Griffith University
Griffith Experts
Study in 2016
Our postgraduate degrees will
take you to the next level. Discover your options.
Find out more - Study in 2016
Degree finder
Search our degrees, courses and careers and find the one that is right for you.
Explore our five campuses between Brisbane and the Gold Coast.
Undergraduate, postgraduate, international and HDR applications.
Financing your degree
How to meet the costs associated with gaining your degree.
Help with course fees, textbooks, accommodation and living expenses.
Keep up-to-date with important academic and social events.
Non-school leavers
Indigenous students
TAFE and tertiary pathways
Guidance officers and teachers
Parents and guardians
Choosing to study in Australia will provide you with a unique perspective on the world that will prepare you for your role as a global citizen.
Find out more - Life in Australia
Study at Griffith
How to apply to study at Griffith as an international student in undergraduate, postgraduate or HDR programs.
Search our degrees to find the one that's right for you.
Learn about the wide range of support services available for international students.
Sponsorships and finance
Find out about financing your study and available scholarships.
Take the next step and apply to study at Griffith.
Broaden your horizons, travel and study overseas as part of your degree.
International Business Development Unit
Tourism Confucius Institute
Find an International Agent
Asian politics, security and development
Criminology and crime prevention
Drug discovery and infectious diseases
Health and chronic diseases
Music, the arts and the Asia Pacific
Water science
Griffith research
Explore the research strengths, portfolio and research highlights of one of Australia's leading research universities.
Explore the diversity of Griffith's expertise.
Griffith hosts over thirty research centres and institutes. Find out more.
Services, support and resources for candidates and supervisors.
Grants, development, ethics and integrity, policy and performance.
Griffith Enterprise
Commercialisation and technology transfer office of Griffith University.
Top research rankings with a generous scholarship program. Next scholarship application round opens February 2016.
Find out more - Research study
We foster mutually beneficial partnerships with industry, government and the community that power innovation and drive success.
Find out more - Industry partnerships
Industry and government
We help our partners to connect with the University's expertise, research capability and knowledge.
We have a comprehensive research portfolio.
We offer a range of professional development courses that provide access to our quality teaching.
Connect with some of the most employable graduates and university students.
We maintain close connections with the public and private sectors through a range of opportunities.
Develop a collaborative partnership with Griffith.
Access to commercial research
Access our intellectual property
Engage with Griffith Enterprise
Professional development (music)
Creative short courses
Continuing education certificates
We invite you to join us in making a gift to the Students' Future Fund ...
Find out more - Annual appeal
Development and alumni
Find out how to continue your relationship with Griffith.
Register or update your contact details to stay connected with Griffith and your fellow alumni.
Participate in one of the many alumni events held across Australia and overseas.
Benefits and discounts
Access exclusive offers and discounts for our alumni.
Stay up to date with all things Griffith alumni.
Staff alumni
Past staff are encouraged to engage in University social events and activities.
Alumni e-newsletter
Giving to Griffith
Staff giving
About Griffith
Get a more amazing career
Explore the exciting array of career opportunities available to Griffith graduates.
Find out more - Get a more amazing career
Know more about our history, degrees, research and student life.
Discover our schools and centres.
Life at Griffith
Discover life as a Griffith student.
Our commitment to a sustainable society.
Find information about key learning and teaching activities.
Jobs at Griffith
Investigate employment opportunities available across our five campuses.
Criminology and law
Engineering and IT
Environment, planning and architecture
Science and aviation
Visual and creative arts
Access your google apps account for email, calendar, docs, sites, and groups.
Staff services and resources
View a list of commonly accessed services and resources.
Login to Griffith's intranet services.
Access library resources, catalogues, databases, workshops and training.
Learning@Griffith
Interact with students and peers and access or upload learning and teaching materials.
Find your way around our campuses with detailed building and parking location maps.
Google apps support
IT Self Service Centre
Vehicle bookings
myGriffith
Search Griffith University
Current student enquiries 1800 154 055
Future student enquiries 1800 677 728
International enquiries +61 7 3735 6425
General enquiries 07 3735 7111
Staff phonebook
Access Griffith Experts, browse publications and areas of expertise.
Carmel McDougall
Export QR Code
Research Publications and Outputs
Funded Griffith Research
Engagement and Impact
Research by Higher Degree Supervision or Scholarship
× System Upgrade in Progress: Please note that publication listings may not be up to date until system replacement work is completed in Q3 2019.
https://experts.griffith.edu.au/scholars/img/n7fe21663631a8e3bc01791dcfb81819a.jpg
Carmel McDougall Carmel McDougall
DPhil, BScHons
Using comparative and functional genomics and experimental studies to provide practical outcomes for sustainable aquaculture and marine conservation, and to shed light on the evolution of the amazing repertoire of organisms found within our oceans.
