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News

What's happening at IGFS

Dr Gareth Arnott
Animal-welfare expert appointed to UK government committee
Research Impact | 23 January, 2023

An academic at IGFS & the School of Biological Sciences has been appointed to a high-level UK government committee in the area of animal welfare.  

New partnership between STEMM and the arts takes root
Interdisciplinary Research | 20 December, 2022

Food-systems research and the literary arts will move closer together in a unique collaboration called earth, launched this week by IGFS, the School of Biological Science (SBS) and cultural organisation Quotidian.

Leading agrifood businesswoman appointed honorary professor
Business Alliance | 16 December, 2022

A leading, local businesswoman has been appointed honorary ‘Professor of Practice’ within IGFS and the School of Biological Sciences.

How sustainable is your Christmas tree?
Sustainability | 14 December, 2022

If you celebrate Christmas, chances are you decorate a tree in your home. But how do you make an informed and environment-friendly choice? Dr Paul Caplat, Senior Lecturer in Ecology, guides the way

Queen’s and AFBI win funding in race to decarbonise agriculture and promote sustainability
7 December, 2022

Researchers at IGFS and AFBI have together won a series of high-profile funding competitions in the area of agriculture and environmental sustainability.

Researchers form all-island project on bovine TB
10 November, 2022

Scientists from IGFS, AFBI & UCD have joined forces in a concerted bid to understand the immunology of bovine TB (bTB), particularly the role that nutrition and Vitamin D might play, on an all-island basis for the first time.

IGFS successful in major European funding competition aimed at tackling climate change
28 October, 2022

The new Horizon Europe project Re-Livestock - Facilitating Innovations for Resilient Livestock Farming Systems - is about to start and researchers from Queen's will lead one of the projects

PhD student blog
27 September, 2022

Aine Anderson won the Privilege Finance Climate-Change 'Thought Leader' Award 2022, for her research into the potential of anaerobic digestion and agricultural waste to de-carbonise the NI heat sector. Below, she explains more about 'greening' energy

Institute and School honorary professor appointed to high-level EU body
15 September, 2022

A Professor of Practice at IGFS & SBS has been appointed to a top EU panel of experts to help drive forward solutions to the climate crisis, in particular the key role that soil health can play.

Queen’s University Belfast and agrifood company announce generous, food-science scholarship
Bursary Opportunity | 17 August, 2022

Queen’s and Finnebrogue Artisan have launched a new post-graduate scholarship in memory of Denis Lynn, the founder of Finnebrogue.

Staff blog: Prof Ilias Kyriazakis reflects on winning the prestigious Blaxter Award
Staff Blog | 27 July, 2022

As well as being a great honour and recognition for my work, winning the 2021 Nutrition Society Blaxter Award for my contribution to the field of Whole Body Metabolism and Animal Nutrition also signifies the completion of a cycle in my career.

Crop with windmills and sunset
Queen’s University in major UK project to combat climate change
7 July, 2022

Queen’s University Belfast was today named part of a high-level, government-backed, £5 million research network designed to jumpstart the UK agrifood industry’s journey to carbon Net Zero.

Passionate Food Nutritionist graduates from Queen’s
GRADUATION | 6 July, 2022

 Peter Gracey (22) from Belfast, is delighted to today graduate with a Masters in Food Chemistry and Taste Analysis before embarking on his next adventure in the USA.  

food safety
Student Spotlight
1 July, 2022

Interview with Rossa Donnelly, MSc student, about her food-safety research and partnership work with the international Food Safety Coalition

Student Blog
1 July, 2022

Meet Kiran Bhardwaj, MSc student, as she discusses her role in the international Food Safety Coalition and why researching aflatoxins is an important aspect of food integrity

National agrifood partnership launched at Queen’s University Belfast
National Partnership | 25 May, 2022

Today sees the launch of a Centre for Excellence in Agriculture and Food Integrity to enhance and future-proof the UK agrifood industry through the development and application of innovative scientific-measurement solutions and digital technologies.

Agrifood VIPs out in force for Professor John Gilliland lecture
18 May, 2022

A high-profile audience from local, national and international agrifood attended the inaugural lecture of Professor John Gilliland, marking his honorary Professorship from Queen’s.

Institute for Global Food Security and School of Biological Sciences score UK No 1
12 May, 2022

Research at IGFS and the SBS (in which it sits) has been rated 1st in the UK in the latest Research Exercise Framework (REF) – an independent assessment of research quality, impact and environment at UK universities.

