f.rangel_floreste@student.unsw.edu.au
Felipe Floreste
PhD Student
Evolution and Ecology Research Centre
Biological, Earth & Environmental Sciences
I have always been interested in what shapes the way animals behave and interact in the ecosystem. I am originally from Brazil, where I started my academic career looking into how amphibians respond to pathogens and stressors in a global context of amphibian populational declines. I moved to Australia during my PhD as an exchange student to look at a new perspective on amphibian immunology, and understand why cane toads are such successful invaders down under.
Project: Host-parasite immune dynamics in the range-expanding invasive cane toads (Rhinella marina)
Supervised by: A/Prof. Lee Rollins
Project Description: When cane toads were introduced to the east coast of Australia in 1935 and started colonizing the country westward in the subsequent decade, they carried along co-introduced lungworm parasites from their native range. Currently, the several populations of toads spread across Northern Australia interact and respond differently to the parasite depending on whether they are located closer or further away from the original invasion site. My project aims to investigate the genetic roots of those spatial patterns and understand how invasion biology can alter immunology and shape adaptation and rapid evolution.
Contact Details
- Publications
Floreste, F.R., Titon Jr, B., Titon, S.C.M., Muxel, S.M., Figueiredo, A.C., Gomes, F.R., Assis, V.R., 2023. Liver vs. spleen: Time course of organ-dependent immune gene expression in an LPS-stimulated toad (Rhinella diptycha). Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part B: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology 263, 110784. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cbpb.2022.110784
Floreste, F.R., Titon Jr, B., Titon, S.C.M., Muxel, S.M., Gomes, F.R., Assis, V.R., 2022. Time Course of Splenic Cytokine mRNA and Hormones During a Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Inflammation in Toads. Integrative and Comparative Biology. https://doi.org/10.1093/icb/icac013
Floreste, F.R., Batisteli, A.F., Pizo, M.A., 2021. Sex-specific seasonal body mass variation in the Pale-breasted Thrush (Turdus leucomelas). Ornithology Research 29, 84–88. https://doi.org/10.1007/s43388-021-00055-0
Garcia-Neto, P.G., Titon, S.C.M., Muxel, S.M., Titon, B., Figueiredo, A.C. de, Floreste, F.R., Lima, A.S., Assis, V.R., Gomes, F.R., 2024. Immune and endocrine alterations at the early stage of inflammatory assemblage in toads after stimulation with heat-killed bacteria (Aeromonas hydrophila). Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part A: Molecular & Integrative Physiology 291, 111606. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cbpa.2024.111606
Figueiredo, A.C. de, Christie Monteiro Titon, S., Lima, A.S., Floreste, F.R., Neto, P.G.G., Gomes, F.R., 2023. Contaminated meal intake (Aeromonas hydrophila) does not elicit hormonal or immune modulation in bullfrogs (Lithobates catesbeianus). Journal of Experimental Zoology Part A: Ecological and Integrative Physiology 339, 684–692. https://doi.org/10.1002/jez.2710
Lima, A.S., Figueredo, A.C., Floreste, F.R., Garcia-Neto, P.G., Gomes, F.R., Titon, S.C.M., 2022. Temperature Extreme Events Decrease Endocrine and Immune Reactive Scope in Bullfrogs (Lithobates catesbeianus). Integrative and Comparative Biology 00, 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1093/icb/icac105
Madelaire, C.B., Silva, D.P., Titon, S.C.M., Lamadrid-Feris, F., Floreste, F.R., Titon Jr, B., Gomes, F.R., 2023. Contrasting effects of transdermal and implant corticosterone treatments in the American bullfrog wound healing. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 378. https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2022.0119
Titon, S.C.M., Junior, B.T., Assis, V.R., Cobo de Figueiredo, A., Floreste, F.R., Lima, A.S., Gomes, F.R., 2023. Testosterone immunomodulation in free-living and captive Rhinella icterica male toads. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 378. https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2022.0118
Titon, S.C.M., Titon Jr, B., Figueiredo, A.C., Floreste, F.R., Lima, A.S., Cyrino, J.C., Gomes, F.R., 2022a. Plasma steroids and immune measures vary with restraint duration in a toad (Rhinella icterica). General and Comparative Endocrinology 318, 113987. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ygcen.2022.113987
Titon, S.C.M., Titon Jr, B., Muxel, S.M., Figueiredo, A.C., Floreste, F.R., Lima, A.S., Gomes, F.R., Assis, V.R., 2022b. Day vs. night variation in the LPS effects on toad’s immunity and endocrine mediators. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part A: Molecular & Integrative Physiology 267, 111184. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cbpa.2022.111184