Australian Rivers Institute
Griffith School of Environment
Contact this Academic
Contact Carmel McDougall
c.mcdougall@griffith.edu.au
(07) 373 53543
N13 1.19a, Nathan.
Research Gate
Advance Queensland Fellow
Expertise Keywords
Invertebrate biology
Molecular aquaculture
Publications: 21 (Other: 21)
McDougall, C. (2018). Comparative De Novo transcriptome analysis of the Australian black-lip and Sydney rock oysters reveals expansion of repetitive elements in Saccostrea genomes. PLoS One, 13(10), e0206417–1–e0206417–15.
McDougall, C., & Degnan, B. M. (2018). The evolution of mollusc shells. Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Developmental Biology, e313–1–e313–13.
McDougall, C., Hammond, M. J., Dailey, S. C., Somorjai, I. M. L., Cummins, S. F., & Degnan, B. M. (2018). The evolution of ependymin-related proteins. BMC Evolutionary Biology, 18, 182–1–182–13.
Motti, C. A., Bose, U., Roberts, R. E., McDougall, C., Smith, M. K., Hall, M. R., & Cummins, S. F. (2018). Chemical Ecology of Chemosensation in Asteroidea: Insights Towards Management Strategies of Pest Species. Journal of Chemical Ecology, 1–31.
Aguilera, F., McDougall, C., & Degnan, B. M. (2017). Co-option and de novo gene evolution underlie molluscan shell diversity. Molecular Biology and Evolution, 34(4), 779–792.
Hall, M. R., Kocot, K. M., Baughman, K. W., Fernandez-Valverde, S. L., Gauthier, M. E. A., Hatleberg, W. L., … Degnan, B. M. (2017). The Crown-of-Thorns starfish genome as a guide for biocontrol of this coral reef pest. Nature, 544(7649), 231–234.
Kocot, K. M., McDougall, C., & Degnan, B. M. (2017). Developing Perspectives on Molluscan Shells Part 1: Introduction and Molecular Biology. In Physiology of Molluscs: A Collection of Selected Reviews (pp. 1–41).
Kocot, K. M., Aguilera, F., McDougall, C., Jackson, D. J., & Degnan, B. M. (2016). Sea shell diversity and rapidly evolving secretomes: Insights into the evolution of biomineralization. Frontiers in Zoology, 13(1), 23–1–23–10.
McDougall, C., Moase, P., & Degnan, B. M. (2016). Host and donor influence on pearls produced by the silver-lip pearl oyster, Pinctada maxima. Aquaculture, 450, 313–320.
McDougall, C., Woodcroft, B. J., & Degnan, B. M. (2016). The Widespread Prevalence and Functional Significance of Silk-Like Structural Proteins in Metazoan Biological Materials. PLoS One, 11(7), e0159128–1–e0159128–18.
Wang, T., Nuurai, P., McDougall, C., York, P. S., Bose, U., Degnan, B. M., & Cummins, S. F. (2016). Identification of a female spawn-associated Kazal-type inhibitor from the tropical abalone Haliotis asinina. Journal of Peptide Science, 22(7), 461–470.
Wollesen, T., Monje, S. V. R., McDougall, C., Degnan, B. M., & Wanninger, A. (2015). The ParaHox gene Gsx patterns the apical organ and central nervous system but not the foregut in scaphopod and cephalopod mollusks. EvoDevo, 6(1), 41–1–41–18.
Aguilera, F., McDougall, C., & Degnan, B. M. (2014). Evolution of the tyrosinase gene family in bivalve molluscs: Independent expansion of the mantle gene repertoire. Acta Biomaterialia, 10(9), 3855–3865.
Baughman, K. W., McDougall, C., Cummins, S. F., Hall, M. R., Degnan, B. M., Satoh, N., & Shoguchi, E. (2014). Genomic organization of Hox and ParaHox clusters in the echinoderm, Acanthaster planci. Genesis, 52(12), 952–958.
Budd, A., McDougall, C., Green, K. M., & Degnan, B. M. (2014). Control of shell pigmentation by secretory tubules in the abalone mantle. Frontiers in Zoology, 11(1), 62–1–62–9.
