Dr Kay Yeoman from the School of Biological Sciences is leading on a project which will help Norfolk and Suffolk school children learn about cutting edge research - thanks to a multi million pound initiative. Full story.

A Professor from the School of Biological Sciences is taking inspiration from the way that plants harness energy from the sun to develop more efficient renewable energy. Full story.

A zoological world map showing all known mammals, birds and amphibians has been updated for the first time in more than a century - thanks to a BIO researcher.

Alfred Russel Wallace, considered the "father of biogeography", published an original version of the map back in 1876. It revolutionised the way people thought about the distribution of life on Earth and became the backbone for our understanding of global biodiversity. But now Dr Ben Holt, from UEA’s school of Biological Sciences and the University of Copenhagen, has produced a ‘next generation’ version of Wallace’s pioneering map. It is the first study to combine evolutionary and geographical information for all known mammals, birds and amphibians - a total of more than 20,000 species.>

The map, published in the journal Science, reveals the diversity of life on the planet and will inform conservation work. Dr Holt, who led the research project, said:

“Our study is a long overdue update of one of the most fundamental maps in natural sciences. For the first time since Wallace’s attempt we are finally able to provide a broad description of the natural world based on incredibly detailed information for thousands of vertebrate species.”

The new map is the result of 20 years of data compilation involving 15 international researchers, hundreds of thousands of distribution records for species across the globe, and modern technology such as DNA sequencing. It highlights the distinctiveness of three broad areas - the Panamanian, Sino-Japanese and Oceanian realms - and expands the total number of realms from Wallace's original six.

The paper is available to view in the Science journal.

Image: Black-and-white ruffed lemur, part of the lemur family, which are only found within the “Madagascan” realm. Credit: Frank Vassen

The origins of congenital heart defects could be traced right back to the first stages of embryonic development - according to BIO research.

Read the full story.

Dr David S Richardson's lab at the University of East Anglia (UEA) have found that biological age and life expectancy can be predicted by measuring an individual's DNA.

Full story.

Working with The Times and Milkround, The London Library is looking to discover the next generation of writers, thinkers and opinion formers. Show off your writing talent: submit an 800 word article, considering the theme "Gap Years - a new form of colonialism?" and you could win £5,000.

All final year undergraduates, no matter what your degree subject, are eligible to enter the competition.

Deadline for entries: 11th January 2013.

Visit www.londonlibrarystudentprize.com for further details and entry guidelines.
Good luck!

The UEA-NRP Team, which is comprised of BIO 3rd year students, put in a fantastic performance at the International Genetically Engineered Machine (iGEM) European Finals in Amsterdam, winning a gold medal for their achievements.

Well done everyone involved! Richard Bowater and Richard Kelwick deserve special praise for their unstinting support and encouragement of the team over the summer, but BIO’s warmest congratulations go out to the student members of the team, Rachel Dobson (Molecular Biology & Genetics), Joy Edwards-Hicks (Biomedicine), Russell Gritton (Biomedicine), Lukas Harnisch (Biomedicine), Pascoe Harvey (Biological Sciences), Rebecca Lo (Molecular Biology & Genetics), Khadija Ouadi (Molecular Biology & Genetics).

The recent ENV and BIO paper in the Journal of Applied Ecology has been picked up by Nature as a Research Highlight.

Nature - Research Highlights

Students participating in a prestigious international biology competition have produced a video looking at how synthetic biology could have an impact on future healthcare.

Seven students from UEA and the Norwich Research Park will participate in a prestigious international biology competition in Amsterdam in October. One of the main aims of the video is to encourage people to consider ethical issues that are raised by synthetic biology. The NRP UEA team will compete in the International Genetically Engineered Machine (iGEM) competition along with 192 other teams from across the world. The 55 European teams will compete in the regional jamboree in Amsterdam on October 5-7, with selected teams going forward to the worldwide finals that take place in the USA in November. Biomedicine students Russell Gritton, Joy Edwards-Hicks and Lukas Harnisch have joined forces with molecular biology and genetics undergraduates Khadija Ouadi, Rachel Dobson and Rebecca Lo, and biologist Pacsoe Harvey to form the Norfolk group.

The European final of iGEM takes place on October 5-7 at six universities across Amsterdam. The winners from that final will progress to the world championships in Boston, Massachusetts on November 2-5.

New salt marshes created as part of managed coastal realignment are failing to meet European conservation regulations, according to a new study by the University of East Anglia (UEA).

Under the EU Habitats Directive, new salt marsh must be created each time natural salt marsh is lost to coastal development or to coastal erosion caused by sea-level rise. The new marshes must display “equivalent biological characteristics” to their natural counterparts - but the new findings, published today in the Journal of Applied Ecology, reveal that artificially created salt marshes suffer significantly reduced biodiversity.

The study was funded by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) and carried out by researchers from UEA’s schools of Environmental Sciences and Biological Sciences.

‘Does managed coastal realignment create salt marshes with “equivalent biological characteristics” to natural reference sites?’ by Hannah Mossman (UEA), Anthony Davy (UEA) and Alastair Grant (UEA) is published online by the Journal of Applied Ecology on September 20 2012. The paper is available here.

IMAGE: Sea lavender (Limonium vulgare) is conspicuous on a natural salt marsh at Holkham, Norfolk. This species is one of those notably deficient in marshes created by managed coastal realignment. PHOTO CREDIT: David CJ White.