Molecules, cells and organisms (MCO) research explores biological systems at the molecular level, providing a foundation for investigations across the life sciences. By focusing on molecular interactions—the basis of all life—our work connects diverse disciplines with the shared goal of advancing a molecular-level understanding.
This research underpins solutions to global challenges, from sustaining ecosystems and agriculture to tackling chronic diseases. Our aim is to apply molecular insights to address problems in human metabolic health, drug discovery, regenerative medicine, ecology, agriculture and sustainability.
Key researchers: Joel Mackay, Jacqui Matthews, Jennifer Potts, Sandro Ataide, Ann Kwan, Min Chen.
Structural biology is a technology-focused discipline that seeks a molecular-level understanding of biology by understanding the three-dimensional shapes of biomolecules and the complexes and interactions that they form. It plays a crucial role in uncovering the molecular basis and revealing mechanistic insights of all cellular processes, including gene regulation, microbial pathogenesis, RNA biology, photosynthesis, and antimicrobial action. Not only does work in this discipline reveal the molecular underpinnings of life itself, but it is a critical tool in the translation of basic science through drug discovery, biotechnology and synthetic biology.
Key researchers: Alyson Ashe, Joel Mackay, Greg Neely, Marcel Dinger, Marcus Heisler, Mary Byrne, Min Chen, Yi Ding, Emily Remnant, Ruth Hall.
Genetics and genome biology is a foundational field that sheds light on how genetic information is organised, regulated, and inherited across all forms of life. Insights from this field underpin our understanding of development, adaptation, disease, and evolution. By revealing how genomes function and change, Genetics and Genome Biology provides a powerful framework that informs diverse research areas - from microbial resistance and epigenetics to ecology and biotechnology.
Key researchers: David James, Erin Shanahan, David Raubenheimer, Kim Bell-Anderson, Carsten Schmitz-Peiffer, Alistair Senior, Stuart Cordwell, Nikki Lee, Stephen Simpson, Andrew Holmes, Min Chen.
Metabolic Systems Biology is a dynamic area of research that connects a wide range of disciplines to better understand how metabolism works as an integrated system. From nutrition, microbiology, and neuroscience to cell signalling, proteomics, and biostatistics, this systems-level perspective offers new ways to explore and integrate how our bodies respond to diet, disease, and the environment. By looking at metabolism not in isolation but as part of a complex biological network, Metabolic Systems Biology provides valuable insights that are relevant across many areas of health and biomedical research.
Key researchers: Anthony Weiss, Giselle Yeo, Min Chen, Mary Byrne, Maria Byrne, Marcus Heisler, David James, Murray Thomson, Alyson Ashe, Tim Newsome.
Cell, developmental and regenerative biology investigates how cells function, differentiate, and work together to build, maintain, and repair living organisms. This field provides a unifying framework for understanding processes as varied as tissue regeneration, developmental patterning, environmental adaptation, and cellular response to stress or infection. By revealing how life is shaped and reshaped from cells upward, it informs a wide range of research - rom stem cell science and wound healing to crop architecture and evolutionary biology.
Key researchers: Markus Hofer, Nikki Lee, Greg Neely.
Molecular neuroscience explores the cellular and molecular foundations of brain function, helping to unravel how neural systems develop, communicate, and respond to injury or disease. By investigating the genetic, biochemical, and signalling mechanisms that underlie brain activity and behaviour, this field provides vital insights into areas such as neuroinflammation, metabolic regulation, pain and neurodegeneration. Molecular Neuroscience serves as a critical link between fundamental biology and our understanding of the brain in health and disease.
Key researchers: Mary Byrne, Marcus Heisler, Min Chen, Yi Ding.
Plant Molecular Biology focuses on understanding the molecular mechanisms that drive plant growth, development, and responses to the environment. By studying how genes, proteins, and signalling pathways shape processes like photosynthesis, development, and immune responses, this field provides essential insights into plant biology. These discoveries have wide-reaching implications - from improving crop resilience to deepening our understanding of how plants adapt and evolve in changing environments.
