Biological sciences
Research in biological sciences at Macquarie University received the highest possible rating in ERA 2010 - 'performance well above world standard'.
| 5-rated discipline | Biological sciences research |
| 5-rated sub disciplines |
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Within biological sciences, Macquarie University research is chiefly focused around ecology and evolution, and biomolecular sciences. Three University research centres - Biomolecular Frontiers, Climate Futures, and Genes to Geoscience - and three COREs - Ecology and Evolution, Biomolecular Frontiers and Climate Risk - contribute to these strengths.
Ecology and evolution
Ecology and evolution has its focus in plant ecological strategies, biodiversity and conservation, climate change, coastal processes, conservation genetics, microbial genomics, evolutionary animal behaviour, and planning and risk analysis.
World-class analysis facilities for biomolecular sciences
Biomolecular sciences has strengths in genomics, proteomics, glycomics, bioinformatics and biotechnology, and their application to health, environmental and industrial issues. The Biomolecular Frontiers Research Centre and CORE integrate these disciplines and also interact with areas of research strength such as the neuroscience, vascular sciences and surgery CORE.
Research within this area is underpinned by world-class infrastructure and technical support in the NCRIS Australian Proteomics Analysis Facility. It provides cutting-edge development in protein analysis technologies. Over 500 individual researchers per year use the facility.
World-leaders in climate change and risk research
The Climate Futures Research Centre conducts research in climatology, water, coastal processes, geomorphology, ecology, economics, law and governance, social policy, planning and risk analysis. It also encompasses Risk Frontiers, Macquarie's world-leading group which develops natural hazard risk models for the international re-insurance industry.
Macquarie is a founding partner in the National Climate Change Research Adaptation Facility.
The home for research networks
Macquarie has been headquarters to three ARC Research Networks - Vegetation Function, Earth System Science, and Fluorescence Applications in Biotechnology and Life Sciences.
Macquarie University is a partner in the Sydney Institute of Marine Science.
World-leading researchers
Macquarie University has two members - Professor Tim Flannery and Professor Lesley Hughes - on the Australian Climate Change Commission.
Biological Sciences is home to four of the world's most highly-cited (Thomson ISI) researchers:
- Professor Ian Paulsen, Professor Mark Westoby and Adjunct Professor Graham Pyke are highly-cited.
- Professor Iain Prentice is highly-cited and holds a world rank of 35 in ecology and environment.
The discipline is also home to award winners:
- Professor Ian Wright won the 2008 Thomson Scientific Citation Award in ecology for the Australian with the highest citation rate per paper, 1997-2007.
- Professor Mark Westoby was elected to the Australian Academy of Science in 2009 and was awarded an Australian Laureate Fellowship in 2010.
- Professor Chris Evans received the Distinguished Animal Behaviorist award for career achievement from the US-based Animal Behavior Society.
National research centres and research networksARC-NZ Research Network for Vegetation Function Australian Proteomics Analysis Facility National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility |
Macquarie University research centresBiomolecular Frontiers Climate Futures Genes to Geoscience Centre for the Integrative Study of Animal Behaviour |