The School of Biological Sciences is thrilled to once again be recognised for its sustained commitment to gender equality, receiving a fourth consecutive Athena Swan Gold Award from Advance HE.

New research has found that those who consume a diverse range of foods rich in flavonoids, such as tea, berries, dark chocolate, and apples, could lower their risk of developing serious health conditions and have the potential to live longer.

Biochemistry student Vidhya is one of the first to be granted this scholarship, which will go towards supporting her placement year spent developing her business 'Veda Beauty and Body.'

A first-of-its-kind study led by Queen’s University Belfast reveals contaminated crops on farms could be costing poultry organisations over £150,000 in losses annually.

On 13 May, 10 PhD students from across the School gathered to showcase their research in the School’s annual 3 Minute Thesis Competition.

Farah Hamdan’s latest fieldwork explores how mobula rays can be better protected through science, policy, and local collaboration.

Higher intakes of black tea, berries, citrus fruits and apples could help to promote healthy ageing, new research has found.

The School of Biological Sciences is proud to announce that twenty one of our programmes have once again received accreditation from the Royal Society of Biology (RSB). 

Zoology student Mia Constantinescu claimed two top awards at this year’s National Student Media Awards, which celebrate outstanding student journalism across Ireland.

The event, which was supported by the Gibson Trust, is a cornerstone in the Northern Ireland agri-food calendar.

A first-of-its-kind study, led by Queen’s University Belfast, exposes the potentially harmful materials found in gum that are going unnoticed.

Warm temperatures and erratic rainfall due to climate change are taking a toll on Northern Ireland’s health and farming industry, a new study reveals.

On Friday 28 March, Emma Healey, Senior Technician in the School of Biological Sciences Marine Lab, deservedly won in the 'Making an Impact' category at Queen's annual Staff Excellence Awards.

A new study indicates animal populations living in urban areas show elevated resilience to stressful environmental conditions, with conservation implications.

On Saturday 15 February, Queen’s Biology Showcase, part of NI Science Festival 2025, once again wowed visitors with a day full of interactive exhibits, insightful talks, and hands-on activities that brought the fascinating world of biology to life.

Research at Queen’s is at the forefront of research to understand and manage the impacts of human-induced global change. Dr Daniel Pincheira-Donoso explains more.

Dr Ross Cuthbert explores the growing environmental problem that threatens ecosystems, human health, and the economy.

Guidelines released for research and implementation of feed additives to reduce ruminant methane emissions.

The School of Biological Sciences is deeply saddened by the passing of our esteemed colleague, friend and mentor to many, Professor Simon Doherty.

Five pioneering UK research projects have each received a share of £14.5 million funding under phase two of the transforming land use for net zero, nature and people programme.

Dr Kerstin Kröger, a Senior Research Fellow from QUB’s School of Biological Sciences, recently represented QUB as invited speaker at the 13th Ocean Dialogue in Can Tho, Vietnam.

Queen’s University and Ulster University have been successful in a major, UK government funding award to train a new generation of PhD students in the joint area of AI and bio-sciences.

The 3rd Annual Global Issues Poster Symposium, hosted by the School of Biological Sciences, sponsored by the Co-Centre for Climate + Biodiversity + Water proved to be an outstanding success.

At a recent ceremony hosted in Copenhagen, Professor Rudolf Krska from Queen’s University Belfast was honoured with this year’s Nils Foss Excellence Prize.

To celebrate International Men’s Day on Tuesday 19 November 2024, the SWAN committee in the School of Biological Sciences hosted an exciting week long series of events.

Professor Simon Doherty, Senior Lecturer at Queen’s University Belfast, has been awarded an Honorary Professor of Practice for his remarkable dedication to his field.

Researchers from Queen’s University Belfast have discovered a cutting-edge way to track both human and avian flu variants using wastewater.

This week, Queen’s University Belfast excitingly welcomes renowned American academic and animal behaviour expert, Dr Temple Grandin to campus.

