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Dr Sally Isberg

B.Sc.Agr (Hon) PhD

B01 - J.D. Stewart Building
The University of Sydney

Biographical details

After becoming interested in the crocodile industry during her undergraduate degree, Sally¿s PhD project was to develop a genetic improvement program for farmed saltwater crocodiles. The success of this project subsequently led Sally to her current position as chief scientist at Darwin Crocodile Farm (Australia¿s largest crocodile producer).

Sally still holds strong ties to the University of Sydney as an honorary associate and, along with her USyd colleagues, was successful in obtaining substantial funding to conduct the first genetic linkage and QTL analysis of saltwater crocodiles. The ultimate goal is to select crocodiles based on marker-assisted selection (MAS) with greater accuracy and earlier than using traditional breeding methods alone. Sally¿s other research projects relate to increasing the overall efficiency of saltwater crocodile production for the international skin trade. Predominantly this research involves investigating reasons for juvenile mortality such as runtism and disease susceptibility. Due to her continued involvement in the crocodile industry, Sally has just become an invited member of the IUCN SSC Crocodile Specialist Group.

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Teaching and supervision

Animal Genetics and Breeding Quantitative Genetics Genetic Evaluation and Design

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Selected grants

2005

  • Linkage Mapping And Qtl Analysis In Saltwater Crocodiles; Isberg S, Moran C; Rural Industry Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC)/Research and Development Grants.
  • Runtism And Survival In Captive Saltwater Crocodiles; Isberg S; Rural Industry Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC)/Research and Development Grants.
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Selected publications

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Journals

  • Jaratlerdsiri, W., Isberg, S., Higgins, D., Gongora, J. (2012). MHC class 1 of saltwater crocidiles (Crocodylus porosus): polymorphism and balancing selection. Immunogenetics, 64, 825-838.
  • Luck, N., Thomas, K., Morin-Adeline, V., Barwick, S., Chong, A., Carpenter, E., Wan, L., Willet, C., Langford-Salisbury, S., Abdelsayd, M., Jaratlerdsiri, W., Isberg, S., Miles, L., Higgins, D., Lane, A., Gongora, J., et al (2012). Mitochondrial DNA analyses of the saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) from the Northern territory of Australia. Australian Journal of Zoology, 60(2012), 18-25.
  • St. John, J., Braun, E., Isberg, S., Miles, L., Chong, A., Gongora, J., Dalzell, P., Moran, C., Bed'Hom, B., Abzhanov, A., et al (2012). Sequencing three crocodilian genomes to illuminate the evolution of archosaurs and amniotes. Genome Biology, 13(1), 1-12.
  • Miles, L., Isberg, S., Thomson, P., Glenn, T., Lance, S., Dalzell, P., Moran, C. (2010). QTL Mapping for Two Commercial Traits in Farmed Saltwater Crocodiles (Crocodylus Porosus). Animal Genetics, 41(2), 142-149.
  • Miles, L., Isberg, S., Moran, C., Hagan, C., Glenn, T. (2009). 253 Novel polymorphic microsatellites for the saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus). Conservation Genetics, 10(4), 963-980.
  • Miles, L., Isberg, S., Glenn, T., Lance, S., Dalzell, P., Thomson, P., Moran, C. (2009). A genetic linkage map for the saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus). BMC Genomics, 10, 339-1-339-11.
  • Miles, L., Lance, S., Isberg, S., Moran, C., Glenn, T. (2009). Cross-species amplification of microsatellites in crocodilians: Assessment and applications for the future. Conservation Genetics, 10(4), 935-954.
  • Jaratlerdsiri, W., Rodriguez-Zarate, C., Isberg, S., Damayanti, C., Miles, L., Chansue, N., Moran, C., Melville, L., Gongora, J. (2009). Distribution of Endogenous Retroviruses in Crocodilians. Journal of Virology, 83(19), 10305-10308.
  • Gray, E., Ahmadi-Esfahani, F., Isberg, S. (2007). Simulating economic values of a genetic improvement program for Australian farmed saltwater crocodiles. Australian Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, 51(1), 57-72.
  • Isberg, S., Johnston, S., Chen, Y., Moran, C. (2006). First Evidence of Higher Female Recombination in a Species with Temperature-Dependent Sex Determination: the Saltwater Crocodile. Journal of Heredity: an international journal of genomic and evolutionary diversity, 97(6), 599-602.
  • Isberg, S., Thomson, P., Nicholas, F., Barker, S., Moran, C. (2006). Quantitative analysis of production traits in saltwater crocodiles (Crocodylus porosus): III. juvenile survival. Journal of Animal Breeding and Genetics (Print), 123, 44-47.
  • Isberg, S., Thomson, P., Nicholas, F., Webb, G., Manolis, S., Barker, S., Moran, C. (2006). Quantitative analysis of production traits in saltwater crocodiles (Crocodylus porosus): IV. number of scale rows. Journal of Animal Breeding and Genetics (Print), 123, 48-55.
  • Isberg, S., Thomson, P., Nicholas, F., Barker, S., Moran, C. (2005). Quantitative analysis of production traits in saltwater crocodiles (Crocodylus porosus) I. Reproduction traits. Journal of Animal Breeding and Genetics (Print), 122(6), 361-369.
  • Isberg, S., Thomson, P., Nicholas, F., Barker, S., Moran, C. (2005). Quantitative analysis of production traits in saltwater crocodiles (Crocodylus porosus) II. Age at Slaughter. Journal of Animal Breeding and Genetics (Print), 122, 370-377.
  • Isberg, S., Chen, Y., Barker, S., Moran, C. (2004). Analysis Of Microsatellites And Parentage Testing In Saltwater Crocodiles. Journal of Heredity: an international journal of genomic and evolutionary diversity, 95(5), 445-449.

