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SfE BES 2010 abstract submission

There are two prizes available for nurses at the SfE BES 2010 meeting. The Annette Louise Seal Memorial Award Fund for £500 for the best poster and a prize of £100 from the Clinical Endocrinology Trust for the best abstract. The abstract submission deadline is 16 November 2009. Click on the link below for further details.

Call for scientific session suggestions for SfE BES 2011 meeting

Scientific session suggestions

The Society welcomes scientific suggestions for consideration by the Programme Committee for SfE BES 2011 meeting. If there are any sessions you would like to see included in the meeting, please submit them by 31 January 2010 at the link below.

Early Career Grant Programme - next deadline 27 November 2009

Early Career Grant Programme

Are you at an early stage of your career (less than 10 years post-PhD)? Would you like £10,000 to help you complete your research project? The Society for Endocrinology early career grant programme (formerly small grant programme) exists to assist members at an early stage in their career to purchase resources to complete a project or a specific piece of equipment, for example. A list of previous successful applicants and grant reports can be found at the link below.

For full eligibility criteria, conditions relating to the grant, and to download an application form, please visit the website below. The next closing date for applications is 27 November 2009.

Sue Thorn awarded Fellowship of the Society of Biology and appointed Chair of its Membership, Marketing and Communications Committee

Society of Biology website

The Society is pleased to announce that our Chief Executive, Sue Thorn, has been invited to become a Fellow of the Society of Biology and has been appointed Chair of its Membership, Marketing and Communications Committee. The Society of Biology is a new organisation, formed from the unification of the Biosciences Federation and Institute of Biology, to provide a single, unified voice for biology.

This prestigious appointment sees Sue take on the first term of leadership for one of the Society of Biology’s two Principal Committees. As the leading professional body in biology, representing learned societies as well as individual members, the Society of Biology has recognised Sue’s potential to provide first class membership initiatives to enable the biological community to work together to strengthen the biological sciences in the UK.

Press release

BioScientifica announces record profits

We are pleased to announce that BioScientifica, the Society's commercial subsidiary, has reported record profits for the year ended 31 July 2009. BioScientifica Managing Director, Sue Thorn, said:

“We are really pleased with BioScientifica’s results, especially in such a recession. Profits are up by almost 13% on last year, and an increasing proportion of our business is export. We have been investing in new services, such as BioSciAlliance, a membership gateway service, that have given us a market lead. We are also one of very few companies worldwide that can provide the full range of services in-house: from publishing international journals, books and newsletters, through membership services and event management, to high-level advice on governance and strategy.

“Our new venture, BioSciAcademy, through which we provide training and advice to medical and scientific societies in the UK and Europe, has succeeded very quickly in raising our profile. Bristol is a really good centre for us to be based in. It’s good for communication with the rest of the world and we have recruited some spectacular staff here over the years. In addition, Bristol is a centre of excellence for endocrine research, so its links with the parent Society are important too. It’s just a shame there isn’t a centre suitable for holding academic conferences or we would be able to bring substantial congress business here!”

BioScientifica

BioSciAlliance

BioSciAcademy

SfE/Caledonian Society for Endocrinology Regional Clinical Cases meeting

The second Regional Clinical Cases meeting will take place at the Royal Society of Edinburgh on 4 December 2009. The afternoon will be similar to the London Clinical Cases meeting and will consist of ten oral communication presentations made up from high scoring submitted abstracts. The evening will see the Caledonian Society’s annual meeting hosting a guest speaker and a prize lecture.

Registration is now open at the link below. Please register as soon as possible to avoid disappointment. The scientific programme will be available shortly. If you have any enquiries, please contact the conference secretariat at conferences@endocrinology.org or call +44 (0) 1454 642 240.

Registration

ICE 2010 - registration deadline extended

The 14th International Congress of Endocrinology (ICE2010) will take place in Kyoto, Japan on 26 – 30 March 2010. The early-registration period has been extended to 30 November 2009. Click on the link below to register on-line. The programme will consist of 11 plenary lectures, panel discussions, 32 Meet-the-Professor sessions and 113 symposia sessions. Nobel Prize winner, Prof. Ferid Murad, and two Lasker Award winners, Prof. Robert G. Roeder and Prof. Shinya Yamanaka, will give the plenary lectures. The preliminary programme is available on the ICE 2010 website at the link below.