Queen’s University Belfast secures funding from DAERA as part of the US-Ireland R&D Partnership Programme to use AI for improving piglet survival rates by monitoring feeding patterns and enhancing husbandry practices.

This month the School of Biological Sciences and IGFS celebrated Black History Month with an exciting Talent Exhibition and International Coffee Morning

New research has found that those who consume more foods rich in flavonoids, such as berries, tea, red wine and dark chocolate, could lower their risk of dementia.

Queen's University were delighted to host the European Society for Veterinary and Comparative Nutrition (ESVCN) Congress, and the associated activities of the European College of Veterinary and Comparative Nutrition (ECVCN), for 3 days last week.

A big welcome to all our new Undergraduate Students, including our American cohort from Northeastern University!

On Saturday 3 August, Queen’s Marine Lab in Portaferry once again welcomed the public to its annual Open Day as part of the Portaferry Sails and Sounds Festival which celebrates the rich maritime culture of the region.

Much of the foul-smelling, so-called algal mats banked up around the shore of Lough Neagh consist of bacteria primarily associated with faeces from livestock or human-effluent.

Across the world, farmers and governments are under growing pressure to address emissions from livestock, leading to calls to reduce livestock numbers.

Eight new networks, combining different research specialisms, will work together to tackle one of humanity’s biggest threats, antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

Our Graduation reception at the School of Biological Sciences and Institute for Global Food Security on Tuesday 2 July 2024 was a great success!

Reece Mills is graduating today with a Master’s in Marine Biology with Professional Studies having secured funding for a PhD.

From 17th to 21st June, PhD students from across the school and IGFS came together for our Postgraduate Research Symposium.

Congratulations to our colleagues for their success at the recent LEAF (Laboratory Efficiency Assessment Framework) Awards Ceremony held in the Great Hall on the 19th June 2024.

Dr Steven Morrison has been awarded an Honorary Professorship by the Institute for Global Food Security (IGFS) at Queen’s University Belfast.

2024 is the 12th year of Ecotrophelia UK, the British heat of a Europe-wide Dragons Den style competition.

The new €35m research collaboration will aim to drive societal and political change in food systems to help the industry's transition to climate neutrality by 2050.

The first of its kind study suggests that changing seasons and dramatic shifts in extreme weather conditions are likely to impact sleep patterns.

The new Co-Centre will deliver solutions to the most pressing challenges posed by climate change, biodiversity decline and water degradation across Ireland, Northern Ireland and Great Britain.

Dr Simon Doherty ‘thrilled’ to take home the prestigious World Veterinary Association title.

Queen's University and MOBILion Systems, Inc. have launched a new partnership to advance food safety by innovating test methods and tools that aim to quickly identify contaminants, enhancing current technologies for better detection.

To celebrate International Women’s Day on Friday 8 March 2024, the SWAN committee in the School of Biological Sciences hosted an exciting week long series of celebration events from Monday 4 March 2024 to Friday 8 March 2024.

In a thought-provoking lecture held at Riddel Hall recently, Dr. Pete Falloon, Met Office's lead on Climate Service for Defra on Food, Farming, and the Natural Environment, asked the question "What does climate change mean for the UK food system?"

Biological Sciences and IGFS colleague has been announced as the winner of the “One Health” category of the World Veterinary Association (WVA) Global Veterinary Awards.

Queen’s University Belfast (QUB), Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI) and Ulster University (UU) are members of a winning consortium of 34 organisations awarded a £6.5m government grant to establish a ‘Land Use for Net Zero’ (LUNZ) Hub.

A new population-based study led by Queen’s University Belfast has found that a substantial number of type two diabetes cases could be avoided through adopting a healthy plant-based diet.

This year's Winter Graduation Celebration at the School of Biological Sciences and Institute for Global Food Security was an incredible success!

A global research project led by Queen's University Belfast and involving 24 institutions and universities worldwide, will explore the microbial world within rumen, a complex and little-studied ecosystem in livestock.

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.

To celebrate the International Men’s Day in November 2023, Paul Caplat, SWAN champion for SoBS, formed and led an organisation committee composed by colleagues across the Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences.

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.