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News

The latest news from the School of Biological Sciences

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

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

Leading agrifood businesswoman appointed honorary professor
Business Alliance | 19 December, 2022

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

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 from our School and AFBI have together won a series of high-profile funding competitions in the area of agriculture and environmental sustainability.

SBS student lands top scholarship
23 November, 2022

One of our students has been successful in a prestigious, all-Ireland scholarship scheme to support careers in healthcare

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

Scientists from SBS, 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.

SBS 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 our School will lead one of the projects

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

A Professor of Practice at SBS & IGFS 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.

dogs
Staff Blog
7 July, 2022

As the Animal Welfare (Sentience) Act 2022 makes its way through UK parliament, our colleague Dr Gareth Arnott reflects on his role as Lead of the Animal Welfare Research Network (AWRN).

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.  

Pets or threats? Goldfish might be harmful for biodiversity
Natural Environment | 25 May, 2022

A new study has highlighted the potential threat of pet fish to biodiversity.

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

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

School of Biological Sciences and Institute for Global Food Security 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 the School of Biological Sciences and IGFS (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.

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.

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.

Lanyon Building at Queen's University Belfast
New Wastewater Surveillance Programme, led by SBS, monitors COVID-19 at community level
Public Health | 9 March, 2022

Health Minister Robin Swann and Minister for Infrastructure Nichola Mallon today visited MHLS to launch a major initiative that will provide an early warning alert to any upsurge or new variants in relation to COVID-19.

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 Dr Ryan McGuire.

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

IGFS has welcomed a review of the Northern Ireland agri-food system and its main recommendations.

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

The SBS 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

Research from our School 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.

Cool runnings: unravelling the winter movements of basking sharks
ANIMAL BEHAVIOUR | 2 February, 2022

New research has revealed that basking sharks overwintering in tropical waters off Africa experience cooler temperatures than those remaining in Ireland.

Red squirrel conservation strategies likely to undermine species survival in future
ENVIRONMENT | 31 January, 2022

New research has shown how current red squirrel conservation strategies in the UK and Ireland, that favour non-native conifer plantations, are likely to negatively impact red squirrels.

Researchers discover how amphibians differ in caring for their young
7 January, 2022

Research led by the School of Biological Sciences reveals the diverse ways that amphibians care for their young determine how many eggs they lay.

The global economic costs of invasive aquatic crustaceans amounted to at least US$ 271 million
BIODIVERSITY | 24 January, 2022

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

Agrifood thought leader appointed ‘Professor of Practice’
ENTERPRISE | 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, IGFS and School of Biological Sciences researchers 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
STAKEHOLDERS | 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 SBS expert to be protected in sustainability project
Marine Biodiversity | 12 October, 2021

A SBS researcher 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.

Queen’s University exploring willow in race to net zero
7 October, 2021

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

Blood Pressure
SBS-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
SBS & IGFS researchers join European climate-change project
18 August, 2021

Colleagues 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.

50 Funded Master's Places Now Available!
funded-masters-places | 24 June, 2021

If you meet the eligibility criteria, you could study one of our selected MSc programmes with the support of financial awards to cover tuition fees and a £10,000 stipend.

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 the School of Biological Sciences and IGFS used zebrafish to investigate if 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 from 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 and SOBS researcher Dr Fiona Lavelle and colleagues, the evidence suggests so

Tribute to Denis Lynn
4 May, 2021

Queen's GRI welcomes proposed veterinary school for Northern Ireland
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

Child cooking
Children as young as two can learn to cook
Applied research | 11 February, 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.

New test for Johne’s Disease could be a game-changer for farmers
Research News | 1 December, 2020

A promising new test for Johne’s Disease (JD) in dairy cattle has been developed at IGFS and the School of Biological Sciences.

New link between cell damage in astronauts and geriatric-type health problems observed in space
SCIENCE | 25 November, 2020

Damage caused to human cells during spaceflight appears to be the underlying cause of health issues observed in astronauts, it has been discovered by researchers from the Institute for Global Food Security (IGFS) and School of Biological Sciences.

IGFS in ambitious UK Festival bid
Event News | 17 November, 2020

IGFS has joined forces with homegrown Great British Bake Off star Andrew Smyth and Jamie Oliver’s team to bid for a place in Festival UK* 2022 - a massive showcase of arts and science creativity to take place across the UK in 2022.

The Mary Mulvihill Award 2021
23 October, 2020

Calling All Students! The 2021 Mary Mulvihill Award on the theme of Virus is now launched!

Popular herb Sage found to be heavily adulterated in Queen’s University Belfast study
Research news | 21 October, 2020

How safe is your Sage? That’s the question posed by researchers from the School of Biological Sciences after finding more than a quarter of samples of the popular herb were adulterated – some by as much as 58%.

IGFS scientists support major food-security investigation in aid to Africa
8 October, 2020

Scientists from the School of Biological Sciences helped identify the cause of a crisis – and avert a larger catastrophe – in humanitarian aid to Africa run by the World Food Programme (WFP), it has emerged.

Lanyon Building at Queen's University Belfast
New online course offered as part of Covid-19 response
Covid-19 | 28 September, 2020

As part of its Covid-19 response, IGFS is offering a free, online course in partnership with the international knowledge and innovation community, EIT Food to help cultivate a new generation of food experts.

Queen’s awarded over $1.67 million to research link between dementia and post-operative delirium
Health | 23 September, 2020

Two researchers from Queen’s have been awarded over $1.67 million in funding by the National Institute on Aging to join a collaborative team of international researchers who will examine the link between dementia and post-operative delirium.

A mountain lion in the forest
Study shows how mountain lions adapt their behaviour to save energy to survive on mountains
Science | 20 August, 2020

Research led by the School of Biological Sciences has shown how mountain lions adapt their behaviour to survive in steep mountains by travelling more slowly when they are climbing and descending, and attempting to traverse around steep slopes.

Food forensic expert honoured by Queen’s University
honorary appointments | 25 June, 2020

A leading expert in food safety and authenticity, and a longtime partner QUB, has received an honorary professorship from Queen’s University Belfast.

Imagine a future where your phone tests for corona virus
comment & analysis | 17 June, 2020

It may seem far-fetched, but it’s possible to use your smartphone to detect diseases, write Professor Chris Elliott, Dr Gonçalo Rosas da Silva & Dr Joost Laurus Dinant Nelis

Royal Irish Academy door
Professor Elliott admitted to Royal Irish Academy
professional recognition | 26 May, 2020

The founder of IGFS and Professor of Food Safety within the School of Biological Sciences , Professor Chris Elliott has been admitted to the eminent Royal Irish Academy along with two other, distinguished Queen's academics.

Lanyon Building at Queen's University Belfast
Queen's led consortium launches COVID-19 testing facility at Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute
Health | 22 May, 2020

Testing for COVID-19 is now underway at the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI), significantly increasing the Department of Health’s testing capacity in Northern Ireland for COVID-19.

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