UQ experts recognised for national impact

University of Queensland experts have been recognised for their significant social and economic impact in The Australian’s 2026 Research Magazine, which showcases the transformative contributions of universities nationwide. 

Seventeen UQ researchers ranked in Australia’s top 250 for their work to improve the lives of everyday Australians through pioneering research in areas including health, technology and environmental sciences. 

UQ claimed top spot as Australia’s leading research institution in 26 fields, driving solutions to global and local challenges including healthcare and climate change. 

The University was further recognised for collaboration with government, industry and other institutions to tackle global challenges including food insecurity, climate change, and inequality, contributing to 11 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). 

Australia’s top researchers from UQ: 

• Dr Emma Belton – advancing national security by predicting extremist risk and informing counter-terrorism strategies in Australia. 

• Professor Bhesh Bhandari – pioneering and commercialising novel encapsulation technologies, developing healthy, high-quality foods that provide enhanced sensory experiences for consumers. 

• Associate Professor Martin Batstone – transforming patient outcomes through advancing oral and maxillofacial surgery. 

• Professor Tamara Davis – illuminating dark energy by precisely measuring the Universe’s expansion. 

• Professor Bryan Fry – helping to save lives by studying how snake venom affects blood clotting and finding treatments to neutralise its deadly effects. 

• Dr Juan Hidalgo Medina – (Senior Adjunct Fellow) enhancing building safety and resilience by advancing fire-safety knowledge through analysing how sustainable construction materials like insulation, timber, and composites perform under real fire conditions. 

• Professor Jolanda Jetten – enhancing wellbeing for Australians through research on social identity, loneliness, and outcomes for diverse communities. 

• Professor Grant Montgomery – improving lives by uncovering genetic drivers of reproductive disorders and advancing earlier detection and targeted treatment for conditions including endometriosis. 

• Professor Alina Morawska – helping children and families thrive through parenting interventions that promote healthy development and positive relationships. 

• Professor Lars Nielsen – building a sustainable future by using systems and synthetic biology to create advanced processes for advanced manufacturing. 

• Professor Ove Peters – advancing dental care through innovative research in endodontics, including root canal and pulp therapy. 

• Dr Anthony Romilio – advancing scientific discovery by developing digital methods to reveal how dinosaurs moved, behaved, and interacted across ancient Australian landscapes. 

• Associate Professor Benn Sartorius – improving global health by mapping disease patterns and risk factors for infections like malaria, STIs, and vaccine-preventable illnesses. 

• Professor Greg Scalia – improving heart health through research in advanced cardiac imaging, both non-invasive and invasive. 

• Dr Centaine Snoswell – creating more sustainable healthcare by integrating technology and AI to lower delivery costs and empower patients. 

• Professor Michele Sterling – helping people living with chronic pain by advancing research on whiplash-associated disorders and the mechanisms behind pain after injury. 

• Professor Jason Stokes – helping industry to engineer healthier, higher-quality, and more sustainable food and beverage products to support Australian business growth by studying how texture and structure shape taste and mouthfeel. 

UQ top ranked research fields:  

• Addiction 

• Audiology, Speech & Language Pathology 

• Bioinformatics & Computational Biology 

• Biomedical Technology 

• Biotechnology 

• Cognitive Science 

• Dentistry 

• Dispersion Chemistry 

• Environmental Sciences 

• Family Studies 

• Food Science & Technology 

• Genetics & Genomics 

• Inorganic Chemistry 

• Medical Informatics 

• Medicinal Chemistry 

• Metallurgy 

• Microbiology 

• Natural Medicines & Medicinal Plants 

• Organic Chemistry 

• Palaeontology 

• Pharmacology & Pharmacy 

• Physiology 

• Social Psychology 

• Social Sciences (general) 

• Sustainable Development 

• Toxicology 

UQ recognised in 11 United Nations SCGs:  

• Clean water and sanitation 

• Climate action 

• Decent work and economic growth 

• Life below water 

• Life on land 

• No poverty 

• Peace, justice, and strong institutions 

• Quality education 

• Reduced inequalities 

• Sustainable cities and communities 

• Zero hunger 

The Australian’s 2026 Research Magazine uses publicly available data to assess Australia’s top research performers across 250 fields of research in 8 major disciplines.