Honoured for its work in protecting online activity of billions of internet users around the world, the Centre for Secure Information Technologies (CSIT) is home to the UK’s largest cyber-security research cluster

It has developed breakthrough innovations, including anti-counterfeit technology to prevent internet fraud; and new processors to deliver filtered internet to homes and businesses, stripping out viruses, malware and malicious content.

In partnership with the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust, the University-led Comprehensive Cancer Centre was recognised for its cancer research and services

A team of scientists and clinicians has achieved improved survival rates for cancer patients through better screening and a range of therapies, including research into making radiotherapy less harmful to healthy tissue, the development of personalised medicine, and genetically determining how patients will respond to cancer treatments.

Queen’s University Ionic Liquid Laboratories (QUILL) are world leaders in ionic liquids – liquid salts that act as a clean alternative to more polluting solvents as they do not release fumes

QUILL’s work is helping the UK chemical industry move to greener and more profitable production. In 2011, Professor Ken Seddon and Dr John Holbrey ranked first and second in the Times Higher Education’s 100 Top Chemists of the Past Decade.

The Palaeoecology Centre’s research into environmental history has played a pivotal role in researching and developing techniques for dating the past

It combines an internationally acclaimed tree-ring dating laboratory, a carbon dating facility and an archive of dated wood from the British Isles. These enable the Centre to study past environmental events, analyse more recent environmental change and measure future change.

The QUESTOR Centre conducts environmental research into problems associated with industrial pollution

The Centre’s work includes water and wastewater treatment, environmental remediation and monitoring, and production of energy from biomass; encouraging close collaboration between academics and industry in Europe and further afield

The Servicing the Legal System (SLS) programme provides information on the law and the legal system in Northern Ireland

Through providing courses, talks and publications, the SLS addresses issues arising from numerous constitutional changes, not only benefitting members of the legal profession but a wide range of other professional groups.