In the School of BABS we teach undergraduates, mentor postgraduate research students and
carry out research in the disciplines of biotechnology, biochemistry, genetics, molecular biology, microbiology, environmental microbiology, medical microbiology and immunology. We empower our students, giving them the tools and experience to embark on a career that is richer, more fulfilling and constantly fascinating.

We are proud to be one of the largest and most prestigious schools of scientific research in Australia, and aim to achieve a balance of pure basic, strategic, applied and experimental development research. We also have a solid track record in linking fundamental research to tangible, commercially orientated outcomes.

UNSW is renowned for the quality of its graduates and its world-class research, which is demonstrated by:

• scoring the maximum five-star rating for nine key performance indicators in the 2013 Good Universities Guide
• ranked 85th worldwide in the 2012/13 The Times Higher Education world rankings
• awarded Five Stars+ in the 2012 QS Stars rating system, which measures performance against international benchmarks
• founding member of the G08, a coalition of Australia's leading research-intensive universities.

BABS hosts or is a major player in a number of innovative centres and research initiatives: Ramaciotti Centre for Gene Function Analysis, NSW Systems Biology Initiative, Centre for Marine BioInnovation, Environmental Microbiology Initiative and the Australian Centre for Astrobiology, CRC for Environmental Biotechnology, CRC for Water Quality, ARC Centre for Functional Nanomaterials, Sydney Institute for Marine Science, Centre for Advanced Macromolecular Design (UNSW Engineering) and Centre for Hepatitis Virology.

A/Professor Noel Whitaker

Acting Head of School