Key researchers: Ruth Hall, Erin Shanahan, Tim Newsome, Markus Hofer, Andrew Holmes, Michael Kertesz, Osu Lilje, Ann Kwan, Ziggy Marzinelli, Min Chen, Yi Ding, Emily Remnant, Gary Muscatello.
Microbiology is the study of microscopic organisms - bacteria, viruses, fungi, and other microbes - and their interactions with each other, their hosts, and the environment. Whether focused on infectious disease, antibiotic resistance, gut health, developing life-saving antibiotics and vaccines, or enhancing crop resilience and cleaning up environmental pollutants, microbiology offers a powerful lens for understanding the invisible but essential roles microbes play in life on Earth.
Key researchers: Alice Huang, Angela Sun, Matthew Clemson, Reece Sophocleous, James Tsatsaronis, Michael Widjaja.
Bioscience Education brings together biology expertise and educational research to strengthen how the life sciences are taught. Academics in this area use the latest research and teaching methods to create engaging and effective learning experiences for students. By combining hands-on learning, new technologies, and real-world examples, Bioscience Education helps students build a strong understanding of biology and the skills they need to tackle challenges in health, agriculture, and the environment.
Research groups
We’re driving climate-positive agriculture that restores biodiversity, rebuilds soils, secures water and food systems, and delivers quality food and fibre - working from genes to plates, across the full supply chain.
We aim to advance scientific knowledge and develop technology that enhance food security and sustainability, that safeguard environmental health and biodiversity while meeting industry and community needs. In addition to advocating for the role of science and research in agricultural and food policy and education.
Key researchers: Joy Becker, Mac Campbell, Alex Chaves, Simon de Graaf, Sergio Garcia, Luciano Gonzalez, Sonia Liu, Sabrina Lomax, Hamutal Mazrier, Wendy Muir, Gary Muscatello, Jessica Rickard, Brandon Velie, Emily Remnant, Januar Harianto, Aaron Greenville, Alice Shirley.
Our research focuses on improving the health, welfare, quality and economic and environmental sustainability of production animals. Our research integrates aspects of genetics, nutrition, physiology, behaviour, health, and environmental sustainability.
Research groups
Key researchers: Tina Bell, Thomas Bishop, Stephen Cattle, Feike Dijkstra, Damien Field, Patrick Filippi, Alex McBratney, Budiman Minasny, Malcolm Possell, Liana Pozza, Guy Roth, Balwant Singh, Floris van Ogtrop, Willem Vervoort.
Our research focuses on basic and applied research including understanding on the causes and controls of soil distribution, the cycling of water, carbon and nutrients, and soil constraints for crop production. Our world-leading research has created changes in practice, from farm and landscape-scale carbon, water, and soil management to national and global digital soil mapping.
Research groups
Key researchers: Thomas Bishop, Patrick Filippi, Luciano Gonzalez, Januar Harianto, Sabrina Lomax, Alex McBratney, Budiman Minasny, Liana Pozza, William Salter.
Our research focuses on providing knowledge in delivering a functioning digitally-enabled production and supply chain for agricultural food and fibre. We use novel methods and tools, such as precision agriculture, satellite imagery, proximal sensors, machine learning and AI, to meet the global challenge of increasing food production for a growing population, while not degrading our soil and water resources in the process.
Research groups
Key researchers: Kedar Adhikari, Peter Banks, Mary Byrne, Rosalind Deaker, Yi Ding, Patrick Filippi, Peter Franks, Aaron Greenville, David Guest, Marcus Heisler, Brian Jones, Brent Kaiser, Claudia Keitel, Andrew Merchant, Floris van Ogtrop, Robert Park, Maxim Prokchorchik, Guy Roth, William Salter, Daniel Tan, Peri Tobias, Richard Trethowan, Tim Weaver, Peng Zhang.
Our research focuses on advancing plant sciences for sustainable production to meet the global challenge of providing enough quality food for a growing population. With research strengths in plant breeding and molecular biology, our research aspires to identify solutions to production problems caused by environmental variability, the presence of disease and pests as well as meeting end-point quality requirements of industry and consumers.
