Queen’s University Belfast and Almac Discovery have announced a five-year project to develop a new Chemoproteomics Centre of Excellence for drug discovery.

The new Co-Centre for Sustainable and Resilient Food Systems will be managed jointly by Queen’s University Belfast and University College Dublin (UCD), working closely with the University of Sheffield.

The Climate+ Co-Centre will be the home of research, innovation, and policy development across the interlinked challenges of climate change, biodiversity loss, and water degradation on the islands of Ireland and Britain.

Queen’s, in collaboration with University of Lincoln, University of Aberdeen and University of Strathclyde, has secured £10.6M in funding from UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) to establish SUSTAIN, a transformative Centre for Doctoral Training.

There has been significant public and media interest in the ‘perfect storm’ that has led to Lough Neagh experiencing one of its worst seasons ever for blue green algae blooms.

The Queen’s-AFBI Strategic Alliance is celebrating after two of its proposals secured prestigious funding from BBSRC as part of an £11.5M UK Government campaign to ‘revolutionise UK livestock' and improve animal health.

Emma Healey from the School of Biological Sciences joined women from around the UK on course designed to equip female technicians with leadership & management skills

Our Graduation reception at the School of Biological Sciences and Institute for Global Food Security on Thursday 6 July 2023 was a great success!

Chris Preshaw, Technical Manager & Chief Technician at the School of Biological Sciences, was an invited guest at the recent Coronation of King Charles III at Westminster Abbey

The Irish Plant Scientists’ Association Meeting (IPSAM) returned in style with a recent meeting co-hosted by Queen's University Belfast and the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI). Below, a delegate reflects on a successful gathering.

Dr Susan Doherty, Director of Education in the School of Biological Sciences, put together this useful guide for prospective students as part of a careers-information campaign run by the NI Department for the Economy (DfE).

The Queen's-AFBI Alliance is celebrating ‘success squared’ after two of its leading members were honoured, separately, by the respected British Society for Animal Science (BSAS).

Our colleague Dr Gareth Arnott reflects on his, and Prof Robert Elwood's, efforts to challenge conventional thinking on animal sentience, including what they're 'thinking' when they fight

A potentially game-changing method to ensure the authenticity of food has achieved 100% accuracy in a research project led by IGFS & SBS – with potential for application across the global, food-supply chain.

IGFS and SBS are hosting a one-day conference, 'Save Our Wild Isles', in partnership with RSPB NI and The National Trust to look at the role of agriculture in the context of nature and the climate crisis.

A new study led by researchers from SBS has shown that the global loss of biodiversity caused by human industrialisation is significantly more alarming than previously thought.

Fungi may not be as scarily powerful as portrayed in the TV zombie series The Last of Us - but they could herald a new era in the treatment of mental-health disorders. Our resident fungus expert, Dr Edel Hyland examines the latest research

Four PhD students from the SBS and IGFS have been selected to attend the invitation-only City of London Food & Drink Lecture – where they will mix with royalty and thought leaders from the world of food and farming

Two new PhD places at Queen's University and AFBI, with a third at Ulster Uni, are to be supported by a new scholarship from NI farmer-funded research body, AgriSearch.

A high-level, international delegation of stakeholders from the worlds of farming and food production recently gathered at Queen’s University Belfast to discuss barriers, and potential solutions, to achieving Net Zero.

SBS & IGFS played a leading role in the Queen's University stand at Balmoral Show this year - but the whole University enjoyed a successful outing, including a double award from event organisers RUAS, as detailed in the MRCI news release below ...

The School of Biological Sciences and IGFS were delighted to host the leadership team from UKRI, the UK government agency that oversees all public investment in science research.

Scottish 'One Health' expert gives the 65th George Scott Robertson Memorial Lecture at Queen's

An academic at the School of Biological Sciences and IGFS has been appointed to a senior post at the World Aquatic Veterinary Medical Association (WAVMA).

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.  

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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).

 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.  

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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

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

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%.

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.

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. 

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.

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%.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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  

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.

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

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

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.

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

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.

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

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 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.

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

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%.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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.