Conferences

  • Chong, A., Isberg, S., Melville, L., Ray, D., Glenn, T., Peterson, D., Shan, X., Gongora, J. (2012). Genome-wide identification of endogenous retroviruses from a crocodile genome. 33rd Conference of the International Society for Animal Genetics, Brisbane: University of Queensland Press.
  • Jaratlerdsiri, W., Isberg, S., Higgins, D., Melville, L., Gongora, J. (2012). MHC class 1 diversity in saltwater crocodiles and its association with lymphoid proliferation, vasculitis and encephalitis syndrome. 33rd Conference of the International Society for Animal Genetics, Brisbane: University of Queensland Press.
  • Jaratlerdsiri, W., Isberg, S., Higgins, D., Melville, D., Gongora, J. (2012). MHC class 1 diversity in saltwater crocodiles and its association with lymphoid proliferation, vasculitis and encephalitis syndrome. International Society of Animal Genetics, Australia: International Society for Animal Genetics.
  • Isberg, S., Thomson, P., Miles, L., Moran, C. (2007). The application of quantitative genetics in commercial crocodile farming. Third International Workshop on Crocodylian Genetics and Genomics. Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute.
  • Miles, L., Glenn, T., Isberg, S., Dalzell, P., Thomson, P., Hagen, C., Moran, C. (2007). Towards a comprehensive genetic-linkage map for the saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus). 54th Genetics Society of Australia Annual Conference, Sydney: Genetics Society of AustralAsia, Inc.
  • Isberg, S., Thomson, P., Nicholas, F., Gray, E., Ahmadi-Esfahani, F., Barker, S., Moran, C. (2005). Multi-trait selection of crocodiles using CrocPLAN. 16th Conference of the Association for the Advancement of Animal Breeding and Genetics - AAABG 2005, Collingwood, Victoria: CSIRO Publishing.
  • Isberg, S., Thomson, P., Nicholas, F., Gray, E., Ahmadi-Esfahani, F., Barker, S., Moran, C. (2004). CrocPLAN: A genetic improvement program for saltwater crocodiles. 17th Working Meeting of the IUCN Crocodile Specialist Group, Switzerland: IUCN - The World Conservation Union.
  • Isberg, S., Thomson, P., Nicholas, F., Gray, E., Ahmadi-Esfahani, F., Barker, S., Moran, C. (2004). Genetic improvement of saltwater crocodiles. 51st Annual Meeting of Genetics Society of Australia, Austtalia: Genetics Society of Australia.
  • Isberg, S., Nicholas, F., Thomson, P., Moran, C., Barker, S., Manolis, S. (2003). Defining breeding objectives for saltwater crocodile genetic improvement programs. 50 Years of DNA, Melbourne: Association for the Advancement of Animal Breeding and Genetics.
  • Isberg, S., Thomson, P., Nicholas, F., Webb, G., Moran, C. (2002). Modelling growth of juvenile C. porosus using degree-days. 16th Working Meeting of the IUCN Crocodile Specialist Group, Gland Switzerland: IUCN - The World Conservation Union.

