Sixteen students have become finalists in the British Biology Olympiad (BBO) 2016 and will compete to represent the UK at this year's international competition in Vietnam.

A record 7,200 students, aged 16-18, took part in the BBO in January and the top 150 students were then invited to sit a further examination in March. The 16 students with the highest marks will now compete in the finals at the University of Warwick on 3rd-6th April.

The young biologists are all hoping to win one of four places in the UK team which will compete in the International Biology Olympiad in Vietnam this summer.

All BBO medal winners will be invited to an awards ceremony at the Royal Institution in July.

Dr Andrew Treharne MBE CBiol FRSB, Chair of UK Biology Competitions (UKBC), the group of volunteers which organises the competition, said:
"Many congratulations to these 16 students, I very much look forward to meeting them at the University of Warwick in April. In addition to a final written examination they will be trained in techniques they are unlikely to have encountered in school and their practical skills will be tested by members of the School of Life Sciences. The Royal Society of Biology and the UKBC volunteers are very grateful to all the other students and their teachers who contributed to this year's record participation.”

Congratulations and good luck to the 16 finalists (in alphabetical order):
Matthew Bagley - Charterhouse
Grace Bowland - Kimbolton School
Toby Brooks - Eastbourne College
Salvador Buse - The Perse School
Alexander Cheveley - Westminster School
Yasmeen Cooper - Westminster School
Louis Fabrizio - St Paul's School
Nicholas Fan - City of London School for Boys
Benjamin Garforth - Norwich School
Matthew Harris - Winchester College
Maria Ionescu - Reigate Grammar School
Alexander Sokolnik - Peter Symonds College
Charlene Tang - Chelmsford County High School for Girls
Mark Thornton - Royal Grammar School Guildford
Sam Turner - St Paul's School
Rosamond van Wingerden - King's Ely

Find out more about our biology competitions.