BBO

Teacher

NEEC New England International Education Consulting

Introduction to the BBO Biology Competition

The British Biology Olympiad (BBO) is a global biology competition for secondary school students organized by the Royal Society of Biology (RSB). Since its inception in 1995, it has become one of the most prestigious and internationally recognized competitions in the field of biology.

Its core mission is to inspire global youth’s interest and passion for biology, discover and cultivate potential biological talents, and build an international platform for academic exchange and skills competition for students from all countries.

Competition value

The Biological Biology Competition (BBO) is a highly prestigious competition, organized by the Royal Society of Biology and recognized globally as a leading authority in biology. Its results are widely accepted by top universities worldwide. Oxford and Cambridge, among other prestigious British universities, use it as a core criterion for admissions to biology-related programs. Universities in the United States and Canada also highly value awards in this competition, as they significantly enhance an applicant's competitiveness. The competition uses advanced knowledge as a framework to assess logical reasoning, experimental analysis, and other comprehensive abilities. Awards serve as strong evidence of a student's academic strength and potential. Globally, only approximately 30% participants win gold, silver, or bronze medals and recommendation awards, making its prizes among the most prestigious in international biology competitions.

Rules of Academic Activities

Examination content

Cell Biology：

Cell structure and function; Cell metabolism; Cell cycle and cell division;

Genetics:

Mendel's laws of inheritance; gene linkage and exchange; molecular genetics;

Ecology:

The structure and function of ecosystems; Population ecology; Community ecology;

Physiology:

Animal physiology; Plant physiology;

Evolution:

Foundations of evolutionary theory; evidence and mechanisms of evolution.

BBO Competition Scope

Cell Biology (20%)

Microbiology, biotechnology, cell structure and function: chemical composition, organelles, cell metabolism, protein synthesis, transmembrane transport, mitosis and meiosis

Animal Anatomy and Physiology (25%, with a focus on vertebrates)

The structure and function of tissues and organs involved in the following processes: digestion and nutrition, circulation, reproduction and development, regulation (nervous and hormonal), respiration, excretion, and immunity.

Plant Anatomy and Physiology (15%, with a focus on seed plants)

The structure and function of tissues and organs involved in the following processes: photosynthesis, transpiration and gas exchange, transport of water, minerals and assimilates, Mendelian inheritance, multiple alleles, recombination, sex linkage, growth and development, and reproduction (including ferns and mosses).

Animal behavior (5%)

Behavioral systems, conflicting behaviors, causes of behavior, learned behaviors

Ecology (10%)

Ecosystems, biogeochemical cycles, population structure and dynamics, biosphere and humans, food relationships, energy flow, succession

Biological systematics (accounting for 5%)

Structure and function, evolutionary and ecological relationships among typical organisms in major taxa (phyla and classes only)

Genetics and Evolution (20%)

Variation: Mutation and Modification, Hardy-Weinberg Law, Evolutionary Mechanisms