Report

  • Isberg, S., Thomson, P., Nicholas, F., Barker, S., Moran, C. (2004). Farmed saltwater crocodiles: a genetic improvement program.

2012

  • Chong, A., Isberg, S., Melville, L., Ray, D., Glenn, T., Peterson, D., Shan, X., Gongora, J. (2012). Genome-wide identification of endogenous retroviruses from a crocodile genome. 33rd Conference of the International Society for Animal Genetics, Brisbane: University of Queensland Press.
  • Jaratlerdsiri, W., Isberg, S., Higgins, D., Melville, L., Gongora, J. (2012). MHC class 1 diversity in saltwater crocodiles and its association with lymphoid proliferation, vasculitis and encephalitis syndrome. 33rd Conference of the International Society for Animal Genetics, Brisbane: University of Queensland Press.
  • Jaratlerdsiri, W., Isberg, S., Higgins, D., Melville, D., Gongora, J. (2012). MHC class 1 diversity in saltwater crocodiles and its association with lymphoid proliferation, vasculitis and encephalitis syndrome. International Society of Animal Genetics, Australia: International Society for Animal Genetics.
  • Jaratlerdsiri, W., Isberg, S., Higgins, D., Gongora, J. (2012). MHC class 1 of saltwater crocidiles (Crocodylus porosus): polymorphism and balancing selection. Immunogenetics, 64, 825-838.
  • Luck, N., Thomas, K., Morin-Adeline, V., Barwick, S., Chong, A., Carpenter, E., Wan, L., Willet, C., Langford-Salisbury, S., Abdelsayd, M., Jaratlerdsiri, W., Isberg, S., Miles, L., Higgins, D., Lane, A., Gongora, J., et al (2012). Mitochondrial DNA analyses of the saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) from the Northern territory of Australia. Australian Journal of Zoology, 60(2012), 18-25.
  • St. John, J., Braun, E., Isberg, S., Miles, L., Chong, A., Gongora, J., Dalzell, P., Moran, C., Bed'Hom, B., Abzhanov, A., et al (2012). Sequencing three crocodilian genomes to illuminate the evolution of archosaurs and amniotes. Genome Biology, 13(1), 1-12.

2010

  • Miles, L., Isberg, S., Thomson, P., Glenn, T., Lance, S., Dalzell, P., Moran, C. (2010). QTL Mapping for Two Commercial Traits in Farmed Saltwater Crocodiles (Crocodylus Porosus). Animal Genetics, 41(2), 142-149.

2009

  • Miles, L., Isberg, S., Moran, C., Hagan, C., Glenn, T. (2009). 253 Novel polymorphic microsatellites for the saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus). Conservation Genetics, 10(4), 963-980.
  • Miles, L., Isberg, S., Glenn, T., Lance, S., Dalzell, P., Thomson, P., Moran, C. (2009). A genetic linkage map for the saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus). BMC Genomics, 10, 339-1-339-11.
  • Miles, L., Lance, S., Isberg, S., Moran, C., Glenn, T. (2009). Cross-species amplification of microsatellites in crocodilians: Assessment and applications for the future. Conservation Genetics, 10(4), 935-954.
  • Jaratlerdsiri, W., Rodriguez-Zarate, C., Isberg, S., Damayanti, C., Miles, L., Chansue, N., Moran, C., Melville, L., Gongora, J. (2009). Distribution of Endogenous Retroviruses in Crocodilians. Journal of Virology, 83(19), 10305-10308.

