4 years ago
School of Biological Sciences is home to a vibrant...
School of Biological Sciences is home to a vibrant community of life scientists. The school's research spans the scales of biological organisation, from molecules and cells to organisms, populations, species and communities. The School of Biological Sciences at The University of Queensland is situated on the St Lucia campus in Brisbane and is part of the Faculty of Science.
Academic staff conduct research in evolution, global change biology, ecology, aquaculture, behaviour, physiology, entomology, zoology, botany, genomics, development and conservation biology. World-class infrastructure, proximity to stunning habitats and biodiversity, and our tropical-subtropical location contribute to our unique working environment.
The School also hosts two research discipline centres, The Ecology Centre and the Centre for Marine Science.
A group of international researchers has found that vampire bat venom has unique forms of anticoagulants, which prevent the clotting of blood, as well as molecules that trigger the dilatation of the victim s arteries. Scientists believe that understanding these traits could help in the development of new drugs for treating strokes and high blood pressure.
Just as snake venom has developed rapidly to stay ahead of evolving resistance in prey, vampire bats are rapidly evolving their venom to prevent the immune system of the prey from generating antibodies against the venom molecules," explains herpetologist and molecular biologist Dr Bryan Fry from the University of Queensland in Australia in a press release.