The history of Biology at ANU
We remember some achievements and memorable occasions over the years, along with some institutional and personal stories and photos.
Biology at ANU began in 1958, with the establishment of the Department of Botany at Canberra University College (CUC). The Department of Zoology followed in 1959, and when the CUC amalgamated with ANU in 1960, the two departments became part of the ANU Faculty of Science.
1967 was a big year for biology at ANU, with the opening of the Department of Biochemistry and the establishment of the Research School of Biological Sciences (RSBS), part of the Institute of Advanced Studies.
In 1991, the Departments of Botany and Zoology merged to become the Botany and Zoology Division (BoZo), and the Division of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (BaMBi) was inaugurated.
The three separate schools – BoZo, BaMBi and the RSBS – merged in 2009 to become the Research School of Biology, with four divisions: Ecology and Evolution, Biomedical Science and Biochemistry, Plant Sciences, and the Biology Teaching and Learning Centre.
- RSB 50th Anniversary
Fire plays an important role in shaping the Australian landscape and its flora and fauna. This influence is millions of years old, and is the focus of research led by Professor Emeritus Mike Crisp.
- RSB 50th Anniversary
Although significant advances in malaria control have been made in the past few decades, resistance to our current antimalarial drug repertoire threatens control efforts.
- RSB 50th Anniversary
Orchids are valued the world-over for their delicate beauty and fragrance, but for wasps they hold a different kind of appeal: sex appeal.
- RSB 50th Anniversary
Instruments designed by visual neuroscientist Professor Ted Maddess have helped to diagnose glaucoma in millions of people around the world. Now a new device could transform the detection and management of patients with other diseases.
- RSB 50th Anniversary
Photosynthesis is an essential biological process that depends on the activity of the enzyme Rubisco which catalyses carbon fixation. Rubisco is slow, inefficient and cannot accurately distinguish between CO2 and O2. ANU researchers have been trying to improve the efficiency of Rubisco in crop plants.
- RSB 50th Anniversary
In a landmark 2008 study, Maleszka and his group showed that by inhibiting DNA methylation and consequently modifying gene expression patterns, nutrition can have profound impact on organismal biology.
- RSB 50th Anniversary
In 1984 Dr Graham Farquhar and Dr Richard Richards showed that variation in the carbon isotope composition of different wheat types was correlated with water use efficiency. This carbon isotope analysis was used to develop highly successful water-efficient wheat varieties for the Australian environment.
- RSB 50th Anniversary
The relative abundance of certain isotopes can be used to study the photosynthetic pathways in plants. For example C3 plants (such as wheat and apples) have enzymes that react faster with carbon-12 so that more ends up in the products: sugars etc.
- RSB 50th Anniversary
The investigations into carbon fixation and gas exchange by RSBS researchers were essential to the understanding of photosynthesis, and the development of new processes to increase the efficiency of the photosynthetic process in agriculture.