The School of Biological Sciences conducts high-impact research in areas that are of great relevance to the current global challenges faced by society and the planet as a whole. Our wide-ranging research seeks to understand and combat human disease, and to uncover new ways to protect the natural world.

Research in the School of Biological Sciences is organised into two divisions: 'Biomedical Sciences and Biomedical Engineering' and 'Ecology and Evolutionary Biology'. This organisation provides a clear research focus in our two major areas of interest, and engenders a strong and supportive research community where findings can be shared and new ideas forged. Our research is internationally recognised and well-resourced with 345 papers published since 2015, 56 academic researchers employed, £7.6 million of research income over the last two years and a new state-of-the-art ~£60 million 'Health & Life Sciences' building due for completion in 2020.

Biomedical sciences and biomedical engineering

Discovering new strategies to manage both the healthy and disease states is crucial for the wellbeing of mankind worldwide. Our research is directed at improving and maintaining health through use of a range of approaches including bioinformatics, biomedical engineering, biophysics, cell biology, disease modelling, microbiology, molecular-genetics, physiology, structural biology and systems biology.

More information about biomedical research 

Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

In an era of rapid environmental change, understanding the natural world has never been more important. We investigate the history and future of the living world at all scales: from genes to individuals, from populations to ecosystems. This allows us to ask fundamental questions about the nature of past and current mass extinctions to understand how species adapt and diversify in response to environmental change, and apply these answers to our planet's most pressing problems, such as climate change and habitat loss. We aim to change the way people think about, and study, ecology and evolution.

Ecology and Evolutionary Biology research