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UK Biology Competitions (UKBC) is a Special Interest Group of the Society of Biology. It was set up in 2010 as a single body to organise Biology Challenge and the British Biology Olympiad. A small group of volunteers run the competitions with support from the Society of Biology, BBSRC, Reading University and Warwick University.

Committee
Dr Andrew Treharne MBE (Chair)

Norma Broadbridge MBE (Vice-Chair)

Pauline Lowrie (Secretary)

David Rigby (Treasurer)

Dr Bill Burnett

Maggy Linford

Professor Michael Reiss

Neil Richards

Debbie Russell

Presidents
1995 - 1998 Sir Walter Bodmer

1999 - 2002 Professor Susan Greenfield

2003 - 2005 Lord Robert Winston

2006 - 2008 Professor Colin Blakemore

2009 - 2011 Professor Steve Jones

2011 - 2014 Professor Dame Nancy Rothwell

2014 -     Professor Dame Jean Thomas

History
An invitation to join the International Biology Olympiad movement was extended to the UK in 1994. Members of the Institute of Biology's Education Committee rose to the challenge. In 1995 the British Biology Olympiad Committee was established and Sir Walter Bodmer accepted the position of British Biology Olympiad President and Norma Broadbridge became the UK's first National Biology Olympiad Coordinator. The first British Biology Olympiad competition took place in 1995, limited to students from fifty schools and colleges. The second competition was advertised nationwide and two years later the UK competed in the International Biology Olympiad for the first time. In 2005 the team were invited to attend a Buckingham Palace Garden Party.

In 2008 forty schools took part in the pilot of a competition for younger students organised by Dr Andrew Treharne, a school teacher. This new competition, Biology Challenge, was launched nationally in 2009. Since then, participation has increased to more than 35000 students each year. In 2010 the first Special Interest Group of the newly formed Society of Biology was set up to run the BBO and Biology Challenge competitions. UK Biology Competitions (UKBC) was chaired by Dr Andrew Treharne MBE who had recently taken on the role of BBO Chair from Norma Broadbridge MBE.

In 2012 the BBO finals took place at the University of Reading and in 2013 they were hosted by the University of Warwick.

2014 Competitions
5,057 students took part in the British Biology Olympiad in 2014, including Bexhill College , Greenhead College , St Alban's School , John Leggot College , Devonport High School for Boys , Collyer's and The King's School Chester. The four students who represented the UK at the International Biology Olympiad in Indonesia were Adam Heath (Winchester College), Dia Ghose (North London Collegiate School), Josh Dickerson (Poole Grammar School)  , and Rebecca Peel (Bilborough College). They achieved Gold, Silver, Silver and Bronze medals respectively. Their success was recognized in an Early Day Motion in Parliament.

32,500 students participated in Biology Challenge. Participating schools included Exeter School, The Queen's School , Audenshaw School , Cheltenham College and Warwick School.