News
The latest news from the 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.
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.
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
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.
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.
Athena Swan renewal puts Biological Sciences in Top 1.5% of UK university depts. for gender equality
Gender equality | 19 May, 2020
The School of Biological Sciences has renewed its Athena Swan Gold Award - making it a third, consecutive Gold for the School.
Professor O'Connell scoops international funding prize to enhance chicken welfare
funding news | 15 May, 2020
A project led by IGFS and ECIT has been awarded $310,738 for research towards intelligent welfare monitoring of broiler chickens.
How is coronavirus affecting animals?
Comment & Analysis | 27 April, 2020
From wildlife roaming free in deserted urban areas to a captive tiger with coronavirus, the impact Covid 19 has had on animals is explored by Dr Neil Reid, Senior Lecturer in Conservation Biology.
Dr Simon Doherty appointed to European body
research impact | 24 March, 2020
A leading academic from IGFS and the School of Biological Sciences, Dr Simon Doherty, has been invited to chair a high-level European working group in the area of food integrity.
Celebrating Biological Sciences women
IWD showcase | 6 March, 2020
For International Women's Day 2020, we wanted to shine a spotlight on some of the female staff who help make the School of Biological Sciences the great academic and research institution that it is today
Students from Ireland, north and south, converge in Belfast for key agri-food debate
Event News | 20 February, 2020
Queen’s University Belfast will engage with some of the most hotly contested topics of our time when students from all over Ireland converge on its campus for the annual Great Agri-Food Debate.
Climate: Time to Change
15 February, 2020
Come and meet scientists from the School of Biological Sciences at Queen’s to explore the impacts of climate change
Strongest link yet between nitrites and cancer - but ‘not all processed meat has same risk’
Health News | 19 December, 2019
Researchers from Queen’s have questioned the World Health Organisation’s blanket classification of processed meat as carcinogenic after finding significant evidence gaps between processed meat treated with nitrites and nitrite-free processed meat
Researchers show noise pollution is threatening the survival of a number of species
ECOLOGY news | 20 November, 2019
Researchers from the School of Biological Sciences and IGFS have found noise pollution is threatening the survival of more than 100 different species
Queen’s University researchers show transatlantic travel of endangered species
ENVIRONMENT | 15 November, 2019
Researchers at Queen's and Western University have recorded the second ever evidence of transatlantic movement for the endangered marine fish basking sharks
Can we learn from the endangered pine marten - nature's most opportunistic omnivore?
Research findings | 12 November, 2019
Researchers have discovered that pine martens (Martes martes) are more adaptable in terms of diet than previously thought
Farmers & food producers urged to "embrace change" at annual lecture
Flagship event | 7 November, 2019
Food retail around the British Isles is facing “severe headwinds” according to former Waitrose supermarket MD Lord Mark Price, who delivered the George Scott Robertson Memorial Lecture at Riddel Hall last night
QUB-AFBI strategic alliance: an update
stakeholder engagement | 29 October, 2019
Scientists from Biological Sciences, IGFS and other parts of Queen's and from AFBI converged recently to discuss the evolution of the formal partnership between the two organisations
Lord Price to outline the future of UK food-supply system to Belfast audience
expert address | 8 October, 2019
A leading British businessman and politician will consider the future of the UK food and agri-food industries at the George Scott Robertson (GSR) Memorial Lecture, on Wednesday 6 November
Recognition of high standard of courses
Academic affairs | 25 September, 2019
A number of courses delivered through the School of Biological Sciences have recently been awarded professional accreditation by the Institute of Food Science and Technology (IFST) as well as the Royal Society of Biology
Brown Trout genome sequencing a game-changer for wildlife conservation
Research breakthroughs | 24 September, 2019
The genome sequencing of the wild Brown Trout – a significant milestone in conservation biology – has been completed by an international team of scientists, including from the Institute for Global Food Security
Marine researchers discover first ever species endangered from deep sea mining
Marine Life | 22 July, 2019
Scientists from Queen's Marine Lab have discovered that the scaly-foot snail or as it’s otherwise known, the sea pangolin, is the first species at risk of extinction due to potential deep sea mining by humans.
Vice-Chancellor’s Fellow starts at Biological Sciences
27 June, 2019
A big welcome to Dr Simon Cameron, who has been awarded a prestigious Vice-Chancellor’s Fellowship – one of only nine awarded across the University in the latest round.
New evidence shows noise pollution is hampering birds communicating with each other
Research publications | 20 June, 2019
Noise pollution is making it difficult for birds to communicate with each other and it could lead to a severe decline in numbers, new research has found.
UCAS Offer Holder Event Open Days 2019
5 February, 2019
We would like to invite you to attend our UCA's offer holder event.
Life in the gingerbread house: how fish need jellies more than we thought
Life in the gingerbread house: how fish need | 21 March, 2019
New International Partnership for Vietnamese Students
14 March, 2019
Queen’s University Belfast and Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology have developed a new partnership creating a pathway for students to achieve a BSc in Food Quality, Safety and Nutrition.
Royal Society of Biology Accreditation
7 March, 2019
A number of degree courses at the School of Biological Sciences and IGFS have been granted the prestigious status of being formally accredited by the Royal Society of Biology.
From Waste to Worth - FWtW An international educational programme
Opportunity | 14 February, 2019
Applications are now open for “From Waste to Worth”! If you are a student at Queen’s, you can participate in this EIT Food project where through international teamwork and scientific exchange, you will create a waste database protype.
Summer Graduation - Tell your story
8 May, 2018
Are you graduating and have an interesting story to tell?
Queen’s scholarship recipients highlight outstanding research
4 May, 2018
Top Queen’s University PhD students Erin Magee and Nathan Clarke received scholarships of £2,500 each to support their exciting and potentially far-reaching research projects.
Mairéad Connor - Young Irish Microbiologist of the Year
17 July, 2017
Congratulations to Mairéad Connor who won the Young Irish Microbiologist of the Year for her talk on Clostridium difficile
School of Biological Sciences Retain Athena SWAN Gold Award for Excellence in Gender Equality
7 October, 2016
Congratulations to the School of Biological Sciences who have been awarded a prestigious Athena SWAN Gold award, in recognition of its outstanding progress promoting gender equality & addressing the unequal representation of women in science
NEW £39M BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES BUILDING
9 June, 2016
Today Queen’s University Belfast unveiled the foundation stone for its new £39 million School of Biological Sciences Building.
FOOD SAFETY EXPERT APPOINTED TO LEAD QUEEN’S INSTITUTE FOR GLOBAL FOOD SECURITY
5 May, 2016
A world-leading expert in animal agriculture and associated supply chains has been appointed Director of Queen’s Institute for Global Food Security. Professor Nigel Scollan will take up the post on 1 September 2016.
Young Academy Programme
21 April, 2016
The school of Biological Sciences hosted “Young Academy” students from schools across the province, in conjunction with the QUB Widening Participation Unit, on the 13th of April 2016.
Battling the alien invaders in our waters
Beneath the rippling surface of the world’s lakes and rivers, a struggle is going on and Professor Jaimie Dick is fighting to influence its outcome.