ICE 2010

Life Sciences Careers Conference 2009

Life Sciences Careers Conference website

The Life Sciences Careers Conference 2009 will be held at King's College London on the afternoon of Wednesday 25 November 2009. The Society is sponsoring the careers fair and will be represented with a stand in the exhibition along with other learned society members of the newly formed Society of Biology. The conference, will be an opportunity for life science graduates to find out more information about the wide range of science-related careers that are available to them.

In addition to the exhibition, the afternoon will include: presentations from academic research to environmental science, industry and science communication; a CV workshop (providing tips on how to ensure you secure an interview for your perfect job); the opportunity to mingle with the experts and ask informal questions over lunch and afternoon refreshments. This annual conference always proves very popular with both undergraduates and postgraduates working in the life sciences. For further information and to register for the conference, click on the link below.

Call for nominations for new Council members

Professor Kevin Docherty, Dr Rob Fowkes and Professor Mike Wallace will retire from Council in March 2010, having served their 4-year terms of office. A further position will be left vacant when Professor Graham Williams becomes Treasurer on 1 January 2010. Full members are requested to make nominations to fill these four vacancies. A nomination form is available at the link below.

To provide the correct balance on Council, the Society is seeking three basic science members and one clinical member to fill the vacancies. The deadline for nominations is 11 December 2009.

Nomination form

Society for Endocrinology National Clinical Cases Meeting 2010

National Clinical Cases Meeting 2010

The 2010 National Clinical Cases Meeting will take place in the afternoon of 23 February 2010 at the Royal Society of Medicine in London. The meeting will consist of 10 oral communications made up of high scoring submitted abstracts. Further details can be found on the website below, where on-line registration will be available shortly. Please direct any enquiries to the conferences team on: +44 (0)1454 642210 or by email at: conferences@endocrinology.org.

Free Registration

The Society is delighted to make available a limited number of places where delegates will not be required to pay the registration fee for this meeting. These free places are only available to those who have not yet started their specialist training in endocrinology (medical students, FYs, CTs/ST1and2). Consultants should submit applications on behalf of suitable candidates to: conferences@endocrinology.org. Because the number of these places is limited, free registration will be awarded on a first come, first served basis.

US Endocrine Society's International Scholars' Programme

This initiative is open to basic and clinician researchers with at least 2 years and no more than 5 years research experience following PhD (or exceptionally, MD). During the time spent as a scholar, the work is predominantly basic laboratory research with any exposure to patients being as an observer. Clinician researchers should have completed their clinical training.

Up to 2 scholars will be selected by the Society for Endocrinology Awards Committee following shortlisting and interview during the week commencing 22 February 2010. Successful candidates attend the US Endocrine Society meeting and undergo a further interview process by the host institutions they have identified. An application form will be available shortly at the link below. Applications are invited by 16 January 2010.

Application form

SfE Patient Support Grants - last chance to apply!

We are pleased to announce the launch of another round of patient support grants. Patient groups may apply for up to £4000 to fund a project such as production of a new leaflet, staff training or infrastructure costs, for example. Patient groups must have a clear endocrine remit and be actively catering for patients with endocrine conditions. For full eligibility criteria and conditions relating to the grant, please click on the link below. Grant applications will be judged by a panel including endocrinologists and lay persons.

An application form, as well as a list of previous grant winners and reports, can be downloaded from the website below or obtained by contacting public@endocrinology.org. Application forms should be submitted to grants@endocrinology.org and a signed hard copy along with supporting documentation should be sent to the Bristol office. Please direct any enquiries to public@endocrinology.org. The closing date for applications has been postponed to 5pm, 2 February 2010.

Grants website

Summer Studentships for Undergraduate Students

The Society would like to invite applications for the 2010 round of summer studentships for undergraduates. The studentships have been established to assist undergraduate students in gaining research experience by working in a research environment. A stipend is offered for a period of study of up to ten weeks, together with a sum for the host department consumables. £185 per week is available for a period of up to 10 weeks (to a maximum of £1850 per grant) plus £1000 for consumables. (The Society will support overseas applications up to a value of £1850).

Five grants are available and there is a marking process in operation. For further details and full eligibility criteria, please visit the website below. The closing date for applications is 5 February 2010.