Research groups
Key researchers: Tina Bell, Kim Bell-Anderson, Rosalind Deaker, Alison Jones, Brian Jones, Brent Kaiser, Claudia Keitel, Michael Kertesz, Ali Khoddami, Kim-yen Phan-thien, Malcolm Possell, Thomas Roberts, Andrew Merchant.
Food science is an interdisciplinary field that combines principles from a range of core disciplines to enhance our understanding of food and its production. It draws on chemistry, biology, physics, engineering, and nutrition to explore the nature of food, the causes and mechanisms of changes over time, and the principles underlying food processing. Understanding the human experience of food through the nutritional and sensory sciences is another vital component of Food Science that that examines how consumers perceive and interact with food products.
The University of Sydney has a burgeoning Food Science group with expertise in the various core disciplines. We conduct collaborative industry-focused research to improve the quality, safety, efficiency, and sustainability of food products and production methods. Food science research has a vital role if we are to meet sustainable development goals related to the global challenges of food security and sustainability. Through our research as well as our teaching activities in Food Science and Nutrition Science, we aim to advance the science of food and to inspire the next generation of food science scholars, leaders, and innovators.
We look at the world from an ecological and evolutionary perspective. Our research combines the controlled precision of the lab with field experiments and large-scale sampling of organisms in their natural habitats in both water and on land. Our vision is to advance our understanding of the ecological and evolutionary processes that generate, maintain and impact biodiversity, to provide critical data and knowledge to inform effective conservation strategies for a sustainable future and enhanced planetary health.
Our goals is to conduct innovative research in ecology, evolution, conservation, and management—collaborating with partners to address complex environmental challenges such as biodiversity loss driven associated with climate change and other anthropogenic stressors.
Key researchers: Glenda Wardle, Aaron Greenville, Thomas Newsome, Mathew Crowther, Catherine Herbert, Brigitte Sommer, Will Figueira, Maria Byrne, Ziggy Marzinelli, Shawna Foo, Tom Bishop.
Ecosystem monitoring and forecasting research focuses on understanding environmental change and predicting its impacts on natural systems. By combining field-based observations with advanced modelling, remote sensing and data analytics, our researchers track ecological trends, biodiversity and climate-driven shifts across landscapes. This work informs conservation strategies, land management and policy decisions, enabling proactive responses to environmental challenges and supporting long-term ecosystem resilience.
Key researchers: Peter Banks, Clare McArthur, Mathew Crowther, Thomas White, Tanya Latty, Catherine Price.
Sensory ecology research investigates how animals perceive and respond to their environments through their sensory systems. By exploring vision, hearing, smell and other sensory modalities, our researchers uncover how sensory information shapes behaviour, communication, navigation and predator–prey interactions. This interdisciplinary work enhances our understanding of animal ecology and evolution and informs conservation strategies by revealing how environmental changes and human activities affect animal perception and survival.
Key researchers: Frank Seebacher, Thomas White, Tanya Latty, Camilla Whittington, Catherine Herbert, Murray Thomson, Dieter Hochuli, Catherine Price, Maria Byrne, Peter Banks.
Integrative behaviour and physiology research explores how animals function and adapt by linking behaviour with underlying physiological mechanisms. Our researchers study how internal processes - such as neurobiology, endocrinology and metabolism - interact with environmental and social factors to influence animal behaviour, health and performance. This interdisciplinary approach provides insights into animal welfare, adaptation to stress and evolutionary biology, supporting advances in both fundamental science and applied animal management.
Key researchers: Pauline Ross, Ziggy Marzinelli, Shawna Foo, Will Figueira, Brigitte Sommer, Murray Thomson, Maria Byrne, Joy Becker, Emma Thompson.
This research area investigates how marine ecosystems respond to environmental stressors such as climate change, pollution, habitat degradation and overexploitation. Our researchers examine the ecological, physiological and molecular responses of marine organisms and communities to changing conditions, aiming to identify thresholds of resilience and recovery. Through long-term monitoring, experimental studies and modelling, this work supports the development of strategies to conserve marine biodiversity, sustain ecosystem services and enhance the adaptive capacity of ocean systems in a rapidly changing world.
