About Us

The Institute for Global Food Security (IGFS) is one of four Global Research Institutes at Queen's University Belfast, established to address key, international challenges - in this case, the future of the world's food systems

Food and drink have become a global industry with many positive aspects - access, affordability, variety. Yet that industry is also faced with a number of conundrums:

1. Soon there may not be enough food to feed a growing population

2. The integrity of increasingly complex food supply chains is often compromised

3. Deliberate food fraud is a growing crime

4. Climate change throws up complications for the future of agriculture

Click here to see our governance structure

More than 70 Principal Investigators (PIs) and their teams at IGFS, which grew out of the School of Biological Sciences, aim to address challenges facing each link of the food chain

IGFS is multi-disciplinary; academics collaborate across schools and faculties (eg. Chemistry, Pharmacy, Geography, Medicine, Biological Sciences) and specialisms including sustainability, nutrition, agriculture and food safety
They routinely partner with industry for a solutions-led approach
Researchers help detect fraud and develop 'fingerprinting'; they study soil, crops, water and marine life, animal feed and animal welfare to promote higher standards
They trace chemicals (both natural and manmade) and investigate the nutritional value of foods and the psychology of consumer choices

Did You Know?

Food Science at Queen's - No 1 in the UK (REF 2014)

Research Areas - Three 'Grand Challenges'

Challenge No 1

Farms of the Future

Challenge No 2

Global Food Integrity

Challenge No 3

Food, Nutrition & Health

Meet Our People

Click here to make contact with more IGFS researchers

JAYNE WOODSIDE

Theme lead: Nutrition Challenges

Professor Woodside specialises in the use of biomarkers to assess dietary intake, conducting controlled dietary interventions and interventions to promote long-term dietary change.

CHRIS ELLIOTT OBE

Theme lead: Global Food Integrity

IGFS founder Professor Elliott is internationally renowned for his work in food fraud, including the UK Government's official inquiry into the food system, after the horsemeat scandal.

NIGEL SCOLLAN

Theme lead: Farms of the Future

Professor Scollan became the Director of IGFS in 2016, bringing with him a wealth of experience in animal agriculture and supply chains, food research and knowledge exchange.