Miss Casey Mueller

Qualifications

Doctor of Philosophy, University of Adelaide. Supervisor: Professor Roger S. Seymour. 2008-present

First Class Honours Degree of Bachelor of Science, University of Adelaide 2006

Thesis title: Effects of spatial variation on competition between Ward's Weed, Carrichtera annua (L.) Aschers (Brassicaceae), and native annuals from arid South Australia

Bachelor of Science, University of Adelaide 2003-2005

Awards & Achievements

2010 - Best student presentation prize at the Australia and New Zealand Society for Comparative Physiology and Biochemistry Annual Conference

2006 - Unversity Medal

2006 - John Bagot Medal for Honours in Botany

2005 - Ernest Ayers Scholarship in Botany

2005 - J.G Wood Memorial Prize for Botany

2004 - Reed New Holland Book Prize for Zoology

Research Interests

I am currently undertaking my PhD in amphibian and fish developmental physiology. I am utlising two Australian myobatrachid frogs, Pseudophryne bibronii from the Adelaide Hills and Crinia georgiana from Perth, to examine the respiratory and energetic factors that contribute to embryonic development rates. These two species are of interest as they have similar egg sizes and develop at similar temperatures yet C. georgiana develops over two times faster than P. bibronii. I am focussing on the role that resistances to gas transfer along the oxygen cascade from the environment to the embryo may play in this difference.

I am also studying the physiology of embryonic development in the Australian lungfish (Neoceratodus forsteri). The Australian lungfish is a unique primitive fish that is closely related to the amphibians. Very little is known about the developmental physiology of the lungfish. I am examining the role of temperature and oxygen on survival, development and respiration.

Research Funding

2008 - The Australian Geographic Society

2006 - Honours Scholarship from the CRC for Australian Weed Management

Publications

Mueller, C.A., Joss, J.M.P. and Seymour, R.S. (2011) Effects of environmental oxygen on development and respiration of Australian lungfish (Neoceratodus forsteri) embryos. J Comp Physiol B In press

Mueller, C.A. and Seymour, R.S. (2011) The importance of perivitelline fluid convection to oxygen uptake of Pseudophryne bibronii eggs. Physiol Biochem Zool 84 299-305

Mueller, C.A., Joss, J.M.P. and Seymour, R.S. (2011) The energy cost of embryonic development in fishes and amphibians, with emphasis on new data from the Australian lungfish, Neoceratodus forsteri. J Comp Physiol B 181 43-52

Files

• Mueller et al 2011 J. Comp. Phys. B. - effects of oxygen on dev. & resp. of lungfish embryos - Mueller_et_al_2011_J._Comp._Phys._B._-_effects_of_oxygen_on_lungfish_embryos.pdf [384.7K] (application/pdf)
• Mueller & Seymour 2011 Physiol. Biochem. Zool. - convection in amphibian egg gas exchange - Mueller_&_Seymour_2011_Physiol_Biochem_Zool_-_perivitelline_fluid_convection.pdf [301.5K] (application/pdf)
• Mueller et al (2011) J Comp Physiol B - Cost of development in fishes and amphibians - Mueller_et_al_2011_J._Comp._Phys._B._-_cost_of_dev._in_fishes_&_amphibs.pdf [805.2K] (application/pdf)

Entry last updated: Friday, 22 Jul 2011