UQ Chemistry & Molecular Biosciences

25/08/2026

Dr Masaru Nobu gave an outstanding and thought provoking talk at Monday afternoon's 2026 Skerman lecture. He discussed the origins of life and life's adaptation to Earth's changing landscape. Afterward, fabulous discussion was had over afternoon tea.

23/08/2026

Join us TODAY for the 2026 Skerman Lecture, 4p in Physiology Building (63) Room 348. This year's speaker, Dr Masaru Nobu, Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science & Technology. He will present 'Why Life Became Three Domains: An Energy Story' which discusses life's adaption to Earth's changing landscape.

20/08/2026

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.

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.

18/08/2026

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 -

The team that invented the molecular clamp secured a huge commercialisation deal that could save hundreds of thousands of lives a year.

17/08/2026

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:

Join Professor Blanchfield as she delves into her incredible research, revealing what natural compounds might soon change medicine.

16/08/2026

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.

This year's Skerman Lecture will be delivered by Dr Masaru Nobu from the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology.

09/08/2026

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.

06/08/2026

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)

06/08/2026

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.

03/08/2026

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:

Finalist, 2026 Australian Research Data Commons Eureka Prize for Ex...