Dr Chariton is a Senior Lecturer and founder of the Environmental e(DNA) and Biomonitoring Lab.  Anthony is one of the early pioneers of environmental DNA metabarcoding, with his research focusing on the development, application and integration of ‘omic’ technologies and traditional ecology for the monitoring and assessment of aquatic systems.  While much of his research focuses on aquatic systems, especially sedimentary environments, his interest lies in understanding how communities respond to natural and anthropogenic stressors, and how these are expressed in terms of structure, function and connectivity.

While his focus is community ecology, Dr Chariton’s eDNA research also includes monitoring the distribution of taxa through aquatic and terrestrial environments. For example, using eDNA to detect fish and sharks in aquatic systems, and tracking mammals using the DNA captured from leeches and mosquitoes.

Dr Chariton has played and continues to play a pivotal role in the adoption of omic tools by both government regulators and industry in Australia and globally. He is a co-author of the revised Australian and New Zealand Sediment Quality Guidelines and was formerly President of the Society of Environmental Chemistry and Toxicology Australasia. Dr Chariton was recently awarded the Society of Environmental Chemistry and Toxicology Australasia’s Mid-Career Researcher Prize.