Understanding koala retrovirus (KoRV)

With koala populations facing multiple threats from environmental stress, retroviral immune suppression and disease, there is no quick fix for koala population decline.

However UQ's Conservation with Care program aims to facilitate the spread of the natural genetic adaptation into new populations to improve koala resilience.

Professor Keith Chappell's research is focused on understanding Koala Retrovirus (KoRV), it's link to disease and how koalas have evolved resistance to the devastating impacts of this disease. Most notably, together with Dr Michaela Blyton, Keith contributed to the discovery of a genetic adaptation present 30% of koalas found in the Sunshine Coast, which correlated with a 10-fold reduction in the viral levels and is under strong positive selection. Keith’s passion is evidence-based conservation.

Researchers