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The Great Barrier Reef: Australia's Natural Wonder

Home to over 12,000 marine species, The Great Barrier Reef holds immense ecological value as one of Earth’s most biodiverse ecosystems. Its stunning natural beauty draws 2.19 million visitors annually, making the reef a premiere global tourist attraction. Tourism, fishing, recreational and scientific activities on the Great Barrier Reef are vital economic contributors to the Australian economy, sustaining more than 60 000 jobs and generating $6.4 billion annually. The Great Barrier Reef also holds profound cultural significance for Indigenous Australians, with the 70 Traditional Custodian groups whose Sea Country includes the marine park having a connection to the region stretches back thousands of years.

Horizontal Thin Line Vector Illustration.

Climate Change Threatens Reef Survival

Since 2016, the reef has endured five mass bleaching events, each stripping away the vibrant colours that define this underwater paradise.

But the impact goes far beyond aesthetics – bleaching puts corals under severe stress, threatening their survival, and in turn, jeopardising the thousands of species that rely on them, including humans.

What causes bleaching?

Coral survival depends on a symbiotic relationship with algae known as zooxanthallae, which provide up to 90% of the coral’s energy through photosynthesis.

However, when corals experience heat stress, this partnership is breaks down. Stressed corals expel the zooxanthallae along with their coloured photosynthetic pigments. Thus, the coral turns white, a phenonmenon known as coral bleaching.

Ocean temperatures are rising

Human induced-climate change is the primary driver of increases in the frequency of coral bleaching events.

Without a significant reduction in emissions, global warming is projected to reach 1.5℃ above pre-industrial levels by 2035.

The Reef simply doesn’t have time to adapt to these rapid changes. At this level of heating, 70-80% of the world’s reefs could vanish without urgent intervention.

Purple Clam Great Barrier Reef Sea Creature

We are harnessing the native bacteria found in coral biofilms to address the overproduction of ROS.

By engineering these bacteria to produce catalases, enzymes that break down ROS into harmless oxygen and water, we aim to neutralize excess ROS.

Our system is engineered with a

Redox Sensitive Promoter

Kill Switch

Ensures that the catalase is only produced when coral is subject to heat stress. This will prevent interference with native functions that utilise ROS such as signalling pathways.

Keep engineered bacteria contained. In the unlikely event of adverse environmental effects can be chemically induced to eliminate engineered bacteria.