrestrial biodiversity and water research to underpin metrics for biodiversity market development. At demonstration sites, Professor Gibb’s team aim to quantify existing biodiversity and water-related environmental values on country under different land uses and evaluate gains resulting from management interventions. What land management activities provide greatest biodiversity return on investment?
The team will analyse site-level assessment to track signatures of different inputs from various sources such as land runoff, creeks, or wetlands into a river. The signatures are based on microbial DNA and how changes in management practises such as reduced stocking and fencing of riparian zones can result in a measurable reduction in signatures from a source,which can result in a management gain.
A PhD project linked to this project would involve developing bacterial indicators specific for different faecal sources such as cattle, feral animals and wildlife which allow the differentiation and semi-quantification of faecal matter in the river,compromising water quality.
In a second project, the team is interested in site-level assessments of fish species diversity—baseline data with an option for more detailed assessment if further funding is sourced. The rationale is that fish species diversity is an important metric for water quality and alternative income opportunities such as ecotourism or fishing.