Honorary professorships galvanise sustainability agenda at Queen’s University
10 May, 2022

Two honorary professorships have recently been awarded by IGFS and the School of Biological Sciences (jointly) at Queen’s.

Dairy Cows on a farm
Rapid and widespread change needed to meet net zero targets for livestock
5 April, 2022

A report published by the consortium CIEL (Centre for Innovation Excellence in Livestock) has identified that greenhouse gas emissions could be reduced if wide scale and highly effective mitigations are adopted across UK farms.

Sheep in Connemara National Park
UK government backs key BBSRC animal welfare programme led by Dr Gareth Arnott
31 March, 2022

Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) will co-fund research network, for the first time, underlining animal welfare as a high government priority.

Queen’s hosts international early-career researchers in animal health
ECR Outreach | 23 March, 2022

IGFS and the School of Biological Sciences hosted an international delegation of early-career researchers as part of the Society for Veterinary Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine (SVEPM) annual conference, taking place in Belfast.

Lanyon Building at Queen's University Belfast
Queen’s joins all-Ireland initiative to ensure food security and sustainability
22 March, 2022

DAERA Minister Edwin Poots MLA, and his Republic of Ireland counterpart, Charlie McConalogue TD, today formally launched the All-Island Food Integrity Initiative (FOOD-I) – in which Queen’s University Belfast will play a leading role.

meat
Leading food-integrity researchers question influential data around red meat
Public Health | 21 March, 2022

An international team of scientists has challenged the latest data linking the consumption of unprocessed red meat to certain diseases.

plant in soil
Improving soils to halt climate change ‘costing the earth’
Climate Change | 23 February, 2022

Investing in the ground beneath our feet could have wide-ranging benefits for the environment, animal and human health – as well as moving closer to Net Zero, according to research led by IGFS.

IGFS welcomes Sir Peter Kendall review of Northern Ireland agri-food
Policy Engagement | 22 February, 2022

The Institute for Global Food Security (IGFS) at Queen’s University Belfast has welcomed a review of the Northern Ireland agri-food system and its main recommendations.

IGFS and UK Government Chemist dive into the sticky world of honey fraud
Food Authenticity | 8 February, 2022

IGFS teamed up with the UK Government Chemist team, hosted at LGC, to publish two significant scientific papers in Nature Portfolio Journal, npj-Science of Food, highlighting the increasing complexity of honey authentication.

Red wine and berries could improve life expectancy for those with Parkinson’s
Healthy Ageing | 3 February, 2022

IGFS research has found, for the first time, that people with Parkinson’s disease who eat more flavonoids — compounds found in foods like berries, cocoa, tea and red wine — may have improved life expectancy compared to those who don’t.

Queen's hosts Annual George Scott Robertson Lecture
Events | 13 December, 2021

Professor Maggie Gill OBE, FRSE reflected on what the outcomes of COP26 mean for Northern Ireland’s agricultural and agrifood sector

Lanyon Building at Queen's University Belfast
Statement
Food authenticity | 29 November, 2021

IGFS statement on the challenges ensuring herb and spice authenticity

Agrifood thought leader appointed ‘Professor of Practice’
Enterprise links | 17 November, 2021

Dr John Gilliland has been appointed honorary ‘Professor of Practice’ within IGFS and the School of Biological Sciences.

Seaweed supplements could significantly reduce livestock methane emissions
Climate Change | 10 November, 2021

As Cop26 continues to debate the role of methane in climate change, scientists at IGFS are to feed seaweed to farm animals in a bid to slash methane emissions by at least 30%.

Queen's-AFBI Alliance hosts stakeholder event
Stakeholder engagement | 1 November, 2021

Leading stakeholders from the worlds of agriculture, sustainability and food systems met at Queen’s University Belfast at a stakeholder evening hosted by the Queen's-AFBI Alliance.

Research demonstrates how plastics threaten biodiversity of marine life
Biodiversity Crisis | 13 October, 2021

New research from the School of Biological Sciences highlights the impact that microplastics are having on hermit crabs, which play an important role in balancing the marine ecosystem. 

Fishing is still carried out in the same traditional way that harvested the oysters more than 160 years ago in the Muar River and involves free diving and collecting the fish by hand one by one
New species named by Queen's expert to be protected in sustainability project
Marine Biodiversity | 12 October, 2021

A researcher from the School of Biological Sciences (SBS) who led a team which discovered a rare new species of oyster is working on a biodiversity project with academics in Malaysia to ensure that it is protected.