Key researchers: Frank Seebacher, Thomas Newsome, Aaron Greenville, Charles Warren, Ziggy Marzinelli, Catherine Grueber, Shawna Foo, Will Figueira, Catherine Herbert, Brigitte Sommer, Tanya Latty, Pauline Ross, Dieter Hochuli, Maria Byrne, Feike Dijkstra, Murray Thomson, Peter Banks, Andrew Merchant, Mathew Crowther, Emma Thompson.
Global change biology research examines how biological systems respond to large-scale environmental changes such as climate change, land-use transformation, invasive species and altered biogeochemical cycles. Our researchers study the impacts of these drivers on biodiversity, ecosystem function, species interactions and evolutionary processes. By integrating fieldwork, laboratory experiments and modelling, this research informs strategies to predict and mitigate the effects of global change, supporting the conservation of ecosystems and the services they provide to society.
Key researchers: Kathy Belov, Carolyn Hogg, Catherine Grueber, Camilla Whittington, Emily Remnant, Ros Gloag, Simon Ho, Nathan Lo, Ziggy Marzinelli, Maria Byrne, Peter Banks, Mac Campbell, Mary Byrne, Marcus Heisler, Andrew Merchant, Matthew Pye.
This research area uses genetic and genomic tools to understand biodiversity, evolutionary processes, and the genetic basis of adaptation. Our researchers investigate population structure, gene flow, genetic diversity and evolutionary history to inform conservation strategies for threatened species and ecosystems. By integrating cutting-edge molecular techniques with ecological and evolutionary theory, this work supports evidence-based management, enhances species resilience and helps preserve genetic resources critical to future environmental change.
Key researchers: Dieter Hochuli, Thomas Newsome, Ziggy Marzinelli, Will Figueira, Tanya Latty, Peter Banks, Catherine Price.
Urban ecology research explores the interactions between living organisms and urban environments, focusing on how cities shape ecological processes and biodiversity. Our researchers examine the impacts of urbanisation on species distribution, ecosystem function and human–nature relationships, while identifying opportunities to enhance green infrastructure, connectivity and sustainability. This work supports the design of more liveable, resilient cities by integrating ecological principles into urban planning and fostering coexistence between people and nature.
Key researchers: Charles Warren, Ziggy Marzinelli, Thomas Newsome, Feike Dijkstra, Andrew Merchant.
Plant–soil interactions research investigates the dynamic relationships between plants and the soils they inhabit, which are fundamental to ecosystem health, productivity and resilience. Our researchers explore how roots, microbes, and soil properties influence nutrient cycling, plant growth, carbon storage and adaptation to environmental change. This interdisciplinary work informs sustainable agriculture, land restoration and climate mitigation by uncovering the complex feedback between vegetation and the belowground environment.
Key researchers: Tanya Latty, Thomas White, Dieter Hochuli, Thomas Newsome, Nathan Lo, Ros Gloag, Emily Remnant, Maria Byrne, Shawna Foo, Brigitte Sommer.
Invertebrate ecology and evolution research focuses on the diversity, biology, and evolutionary history of invertebrate animals. Our researchers investigate invertebrate behaviour, life histories, species interactions, and responses to environmental change, as well as their evolutionary relationships and adaptations. This work enhances our understanding of ecological processes, biodiversity patterns, and evolutionary mechanisms, with applications in conservation, agriculture, and bioindicator monitoring.
Key researchers: Thomas Newsome, Peter Banks, Mathew Crowther, Ziggy Marzinelli, Will Figueira, Tanya Latty, Thomas White, Aaron Greenville, Dieter Hochuli, Catherine Price, Andrew Merchant, Brigitte Sommer, Tim Lee , Fran van Den Berg , Manuel Lequerica Tamara, Hong Nguyen, Januar Harianto, Emma Thompson, Matthew Pye, Pauline Ross.
This research area explores how degraded ecosystems can be restored through ecological processes such as rewilding and the reintroduction of key species. Our researchers examine the roles of predators, herbivores and other keystone species in driving trophic cascades that shape ecosystem structure and function. By combining field experiments, ecological modelling and long-term monitoring, this work informs innovative restoration strategies that rebuild biodiversity, enhance ecosystem resilience and support nature-based solutions to environmental challenges.
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