Department of Biology, Food and Nutritional Sciences

The Department of Biology, Food and Nutritional Sciences integrates a range of educational, research and consultancy opportunities that aim to enhance knowledge and skills. 

A particular strength of our degree programmes is the integration of staff research and consultancy activity into the curriculum, with an emphasis placed on collaboration with industry and external research partners. Our degrees are therefore applied and vocational in nature, with high practical content and a 'hands on' approach which supports knowledge and understanding of the underpinning scientific theory. Graduates not only gain 'cutting edge' practical and technical skills, but are able to apply their scientific knowledge to the analysis of unfamiliar problems - key attributes that are highly valued by employers.

Northumbria’s Food Science programmes are rated as one of the top 20 programmes in the UK, according to the 2013 Complete University Guide (rated 16th).

The department has five inter-related undergraduate degrees: Applied Biology, Biology with Forensic Biology, Biotechnology, Food Science and Nutrition and Human Nutrition. The opportunity to extend subject knowledge and skills base at a postgraduate level are available via our four MSc degrees in: Biotechnology, Microbiology, Nutritional Science and Food Science. 

The department is actively engaged in research and enterprise and has an excellent and growing reputation. Staff within the department are internationally and nationally renowned within their fields and contributed to the Research Assessment Exercise 2008, which recognised the presence of four star (or 'world leading') research.

Our staff are members of the Biomolecular and Biomedical Research Centre (BioReC) which has an international reputation for outstanding research, publications and collaborations. Our main expertise falls under BioReC's Food and Nutrition Research Group and Cellular and Molecular Sciences Research Group.

The applied nature of research has also enabled enterprise and consultancy to be established in collaboration with a wide range of industrial partners ranging from large multi-national to small companies based in the region.

Our research and consultancy specialisms include:

• Microbiology and immunology
• Flavour chemistry and sensory analysis
• Control of dietary components formed during food processing
• Functional ingredients manufacturing and biological activity of nutrients
• Food environments and public health nutrition
• Short courses and training, including bespoke services, in nutrition
• Pedagogical research

Staff are also actively involved in the professional bodies associated with their specialism such as the Nutrition Society, Institute of Food Science and Technology, Society of Biology, Royal Society of Chemistry Food Group, Higher Education Academy and various advisory boards. This wide range of academic expertise not only ensures quality teaching but means our graduates have good insight into the skills and attributes valued by employers.