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
In 2015, for modelling photosynthesis, the world’s most important biological reaction, Graham Farquhar won the Prime Minister’s Prize for Science.
- RSB 50th Anniversary
Hartnup disorder is a rare disorder that is caused by an inability to absorb the breakdown products of protein digestion, namely amino acids. In 2004, Stefan Bröer’s group discovered the gene that is mutated in Hartnup disorder, a transporter that mediates the absorption of amino acids in the intestine and kidney.
- RSB 50th Anniversary
In 1973, Lynn Dalgarno, from the ANU Department of Biochemistry, and his PhD student John Shine, proposed an initiating signal for protein synthesis in prokaryotic cells. This ribosomal binding site in bacterial messenger RNA became known as the Shine-Dalgarno (SD) sequence.
- RSB 50th Anniversary
Konzo is a neurological disease that causes irreversible paralysis of the legs, often in women and young children. It's caused by malnutrition and consumption of high levels of a cyanide compound found in the cassava plant - which happens to be a common staple food in tropical Africa.
- RSB 50th Anniversary
The snake crown is the result of the 2015/16 collaboration between Professor Scott Keogh, herpetologist and Head of The Division of Ecology and Evolution at RSB, and Dr Steven Holland from the ANU School of Art, as part of the Vice-Chancellor’s College Artist Fellows Scheme.
- RSB 50th Anniversary
Howard worked tirelessly to translate science into effective actions to improve the lives of some of the poorest people in the world. His passion, humour and determination inspired many of us and one of his greatest wishes was to see that work to prevent konzo continue. We will do our best to honour his legacy.
- RSB 50th Anniversary
In 1989, Acting Director of RSBS, Brian Gunning, prepared an account of the first 20 years of RSBS, for submission into the review of the Institute of Advanced Studies, of which RSBS was a part.