About

About our School

Welcome to The School of Biological Sciences where we help grow our life sciences sector, especially in areas such as agriculture/food science, food safety, disease/infection biology, diagnostics, waste management, ecosystems and the environment.

Research Institutes and Facilities

The School boasts a superb teaching and research environment for 750 students and 170 staff across areas such as agriculture, food science, food safety, food security, disease/infection biology, diagnostics, waste management, ecosystems and the environment. It contains state-of-the-art laboratory space along with a lecture theatre, seminar rooms and modern office space as well as social spaces and breakout areas. The School of Biological Sciences also houses its own museum collection.

The Institute for Global Food Security (IGFS)

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

IGFS is anchored in the School of Biological Sciences but includes many researchers from other schools and faculties.

The Gibson Institute

The Gibson Institute for Land, Food and the Environment sits within the School of Biological Sciences at Queen's University Belfast. It is part funded by The Gibson Trust.

Since its launch, the Gibson Institute has produced over 44 undergraduates and 606 postgraduates with degrees in the fields of land, food, and the environment.

Queen's University Marine Laboratory (QML)

Queen's University Marine Laboratory (QML) is a multidisciplinary research laboratory that serves multiple different schools including Biological Sciences, Natural and Built Environment, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, and Chemistry.

Facilities in Portaferry are used by resident staff and students as well as associated researchers from Queen's University and international visitors.

Awards and Accreditations

Athena Swan

The School has been awarded the prestigious Athena SWAN Gold Award in recognition of our sustained commitment to gender equality. The School was first awarded Gold in 2012 and became the first School of Biological Sciences in the UK to achieve this national recognition.

Laboratory Efficiency Assessment Framework

The School of Biological Sciences is the proud recipient of LEAF accreditation in ten laboratories, gaining Bronze accreditation in eight laboratories in Chlorine Gardens and Silver accreditation for the Chlorine Gardens Teaching Laboratory and Portaferry Marine Laboratory.

Course Accreditations

Many of the degree programmes we offer have been granted the prestigious status of being formally accredited by the Royal Society of Biology, The Institute of Food Science & Technology UK, the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors or the Institute of Sustainability & Environmental Professionals.