Access to the koala genome offers valuable research prospects. Scientists now have the full genetic map of around 20,000 genes, courtesy of the Koala Genome Consortium. This data reveals unique koala genes related to their diet and unexpected links to human diseases like bowel and breast cancer.

Most mainland Australian koalas (95%) are infected with koala retrovirus, potentially causing Koala Immune Deficiency Syndrome (KIDS), making them more susceptible to infectious diseases and cancer. The koala genome mapping project aimed to study how koalas respond to diseases like koala retrovirus and chlamydia, which threaten populations in NSW and Queensland. Sequencing data is vital for understanding koala immunity and developing vaccines.

Led by Prof. Rebecca Johnson from the Australian Museum Research Institute in collaboration with the University of the Sunshine Coast and the University of New South Wales, this project was part of a co-funding initiative involving the Australian Museum Foundation, Queensland University of Technology, NSW Office of Environment and Heritage, and the ARC Linkage Scheme. For access to the genomic and transcriptomic data sequenced by the Koala Genome Consortium, please refer to the data availability section of the Genome paper in Nature Genetics.