Summer Studentships

Undergraduate Essay Prize 2010 - last chance to apply!

Have you got the write stuff? The Undergraduate Essay Prize is back with a £1000 prize on offer for the winning entry as well as runners up and highly recommended prizes. Essays should be on a topical aspect of endocrinology and extra credit will be given for readability and originality.

Further details and conditions of entry are available at the website below. If you have any questions, please email grants@endocrinology.org. The closing date for applications is 1 March 2010. Please pass this on to your students and encourage them to apply.

Essay Prize website

Society Grants

The Society for Endocrinology offers a number of grants which members can apply for throughout the year. These include: clinical department visit grants, sponsored seminars and poster session grants, and conference travel grants. For details on how to apply for Society grants, please visit the website below. If you have any questions about Society grants, please email: grants@endocrinology.org.

SfE Grants website

Society Prizes and Awards

Prizes and awards website

The Society offers a number of awards and prizes throughout the year. Prizes are offered at the SfE BES meeting and Clinical Cases meetings for oral and poster presentations, and undergraduates can apply for the Undergraduate Achievement Award and Undergraduate Essay Prize. A Postgraduate Essay Prize is also available on an annual basis. For further details of all these awards and prizes and information on how to apply, please visit the website below.

Society Meetings, Dates and Deadlines

For further information on these meetings and on all Society matters, please visit www.endocrinology.org

SfE conference grant deadline
Deadline: 15 August 2010 Further information

SfE Obesity Management Symposium
9-10 September 2010. Further information

Postgraduate Essay Prize - deadline
Deadline: 13 September 2010 Further information

Public Event - The obesity epidemic: whose fault is it anyway?
Wednesday 15 September 2010, British Science Festival, Birmingham Further information

Endocrine Nurse Update 2010
27-28 September 2010, Stratford-upon-Avon. Further information

Young Endocrinologist Prize Lecture abstract submission deadline
Deadline: 1 October 2010. Further information

Clinical Update 2010: Early bird registration deadline
Deadline: 4 October 2010 Further information

SfE Autumn Endocrine Retreat 2010
15-17 October 2010 Further information

Society for Endocrinology Clinical Update 2010
8-10 November 2010, Bristol. Further information

Early Career Grant Programme deadline
Deadline: 27 November 2010 Further information

SfE Regional Clinical Cases Meeting - Brighton
10 December 2010, Brighton. Further information

Society for Endocrinology BES 2011 meeting
11-14 April 2011, Birmingham. Further information

Endocrinology in the News

Cervical cancer wiped out by pioneering use of 'amazing' osteoporosis drugs (Daily Mail, 10 November 2009)

Two drugs, fulvestrant and raloxifene, used to treat breast cancer and osteoporosis respectively, have shown promise in the treatment of cervical cancer, according to initial studies in mice.

Two-year-olds at risk from 'gender-bending' chemicals, report says (The Guardian, 6 November 2009)

An EU report has highlighted the risks of endocrine disrupting compounds found in common household products such as sun creams. Of particular concern are phthalates which are thought to affect testosterone action in the womb, causing low sperm counts and testicular cancer.

Want to lose weight? Then just eat a little slower (Daily Mail, 5 November 2009)

People who eat their meals at a rapid pace could be contributing to the obesity epidemic, scientists warn. A study from Imperial College London has shown that eating food quickly prevents the release of a hormone that tells your brain when you're full.

Women not getting bone treatment (BBC News online, 1 November 2009)

A study from Cambridge University has shown that women who suffer a bone fracture are not being given the treatment to prevent them suffering additional fractures.

Diabetes drug 'trumps fat pill' (BBC News online, 23 October 2009)

A study published in the Lancet shows that patients treated with the diabetes drug liraglutide were significantly more likely to lose weight than those taking orlistat, a leading obesity drug.

What is Hot in Society Journals?