IGFS exploring willow for agriculture in race to carbon net zero
Sustainable Farming | 7 October, 2021

In the run up to Cop26, scientists at IGFS are investigating a range of sustainable, natural resources with potential to greatly reduce agricultural emissions – by as much as 50%.

IGFS leads consortium to better understand link between healthy living and dementia
Public Health | 30 September, 2021

Can a healthy lifestyle combat undernutrition and dementia?

Blood Pressure
IGFS-led research reveals link between gut microbiome and flavonoids in improving blood pressure
Nutrition and Health | 24 August, 2021

A higher intake of flavonoid-rich foods (present in berries, apples, tea, red wine) is associated with a clinically relevant reduction in blood pressure levels, an association that is partially explained by characteristics of the gut microbiome.

farmer driving a tractor through a field of crops
IGFS in European climate-change project
Climate change | 18 August, 2021

Researchers from IGFS are joining researchers from over 70 organisations on a major European project to improve the modelling of climate-change impacts on agriculture and strengthen the interface between scientific research and policy.

Renowned IGFS scientist recognised for his research in food authenticity
Staff recognition | 2 June, 2021

Chris Elliott, IGFS founder and Professor of Food Safety in the School of Biological Sciences has received a prestigious Agilent Thought Leader Award.

Zebrafish could help humans reach Mars!
Research breakthroughs | 21 May, 2021

Researchers at IGFS & the School of Biological Sciences used zebrafish to investigate how a form of hibernation, known as induced torpor, could protect against radiation - one of the biggest challenges facing astronauts.

Tutorial review of cannabinoids published
Research publications | 19 May, 2021

Cannabinoids - compounds from the cannabis plant - are increasingly used in foodstuffs and food supplements, yet confusion remains around terminology, chemical make-up and regulation. Researchers at IGFS and the UK Government Chemist delved deeper

How can we keep the kids cooking?
Covid19 Research | 17 May, 2021

Have Covid19 lockdowns provided the opportunity for more cooking with children, giving them important bonding experiences and teaching invaluable skills? According to IGFS researcher Dr Fiona Lavelle and colleagues, the evidence suggests so

Tribute to Denis Lynn
Sympathy notice | 4 May, 2021

IGFS researchers lead major projects on healthy ageing
Health impact | 15 April, 2021

Researchers from the Centre of Public Health involved in cross-national, public-health projects to study brain health as we age.

Queen's GRI welcomes proposed veterinary school for Northern Ireland
IGFS Statement | 22 March, 2021

IGFS has welcomed the news that a veterinary school could soon be established in Northern Ireland.

IGFS honoured by United Nations-related agency
International Partnerships | 5 March, 2021

The Institute for Global Food Security has been recognised for the quality of its science by an agency within the larger United Nations family.

Cleaning up the murky waters of rice fraud
Industry Collaborations | 1 March, 2021

Researchers in Belfast teamed up with the Mars Global Food Safety Center and Agilent Technologies to help farmers and producers, particularly in the developing world, more easily identify fraud. Dr Terry McGrath reflects on the experience  

Pigs - agri food 800x533
New research method reveals significant reduction in carbon footprint of British pig farms     
Research News | 24 February, 2021

The carbon footprint of British pig farming has reduced by almost 40% over the last 20 years, according to a new study, using a new methodology, led by IGFS.

Child cooking
Children as young as two can learn to cook
Applied research | 28 January, 2021

Cooking with young children isn't just playful and fun (and messy!) - it's been proven to help with motor skills, educational outcomes and dietary behaviour in later life. Professor Moira Dean and Dr Fiona Lavelle report

Mass spectrometry to be used to develop test for bovine mastitis and potentially reduce AMR
research partnerships | 21 January, 2021

A research project to tackle bovine mastitis and reduce the use of broad-spectrum antibiotics on dairy farms – and so potentially help in the fight against antimicrobial resistance (AMR) – is underway at IGFS in partnership with AgriSearch and AFBI.

How we cook changed during lockdown – and we can learn from this for life after the pandemic
Focus | 6 January, 2021

As we embark on yet another lockdown, are there lessons to be learned from last year? New research from IGFS shows we changed how we cooked, ate and shopped for food in 2020 - sometimes for the better, but not always, as Dr Fiona Lavelle explains

Food behaviour in UK, Ireland and beyond altered significantly during Covid19
International Survey | 4 January, 2021

How we shop for food, cook and eat has changed significantly during the Covid19 pandemic, an international survey led by Queen’s University Belfast reveals.

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