UQ Chemistry & Molecular Biosciences

SCMB's Keely Perry led a review examining cultural, scientific and regulations shaping Australian native foods as they move from bush tucker to global food commodity. Highlighting the native food industry must put Indigenous rights and knowledge at its centre.

A fairer future for native bush foods Finger lime “caviar” and vitamin C-rich Kakadu plum are winning fans in kitchens worldwide, but University of Queensland researchers say the booming native food industry must put Indigenous rights and knowledge at its centre.

Congratulations to Professors Keith Chappell, Daniel Watterson, & Paul Young, as The University of Queensland is named the winner of the Research Commercialisation category of the Financial Review's Higher Education Awards for the Vicebio global vaccine platform.

Read the story here -

Virus ‘paperclip’ technology a boon for vaccine development The team that invented the molecular clamp secured a huge commercialisation deal that could save hundreds of thousands of lives a year.

At the next BrisScience event, Prof Joanne Blanchfield will delve into her incredible research, revealing what natural compounds might soon change medicine in 'Nature’s bounty - using traditional medicine to find new drugs' on 7 September at 6:30p. Event details:

BrisScience: Nature’s bounty – using traditional medicine to find new drugs Join Professor Blanchfield as she delves into her incredible research, revealing what natural compounds might soon change medicine.

Today is the LAST DAY to RSVP for the Skerman lecture on 24 August by Dr Masaru Nobu, Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Tech. His talk 'Why Life Became Three Domains: An Energy Story' discusses life's adaption to Earth's changing landscape. RSVP here https://tinyurl.com/yc8aypu6.

Why Life Became Three Domains: An Energy Story This year's Skerman Lecture will be delivered by Dr Masaru Nobu from the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology.

Join us 24 August for the 2026 Skerman Lecture by Dr Masaru Nobu, Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology. His talk 'Why Life Became Three Domains: An Energy Story' discusses life's adaption to Earth's changing landscape. RSVP by Monday, 17 Aug - https://tinyurl.com/yc8aypu6.

Prof Phil Hugenholtz & Dr Steven Robbins were part of a team that documented thousands of microbes that support healthy reefs, they will be used to measure/monitor changes. Their Great Barrier Reef Microbial Genomes Database is now available to researchers.

Read the Nature paper here: https://tinyurl.com/52455vtd

(photo credit: Australian Institute of Marine Science)

Many hundreds of prospective students, families and friends attended SCMB’s discipline talks, spoke to academic staff at the Great Court information hub, and participated in hands-on activities and displays in the Chemistry Building for 2026 UQ Open Day.

It was one of the busiest Open Days for SCMB in some years. Congratulations to the staff who made it all happen. We hope we have inspired prospective students to study science and the public more widely to see the value of our universities.

Congratulations to Prof Phil Hugenholtz, who has been named a finalist in this year’s Australian Museum Eureka Prizes for Excellence in Data Platforms for his work on The Genome Taxonomy Database, which has standardised the classification of bacteria and archaea.

Learn more:

Genome Taxonomy Database – Finalist, 2026 Eureka Prize for Excellence in Data Platforms Finalist, 2026 Australian Research Data Commons Eureka Prize for Ex...

Don't forget UQ Open Day this coming Sunday 3 August, 9.00am to 3.00pm. SCMB will be there in force! To register as a prospective student: https://study.uq.edu.au/open-day

Roll up, roll up! SCMB's UQ Open Day extravaganza is on this coming Sunday 3 August, 9am-3pm. There will be Chemistry, Molecular Biosciences and Biotechnology talks, academic staff at the information hub in the Great Court, and activities and displays in the Chemistry Building, including:
- Genetic traits interactive poster display
- Bugs and more under the microscope
- Chemistry smell bar
- Ferrofluids
- CSI UQ - use DNA extraction to find the culprit (on the hour, minimum age 10 years)
- How colour changes help us with molecular level understanding
- The periodic table in everyday life
- Chat to a SCMB student
- Science as Art display

Tell any prospective students you know. More info at https://study.uq.edu.au/open-day