Regulation of osterix

Osterix, a gene transcription factor expressed in differentiating osteoblasts, has been suggested to play a part in tumour growth and metastasis. Hong et al. have demonstrated that in osteoblastic cell lines prolonged exposure to parathyroid hormone inhibits osterix expression, findings that could be beneficial in regulating bone tumour activity. Hong et al., Journal of Molecular Endocrinology, DOI: 10.1677/JME-09-0012

Gamma knife in acromegaly

Ronchi and colleagues evaluate the efficacy of gamma knife radiosurgery in a large series of acromegalic patients over a 10 year monitoring period. High cure rates and adequate control with low side effects – such as visual impairment or recurrence – was tempered with an increase in novel pituitary deficiencies in 50% of the patient group such as hypoadrenalism. Ronchi et al., Clinical Endocrinology, DOI:10.1111/j.1365-2265.2009.03589.x

Enhancing pharmacokinetics of PRL, GH and their antagonists

Human prolactin (PRL) and growth hormone (GH) are pituitary hormones that regulate the survival, proliferation and differentiation of cells in a variety of tissues and endocrine glands. Owing to their relatively low molecular weight and protein nature, these hormones and hormone antagonists are removed from the circulation by renal clearance and proteolytic degradation within responsive tissues. Until now, there have been no attempts to enhance the pharmacokinetics of PRL or its antagonist. With regard to GH, the absorption half-life of hGH has been extended by using sustained release formulations and extending its elimination half-life by using polyethylene glycol (PEG) modification to reduce renal clearance. However this process decreases receptor binding thereby reducing their efficacy. Another strategy has been to fuse it with a large carrier protein. However, this process is difficult and may sterically hinder the ability of the ligand to interact with its receptor.

Langenheim and Chen report that the genetic fusion of a serum albumin-binding peptide to the amino terminus of hPRL, hGH and their antagonists appear to be an economically feasible alternative to strategies of fusion to a large carrier protein or modification with PEG to reduce clearance and enhance half-life. This strategy required no alterations to the standard procedures for producing and purifying proteins; had minimal deleterious effects upon signal transduction and bioactivity in vitro; resulted in favourable tissue distribution of hPRL and hGH and is amenable to further modifications such as sustained release formulations to further enhance the effectiveness of these proteins by reducing the frequency of injections. Langenheim and Chen, Journal of Endocrinology, DOI:10.1677/JOE-09-0211

Jobs

Clinical Lecturer in Diabetes and Endocrinology, University of Liverpool

Via www.jobs.ac.uk. The Diabetes and Endocrinology Unit, School of Clinical Sciences, University of Liverpool are seeking a Clinical Lecturer in Diabetes and Endocrinology (salary: 30,685 - 53,132 pa). This post provides an opportunity for a candidate pursuing a career in diabetes and endocrinology with research experience to join a research-active group whilst continuing clinical training at Specialist Registrar level. Clinical and molecular research can be accommodated in the Clinical Sciences Centre.

Applicants should hold MRCP (or equivalent) and be fully registered with the General Medical Council. The post, based at University Hospital Aintree is available for 4 years, commencing 1 March 2010. Application details can be found at the link below. The closing date for applications is 23 November 2009.

Senior Biomedical Scientist, Leeds

Via healthjobsuk.com. The Spire Leeds Hospital Pathology Department is looking to recruit an energetic, enthusiastic HPC Registered Biomedical Scientist to join their friendly team. The primary role of the post will be the day to day running and Quality Assurance of the immunoassay section of the lab including providing a supra regional service for thyroid, pituitary, adrenal and reproductive hormones. This will be provided under the clinical direction of a Consultant Chemical Pathologist. In addition to this, working in haematology and transfusion on rotation, and participation in a multi disciplinary on call rota is expected for which training will be given as appropriate.

We are looking for a highly motivated, capable and effective organiser who will be prepared to work in a flexible way as team player with good communication skills. Candidates must have substantial post registration experience, including a specialist portfolio in biochemistry (or equivalent experience) and at least 2 years experience running immunoassay. For further details and to request an application pack, click on the link below. Applications should be submitted by 27 November 2009.

Consultant in Diabetes, Endocrinology and Acute Medicine, Exeter

Via healthjobsuk.com. Two consultant positions in diabetes, endocrinology and acute medicine are available at the Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Foundation Trust. The posts involve some teaching but the department/ trust/ medical school have proven record of supporting career development within research, management or education according to the appointee’s interests. One post offers a balance of clinical work between acute medicine (joining an Acute Medical Rota with 6 rota’d colleagues) and diabetes and endocrinology and we are looking for applicants with a strong interest in both specialties.

