About the School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences
In the School of BABS we teach undergraduates, mentor postgraduate research students and conduct 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.
Our Centres
BABS hosts the Ramaciotti Centre for Genomics and the NSW Systems Biology Initiative. 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.
Learning and Teaching
The School offers a comprehensive range of undergraduate and postgraduate programs and caters for a variety of career paths. The exceptional standard of education within our Degree programs is provided by dedicated and experienced staff and access to the latest scientific equipment and technologies. The School boasts state-of-the-art undergraduate PC1 and PC2 teaching labs, with BABS teaching staff regularly recognised by University and external teaching awards. UNSW has around 3,500 postgraduate research candidates annually, with BABS offering Graduate Diploma, Master of Science (MSc) and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) research-based degrees.
Research
Research in BABS ranges from human bacterial pathogens, hepatitis viruses, tissue engineering, cancer, cell biology, genetics and bioinformatics to functional genomics and extremophiles. Our staff have an international reputation for research and have established collaborative links with industry and other research institutions in Australia and overseas. Researchers in the School are aligned into three discipline areas:
Group of Eight Member
UNSW Sydney is a founding member of the Group of Eight, a coalition of Australia's leading research-intensive universities, and of the prestigious international network Universitas 21.
With King’s College London and Arizona State University Phoenix, UNSW Sydney is also a founding member of the PLuS Alliance, which creates, enables and deploys innovative research and education linkages to develop sustainable solutions to society’s global challenges. The PLuS Alliance provides cross-institutional programmes for students around the globe, establishes research connections across the universities, and contributes to a sustainable future by collaborating in the areas of global health, social justice, technology and innovation.
UNSW's Prestige
- Rising to be ranked 44th in the 2021 QS World University Rankings.The QS rankings are one of the most respected global leagues tables, using 6 indicators to compare the world’s top 900 universities: academic and employer reputation, staff–student ratios, research citations and the proportion of international staff and students.
- The Times Higher Education World University Rankings for 2021 list the top 1,000 universities in the world, the biggest international league table to date, with UNSW Sydney ranked 67th.
- UNSW’s status as a research powerhouse was recognised in the 2020 Nature Index Tables. UNSW was ranked 97th globally, 29th in the Asia Pacific Region, and 1st in Australia, and 2nd in Australia for the Life Sciences.
UNSW Australia is renowned for the quality of its graduates and its world-class research. The following video provides an introductory overview of our University.