Foxes

Since its introduction to Australia for hunting purposes in the 1850s, the red fox, with its generalist diet, has posed a threat to mammals, birds and reptiles, both native and agrarian. Foxes are additionally significant vectors for dog and human disease, such as sarcoptic mange and leptospirosis. 

Costing Australians a whopping $227.5 million a year in both  ecological damage and agricultural losses, in addition to threatening several endangered species, more permanent alternatives to ephemeral methods such as shooting and poisoning are desperately needed. 

Currently, the PIPER lab is working on the development of fox induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). These cells will be used to aid in the development of genetic biocontrol methods, minimising the need for costly facilities for fox husbandry. 

In parallel, the PIPER lab is working on producing iPSCs for many other species of invasive mammal. This will be the first time iPSCs will have been produced for many of these non-model mammal species, providing a vital tool for reducing the cost of engineering genetic biocontrols as well as studying mammalian development in general.