The other post is a more traditional mix of diabetes, endocrinology and general medicine. It is anticipated that the appointees will join the on call rota covering general medicine, 1 in 16 evening ward rounds, 1 in 8 weekends. Outpatient clinical work will be outpatient diabetes and endocrinology, with both posts involving inpatient specialty ward care. Application details are available via the website below. The closing date for applications is 8 December 2009. Interviews will be held on 5 February 2010.

Endocrinologist post, USA

The Bay Pines VA Healthcare System is looking for a full-time board-certified/board-eligible clinical endocrinologist to provide care to veterans. Duties include treating and evaluating patients with diabetes mellitus, osteoporosis, pituitary and adrenal disorders, hypogonadism, hyperlipidemia, thyroid disorders, etc. The successful candidate would be expected to be involved in seeing patients both for inpatient and outpatient consultation. We are seeking a team player with strong interpersonal skills.

Clinical contact: Dr Robert Brickner: Robert.brickner@va.gov. For further details and to apply for this post, click on the link below. Please address inquiries and send curriculum vitae to: Willie Childs, Bay Pines VA Healthcare System, P.O. Box 5005, Bay Pines, Florida 33744. Tel: (727) 398-6661, ext 5692. The closing date for applications is 31 December 2009.

PhD Studentship (CASE Studentship), University of Manchester

Via www.jobs.ac.uk. A PhD Studentship entitled 'Role of urotensin II in the progression of diabetic nephropathy' is available in the Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Manchester. Diabetic nephropathy is a serious complication of diabetes and the principal cause of end stage renal disease (renal failure). A number of hormones are thought to play a role in the progression of diabetic nephropathy, including the peptide urotensin II. Initially identified as the most potent vasoconstrictor hormone discovered to date, urotensin II is now known to have complex effects on both the vasculature and the kidneys. We have shown that it contributes to the regulation of renal function, as well as having fibrotic actions.

In patients with diabetic nephropathy, plasma and urinary urotensin II concentrations are elevated, as are renal expression levels of the urotensin II receptor. Experimentally animals with sub-total nephrectomy, which mimic human renal failure, also have elevated levels of urotensin II and its receptor in the kidney. What is unclear is how urotensin II contributes to the progression of renal failure in diabetic nephropathy. The project will use two animal models of diabetic nephropathy - sub-total nephrectomy in the rat and the db/db mouse which develops diabetes and renal failure spontaneously - to study the activity and expression of urotensin II as the disease progresses.

For further details and to download an application form, click on the link below. The PhD studentship is due to commence in September/October 2010.

3 Year PhD Programme for Clinicians, University of Oxford

Via www.jobs.ac.uk. University of Oxford Medical Sciences Division, University of Oxford are offering Wellcome Trust Training Fellowships for Clinicians in Basic Sciences. The programme will offer the opportunity to undertake a research project with a strong emphasis on basic science. All projects will be in collaboration with the aim of bridging the gap between basic and applied research. Those appointed will have a medical degree and some specialist experience - typically having obtained MRCP or equivalent, but not CCT or consultant status.

Interested candidates should apply to the Medical Sciences Division at the University of Oxford for a fellowship, based on a track record of academic achievement and potential. A supervisor and project will be selected from a range available in one of 5 broad areas: Neurosciences, Infection and Immunity, Cardiovascular medicine, Haematology and haematopoiesis and Metabolic medicine (including diabetes, endocrinology and nephrology). For further information and details on how to apply, click on the link below. The closing date for applications is 8 January 2010.

Grants and Prizes

Pancreatic Cancer UK Research Grant

Pancreatic Cancer UK is announcing its 2009 round of research grant awards. Applications to support research into all aspects of pancreatic cancer are invited although early detection/diagnosis and more effective treatments are of particular interest. Grants of up to £250,000 are available. Collaborative projects are also very welcome. Further details and an application form can be found on the website below. Enquiries should be directed to research@pancreaticcancer.org.uk. The closing date for applications is Monday 30 November 2009.