2007

  • Gray, E., Ahmadi-Esfahani, F., Isberg, S. (2007). Simulating economic values of a genetic improvement program for Australian farmed saltwater crocodiles. Australian Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, 51(1), 57-72.
  • Isberg, S., Thomson, P., Miles, L., Moran, C. (2007). The application of quantitative genetics in commercial crocodile farming. Third International Workshop on Crocodylian Genetics and Genomics. Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute.
  • Miles, L., Glenn, T., Isberg, S., Dalzell, P., Thomson, P., Hagen, C., Moran, C. (2007). Towards a comprehensive genetic-linkage map for the saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus). 54th Genetics Society of Australia Annual Conference, Sydney: Genetics Society of AustralAsia, Inc.

2006

  • Isberg, S., Johnston, S., Chen, Y., Moran, C. (2006). First Evidence of Higher Female Recombination in a Species with Temperature-Dependent Sex Determination: the Saltwater Crocodile. Journal of Heredity: an international journal of genomic and evolutionary diversity, 97(6), 599-602.
  • Isberg, S., Thomson, P., Nicholas, F., Barker, S., Moran, C. (2006). Quantitative analysis of production traits in saltwater crocodiles (Crocodylus porosus): III. juvenile survival. Journal of Animal Breeding and Genetics (Print), 123, 44-47.
  • Isberg, S., Thomson, P., Nicholas, F., Webb, G., Manolis, S., Barker, S., Moran, C. (2006). Quantitative analysis of production traits in saltwater crocodiles (Crocodylus porosus): IV. number of scale rows. Journal of Animal Breeding and Genetics (Print), 123, 48-55.

2005

  • Isberg, S., Thomson, P., Nicholas, F., Gray, E., Ahmadi-Esfahani, F., Barker, S., Moran, C. (2005). Multi-trait selection of crocodiles using CrocPLAN. 16th Conference of the Association for the Advancement of Animal Breeding and Genetics - AAABG 2005, Collingwood, Victoria: CSIRO Publishing.
  • Isberg, S., Thomson, P., Nicholas, F., Barker, S., Moran, C. (2005). Quantitative analysis of production traits in saltwater crocodiles (Crocodylus porosus) I. Reproduction traits. Journal of Animal Breeding and Genetics (Print), 122(6), 361-369.
  • Isberg, S., Thomson, P., Nicholas, F., Barker, S., Moran, C. (2005). Quantitative analysis of production traits in saltwater crocodiles (Crocodylus porosus) II. Age at Slaughter. Journal of Animal Breeding and Genetics (Print), 122, 370-377.

2004

  • Isberg, S., Chen, Y., Barker, S., Moran, C. (2004). Analysis Of Microsatellites And Parentage Testing In Saltwater Crocodiles. Journal of Heredity: an international journal of genomic and evolutionary diversity, 95(5), 445-449.
  • Isberg, S., Thomson, P., Nicholas, F., Gray, E., Ahmadi-Esfahani, F., Barker, S., Moran, C. (2004). CrocPLAN: A genetic improvement program for saltwater crocodiles. 17th Working Meeting of the IUCN Crocodile Specialist Group, Switzerland: IUCN - The World Conservation Union.
  • Isberg, S., Thomson, P., Nicholas, F., Barker, S., Moran, C. (2004). Farmed saltwater crocodiles: a genetic improvement program.
  • Isberg, S., Thomson, P., Nicholas, F., Gray, E., Ahmadi-Esfahani, F., Barker, S., Moran, C. (2004). Genetic improvement of saltwater crocodiles. 51st Annual Meeting of Genetics Society of Australia, Austtalia: Genetics Society of Australia.

2003

  • Isberg, S., Nicholas, F., Thomson, P., Moran, C., Barker, S., Manolis, S. (2003). Defining breeding objectives for saltwater crocodile genetic improvement programs. 50 Years of DNA, Melbourne: Association for the Advancement of Animal Breeding and Genetics.

2002

  • Isberg, S., Thomson, P., Nicholas, F., Webb, G., Moran, C. (2002). Modelling growth of juvenile C. porosus using degree-days. 16th Working Meeting of the IUCN Crocodile Specialist Group, Gland Switzerland: IUCN - The World Conservation Union.
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