Wollesen, T., McDougall, C., Degnan, B. M., & Wanninger, A. (2014). POU genes are expressed during the formation of individual ganglia of the cephalopod central nervous system. EvoDevo, 5(1), 41–1–41–15.
Aguilera, F., McDougall, C., & Degnan, B. M. (2013). Origin, evolution and classification of type-3 copper proteins: Lineage-specific gene expansions and losses across the Metazoa. BMC Evolutionary Biology, 13, 96–1–96–12.
McDougall, C., Aguilera, F., & Degnan, B. M. (2013). Rapid evolution of pearl oyster shell matrix proteins with repetitive, low-complexity domains. Journal of the Royal Society Interface, 10(82), 20130041–1–20130041–10.
Hui, J. H. L., McDougall, C., Monteiro, A. S., Holland, P. W. H., Arendt, D., Balavoine, G., & Ferrier, D. E. K. (2012). Extensive chordate and annelid macrosynteny reveals ancestral homeobox gene organization. Molecular Biology and Evolution, 29(1), 157–165.
McDougall, C., Green, K. M., Jackson, D. J., & Degnan, B. M. (2011). Ultrastructure of the mantle of the gastropod Haliotis asinina and mechanisms of shell regionalization. Cells, Tissues, Organs, 194, 103–107.
McDougall, C., Korchagina, N., Tobin, J. L., & Ferrier, D. E. K. (2011). Annelid Distal-less/Dlx duplications reveal varied post-duplication fates. BMC Evolutionary Biology, 11(1), 241–1–241–16.
(2018). DNA analysis of mussel specimens
(2018). DNA analysis of potential invasive freshwater crayfish specimens
(2018). Utilising natural pearl formation mechanisms to produce superior pearls
(2017). Reinvigorating the Queensland oyster industry
Current and Past Courses
Terrestrial Biodiversity (2303ENV)
Teacher, In Person, Gold Coast Campus, Semester 1, 2019.
Apply for a PhD or research degree at Griffith
I am a molecular biologist with a broad interest in evolution and development (evo-devo) and functional genomics, particularly of marine invertebrates. My primary research area is in the field of molluscan biomineralisation, with a focus on identifying the genes involved in controlling shell synthesis, understanding how these genes have evolved, and investigating how variation in these genetic factors leads to differences in shell (or pearl) properties. My research also uses comparative and functional genomics and experimental studies to provide practical outcomes for sustainable aquaculture.
For a full publication list please see my ResearchGate profile (https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Carmel_McDougall)
*PhD, Masters and Honours projects are now available in the following areas:*
Molecular aquaculture (Molluscs)
Molluscan aquaculture is a low-impact source of animal protein, however the Queensland industry has been experiencing very low levels of production since the 1920s. Here, the industry is based almost entirely on cultivation of the Sydney rock oyster which has been severely affected by disease. This project will seek to reinvigorate the Queensland industry by 1) investigating additional native rock oyster species as alternatives for aquaculture in northern Australia, and 2) using molecular techniques to improve outcomes for grow-out of Sydney rock oysters in Moreton Bay.
Molluscan biomineralisation
The process of biomineralisation in molluscs generates structures of outstanding natural beauty and with impressive physical properties, however the mechanism by which this is achieved is poorly understood. This project will use comparative transcriptomics and proteomics across a range of molluscan species to investigate the processes by which molluscs build their shells. Comparing the underlying molecular basis for biomineralisation across different species and shell types will reveal the principles underlying the formation of shells of different compositions, and provide insight into the evolution of these remarkable biological materials.
I welcome enquiries from potential HDR (PhD and Masters) candidates interested in joining my research group. Please contact me to discuss potential projects. Expressions of interest for Griffith University scholarship rounds close in April and September annually.
DPhil Doctor of Philosophy, The University of Oxford 2005 - 2009
BScHons Bachelor Of Science With Honours, The University of Queensland 2000 - 2003
External service roles
Treasurer, Malacological Society of Australasia 2015 -
Editorial roles
Associate Editor, Molluscan Research 2017 -
Getting to Griffith
Gold Coast campus
Logan campus
Mount Gravatt campus
Nathan campus
South Bank campus
Intercampus bus
Aquatic and Fitness Centre
Copying and printing
Griffith Pay
Griffith Honours College
GUMURRII Student Support Unit
Academic groups
Arts, Education and Law
Griffith Business School
Griffith Health
Griffith Sciences
CRICOS Provider - 00233E
First peoples of Australia
Torres Strait Islander