Raphael Eisenhofer Philipona

Raphael Eisenhofer Philipona

School of Biological Sciences

Faculty of Sciences, Engineering and Technology

Eligible to supervise Masters and PhD - email supervisor to discuss availability.

I am passionate about the natural world and protecting our vanishing biodiversity. Ultimately, I want my research to help inform conservation practices and to provide a unique angle through which to engage the public about our awesome (and unfortunately, very endangered) Australian mammal biodiversity.

Microbes have profoundly influenced the evolution of animals and are an important facet of their biology. My expertise is in applying metagenomic techniques to study microbial communities. I'm a firm believer in the power of interdisciplinary research to yield results greater than the sum of its parts, and I enjoy integrating my expertise on projects with researchers from other disciplines.

Key areas of research are:
The microbial ecology of Australian mammals.
Coevolution between Australian mammals and their microbes.
Discovering interactions between Australian mammals and their microbes, and determining what these interactions mean for mammal ecology and health.
Developing microbiota therapies for improving captive mammal health and conservation efforts.

Note: I'm currently living in Copenhagen (Denmark) where I'm employed as a post doctoral researcher at the Globe institute, University of Copenhagen.

  • Appointments
    Date Position Institution name
    2021 - ongoing Adjunct assistant lecturer University of Adelaide
    2021 - 2024 Postdoctoral researcher University of Copenhagen

  • Awards and Achievements
    Date Type Title Institution Name Country Amount
    2018 Award School of Biological Sciences Postgraduate Academic Achievement Award University of Adelaide Australia 500
    2016 Research Award Royal Society of South Australia Small Research Grant Royal Society of South Australia Australia 1500
    2015 Scholarship Australian Postgraduate Award University of Adelaide Australia -
    2014 Award Victoria Graduate Award Victoria University New Zealand $5000
    2013 Scholarship Summer Research Scholarship Victoria University New Zealand $6000
    2013 Achievement Included on the Dean's List for Academic Excellence Victoria University New Zealand -

  • Language Competencies
    Language Competency
    English Can read, write, speak, understand spoken and peer review

  • Education
    Date Institution name Country Title
    2015 - 2018 University of Adelaide Australia PhD (Paleomicrobiology, Metagenomics)
    2011 - 2014 Victoria University of Wellington New Zealand BSc (Honours) - Molecular Microbiology

  • Research Interests
    Conservation and Biodiversity Genetics Microbial Genetics Microbiology

Origin and Development of the Microbiome in a Marsupial Soil Engineer: the Southern Hairy-nosed Wombat (Lasiorhinus latifrons)

Funding scheme: FND000091: Schultz Foundation Partnership

Amount: $5,000

 

Using the human microbiota to trace the final stages of Polynesian settlement

Funding scheme: ORG113911: Royal Society of South Australia - Small Research Grant

Amount: $1,500

 

  • Current Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)
    Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
    2021 Co-Supervisor The role and inheritance of bacteria in the Australian native resin bee, Megachile tosticauda Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Elisabeth Mary Williamson
    2021 Co-Supervisor Monitoring of the reintroduction of the Brush-Tailed Bettong Bettongia penicillate into the Southern Yorke Peninsula. Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Chloe Helen Frick
    2020 Co-Supervisor Ecological and Genetic studies of Hairy-nosed Wombats (Lasiorhinus latifrons) Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Ms Shannon Kleemann

  • Past Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)
    Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
    2020 - 2023 Co-Supervisor Investigating the Influence of Fungicide Usage and Vineyard Disease Management on the Grapevine Microbiome and Wine Quality Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Brady Leigh Welsh
    2019 - 2021 Co-Supervisor Low-biomass Human Microbiomes: Another Piece to the Puzzle for Non-communicable Diseases Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Caitlin Alyssa Selway

  • Other Supervision Activities
    Date Role Research Topic Location Program Supervision Type Student Load Student Name
    2019 - ongoing Co-Supervisor Microbiome Development of the Southern Hairy-nosed Wombat University of Adelaide/University of Copenhagen Veterinary Masters program Master - Sesilje Weiss
    2019 - ongoing Principal Supervisor Gut microbiome analysis of the Southern hairy-nosed wombat The University of Adelaide Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Honours Full Time Calvin Heath
    2019 - ongoing Principal Supervisor Analysis of modern and ancient human oral viromes The University of Adelaide Molecular and Biomedical Science Honours Full Time Darcy Watson
    2019 - ongoing Principal Supervisor Genomic analyses of periodontal disease-associated microorganisms in human dental plaque The University of Adelaide Molecular and Biomedical Science Honours Full Time Brady Welsh
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