Dr David Bourne - CV - Australian Institute of Marine Science

Role

Research Scientist within the microbiology and symbiosis team at AIMS.

Background

My training and background is in Molecular Microbial Ecology. Since obtaining my PhD in 1997 which investigated microbial degradation of cyanobacterial toxins, I have applied these skills to a number of research topics during Postdoctoral stints, including terrestrial methanotroph ecology and marine microbiology at the University of Warwick (UK) and Bergen University (Norway) respectively. My time at AIMS has been spent across a number of projects including the investigation of marine microbes for drug discovery and the microbial dynamics in aquaculture (Rock Lobster) larval rearing systems. Recently, however, I have principally been focused on coral microbiology and coral disease.

Education

1997: PhD in Biotechnology, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD
1992: Bachelor of Applied Science in Biotechnology (First Class Honours), University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD.

Current Research Activities

I have established and managed a research theme within AIMS, focused primarily on the microbiology of corals and coral disease. This research is divided essentially into two areas, the first investigating the normal microbial communities associated with corals and their functional roles in maintaining coral fitness. The second research focus is to elucidate pathogens and mechanism of disease onset in corals and the implications this has on a stressed reef ecosystem in light of climate change being a major driver of coral reef degradation.

Expert Committees and Boards

Member of the AIMS@JCU 'Stress in tropical marine systems' program
Participant of the World Bank Global Environmental Fund's Coral Disease Working Group

Publications

Bourne DG, Dennis PG, Uthicke S, Soo R, Tyson G, Webster NS (2013). Coral reef invertebrate microbiomes correlate with the presence of photosymbionts. ISME J. In press doi:10.1038/ismej.2012.172

Ceh J, van Keulen M, Bourne DG (2013) Intergenerational transfer of specific bacteria in corals and possible implications for offspring fitness. Microbial Ecology 65: 227-231

Ceh J, Raina J-B, Soo RM, van Keulen M, Bourne DG (2012) Coral-bacterial communities before and after a coral mass spawning event on Ningaloo Reef. PloS One 7(5): e36920.

Cohen Y, Pollock FJ, Rosenberg E, Bourne DG (2012) Phage Therapy Treatment of the coral pathogen Vibrio coralliilyticus. Microbiology Open doi: 10.1002/mbo3.52.

Glas MS, Sato Y, Ulstrup KE, Bourne DG (2012) Biogeochemical conditions determine virulence of Black Band Disease in corals. ISME J. 6: 1526-1534.

Goulden EF, Hall MR, Bourne DG, Pereg LL, Hoj L (2012) Pathogenicity and infection cycle of Vibrio owensii DY05T, an emerging pathogen in the larviculture of ornate spiny lobster (Panulirus ornatus). Applied and Environmental Microbiology 78(8):2841-2849

Jensen S, Bourne DG, Hovland M, Murrell JC (2012) High diversity of microplankton surrounds a deep-water coral reef in the Norwegian Sea. FEMS Microbiology Ecology 82:75-89.

Lema KA, Willis BL, Bourne DG (2012) Corals form characteristic associations with symbiotic nitrogen-fixing bacteria. Applied and Environmental Microbiology. 78(9):3136-3144

Pollock FJ, Katz SM, Bourne DG, Willis BL (2012) Cymo melandodactylus crabs slow progression of White Syndrome Coral Disease. Coral Reefs DOI 10.1007/s00338-012-0978-9.

Stat M, Baker A, Bourne DG, Correa A, Forsman Z, Huggett M, Pochon X, Skillings D, Starger C, Toonen R, van Oppen M, Gates RD (2012) Molecular delineation of species in the coral holobiont. Advances in Marine Biology 63: 1-64.

Wilson B, Aeby GS, Work TM, Bourne DG (2012) Microbial communities associated with Acropora White Syndrome in American Samoan corals. FEMS Microbiology Ecology 80: 509-520.