Dr Carmel McDougall

Lecturer in Marine Biology

Researcher profile

Phone

+44 (0)1334 46 3433

Email

cm107@st-andrews.ac.uk

 

Research areas

My research group uses comparative and functional genomics and experimental studies to provide practical outcomes for sustainable aquaculture and marine conservation, and to shed light on the evolution and diversity of the amazing repertoire of organisms found within our oceans.  

My research group explores three main themes:

EVOLUTION AND DEVELOPMENT

• Identification of the genes involved in molluscan and annelid biomineralisation and investigating how they have evolved
• Exploring the role of gene co-option in invertebrate evolution
• Understanding the evolution of immune systems in molluscs

MOLECULAR AQUACULTURE

• Investigating how variation in biomineralisation genes leads to differences in pearl quality
• Using comparative transcriptomics to improve hatchery production of rock oysters
• Developing molecular tools for the prevention of gonad maturation in tropical abalone

MOLECULAR ECOLOGY

• Using genetic identification to understand tropical rock oyster biodiversity
• Exploring the importance of multiple foundation species on shellfish reef restoration success
• Development of eDNA techniques for rapid oyster biodiversity assessment
• Molecular detection of exotic bivalve species

PhD supervision

• Mollie Stefanek

Selected publications

• Open access

  Microbial communities and soil greenhouse gas fluxes from subtropical tidal and supratidal wetlands

  Gamboa-Cutz, J. N., Trevathan-Tackett, S. M., Cadena, S., McDougall, C. & Adame, M. F., 1 Apr 2025, In: Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science. 315, 10 p., 109124.

  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

• Open access

  Settlement and tidal zonation patterns of closely related oysters within the genus Saccostrea in a subtropical Australian estuary --implications for restoration

  Richardson, M. A., Connolly, R. M., Gillies, C. L. & McDougall, C., 2 Apr 2025, (E-pub ahead of print) In: Restoration Ecology. Early View, p. 1-12 12 p., e70052.

  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

• Open access

  Understanding Dynamic Molecular Responses Is Key to Designing Environmental Stress Experiments: A Review of Gene and Protein Expression in Cnidaria Under Stress

  Molinari, C. G., McDougall, C. & Pitt, K. A., 2025, (Accepted/In press) In: Molecular Ecology.

  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

• Open access

  Understanding dynamic molecular responses is key to designing environmental stress experiments: a review of gene and protein expression in cnidaria under stress

  Molinari, C. G., McDougall, C. & Pitt, K. A., 1 Apr 2025, (E-pub ahead of print) In: Molecular Ecology. Early View, 16 p., e17753.

  Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review

• Open access

  Biogeography of vine thickets and open woodland in subtropical eastern Australia: a case study of three camaenid land snail genera

  Stanisic, L., McDougall, C. & Oliver, P., 13 Feb 2024, In: Australian Journal of Zoology. 71, 3, 15 p., ZO23032.

  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

• Open access

  Molecular identification of intertidal rock oyster species in North-Eastern Australia reveals new candidates for aquaculture

  McDougall, C., Nenadic, N., Richardson, M. & Healy, J. M., 30 Jun 2024, In: Aquaculture. 587, 10 p., 740838.

  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

• Open access

  The development of multiplex PCR assays for the rapid identification of multiple Saccostrea species, and their practical applications in restoration and aquaculture

  Richardson, M. A., Nenadic, N., Wingfield, M. & McDougall, C., 21 May 2024, In: BMC Ecology and Evolution. 24, 67

  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

• Open access

  Co-designing a multi-criteria approach to ranking hazards to and from Australia’s emerging offshore blue economy

  Turschwell, M. P., Brown, C. J., Lacharité, M., Melbourne-Thomas, J., Hayes, K. R., Bustamante, R. H., Dambacher, J. M., Evans, K., Fidelman, P., Hatton MacDonald, D., Van Putten, I., Wood, G., Abdussamie, N., Bates, M., Blackwell, D., D'Alessandro, S., Dutton, I., Ericson, J. A., Frid, C. L. & McDougall, C. & 4 others, Lea, M.-A., Rissik, D., Trebilco, R. & Fulton, E. A., 1 Sept 2023, In: Environmental Science and Policy. 147, p. 154-168 15 p.

  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

• Open access

  Ecosystem restoration, regeneration and rewilding

  Shackelford, N. & McDougall, C., 14 Sept 2023, In: BMC Ecology and Evolution. 23, 3 p., 52.

  Research output: Contribution to journal › Editorial

• Open access

  Relaxation of natural selection in the evolution of the giant lungfish genomes

  Fuselli, S., Greco, S., Biello, R., Palmitessa, S., Lago, M., Meneghetti, C., McDougall, C., Trucchi, E., Rota Stabelli, O., Biscotti, A. M., Schmidt, D. J., Roberts, D. T., Espinoza, T., Hughes, J. M., Ometto, L., Gerdol, M. & Bertorelle, G., Sept 2023, In: Molecular Biology and Evolution. 40, 9, p. 1-6 6 p., msad193.

  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

 

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