100 Climate Conversations: Madeleine van Oppen

Ecological geneticist Madeleine van Oppen believes assisted evolution can help adapt and save the Great Barrier Reef from rising temperatures. From her laboratory at the University of Melbourne, she applies genetic techniques to assess and crossbreed for heat tolerance in the algae symbionts of Australia’s coral.

See Madeleine van Oppen in conversation with journalist Paddy Manning, recorded live at Powerhouse as part of 100 Climate Conversations. Entry is free, but bookings are essential as places are limited. Book now.

100 Climate Conversations is a two-year survey of visionary Australians who are accelerating the net zero carbon revolution. To find out more and subscribe to the podcast visit 100climateconversations.com.

Madeleine van Oppen is an expert in microbial symbioses of corals. Her current research focuses on assisted evolution: the development of corals that are better able to cope with disturbed environments and predicted future ocean conditions. This includes the development of bacterial probiotics, the directed evolution of the coral's microalgal symbionts, coral hybridisation and selective breeding, and coral conditioning.

Paddy Manning is an investigative journalist, contributing editor of The Monthly and author of Body Count: How Climate Change is Killing Us. Over two decades in journalism he has reported extensively on climate change, including for The Monthly, ABC RN's Background Briefing, Crikey, SMH/The Age, Australian Financial Review and The Australian. He was the founding publishing editor of Ethical Investor magazine. Manning has written six books, including a forthcoming biography of Lachlan Murdoch, and is currently undertaking a doctorate with the Centre for Media History at Macquarie University, on ‘A Century of News Corporation in Australia’.