Pancreatic Cancer UK

Diabetes UK Equipment Grants

Diabetes UK equipment grants are to enable the purchase of a specific large item of multi user equipment necessary for diabetes related research projects. Support is normally requested for up to three years; however, longer periods of time may be requested if scientifically justified. The maximum amount that may normally be requested is £100,000. Applications for less than £20,000 will not normally be considered under this scheme. Diabetes UK expects that applications will normally include a contribution from the host institution or other source. As a guide, we would normally expect a minimum contribution in the region of 20 per cent of the total cost of the equipment. This contribution may be towards the purchase of the equipment or the running costs. Applicants should be in receipt of substantial grant funding either from Diabetes UK or other funding bodies. Further details can be found at the website below. The closing date for applications is 1 December 2009.

Diabetes UK

BBSRC Innovator of the Year Award 2010

The BBSRC have opened applications for their annual competition to celebrate the successes of BBSRC-supported scientists in delivering economic and/or social impact from their excellent research. Individual scientists or teams can submit an application detailing their activities that have resulted in economic and/or social impact. A prize of £5,000 will be made directly to the winner of each category, with the overall Innovator of the Year receiving a further £5,000. For team winners the prize money will be split equally among the applicants.

Eligibility The competition is open to all BBSRC-funded scientists. For all entries, applicants must demonstrate the connection between their BBSRC-funded research and the Innovation. The closing deadline for applications is 16 December 2009. Further details can be found at the website below.

BBSRC website

BBSRC Public Engagement Awards

The BBSRC have opened calls for their 2010 round of public engagement awards, an annual funding competition, which offers funds of up to £5000 to support BBSRC-funded researchers, institutes of BBSRC, and BBSRC local coordinators to undertake public engagement activities. Applications that repeat previously successful activities as well as applications for new activities are welcomed. Priority will be given to applications that focus on dialogue with public groups, particularly adults and hard-to-reach groups such as ethnic minorities, inner city communities or those with special needs. For details on how to apply, click on the link below. The closing date for applications is 15 January 2010.

BBSRC website

Society for Reproduction and Fertility Essay Prize

The Society for Reproduction and Fertility (SRF) essay competition is open to any undergraduate studying in the UK or Ireland. The essay must be about an aspect of reproductive biology and will be assessed on scientific content, style and topicality. The maximum word length will be 2000 words and the deadline for submissions is 31 March 2010.

The winner of the competition will receive a prize of £500 and be invited to attend the SRF annual conference, with the costs of their registration, accommodation and travel covered. The second prize will be £250 and the third prize £100. All three winning entries will be published on the SRF website. Further details including eligibility criteria and how to apply, can be found on the website below.

SRF website

RCOG Endometriosis Millennium Fund

Via rdfunding.org.uk. The Endometriosis Millennium Fund, administered by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) was established to stimulate and encourage research, clinical or laboratory based, in the field of endometriosis, or to encourage clinicians to acquire extra clinical skills to manage patients with the disease.

Up to £5,000 is available to a Member of the College or a member of the RCOG Trainees Register, who is resident and working within the British Isles. Applications for grants are invited for the following: To provide monies to fund a pilot project, clinical or laboratory based in the field of endometriosis, or to provide monies to fund an extension of an existing project researching endometriosis; or to provide a contribution towards a travelling Fellowship to attend a recognised training centre, preferably overseas, to obtain surgical training in the management of cases of endometriosis, beyond the skills expected of core training.

For a list of conditions and application details, click on the link below. The closing date for applications is 31 March 2010.

Further details

Miscellaneous News

Human health scientists lead the way in communication awards

The Society of Biology will present this year’s Science Communication Awards to Ceri Harrop (University of Manchester) and Dr Susan Jebb (Medical Research Council Human Nutrition Research) for their passion and dedication to communicating biological science to the public. The awards will be presented on 16 November at One Great George Street, Westminster, London.

Ceri Harrop (26), winner in the New Researcher category, is a research assistant in the University of Manchester’s Faculty of Life Sciences, developing a 3D in vitro model of the human airways to study how asthma and other respiratory diseases can lead to changes in the structure and function of the airways. Ceri has used innovative approaches to explain science, and has built models, written and presented an educational TV program, taken part in radio broadcasts and held workshops, sometimes focusing on scientific themes outside her own specialist area. She has demonstrated exceptional communication skills, making complex topics fun and interesting, and has taken science to new audiences who had not previously had the opportunity to meet a practising scientist.

Dr Susan Jebb (44), winner in the Established Researcher category, is Head of Nutrition and Health Research at the Medical Research Council Collaborative Centre for Human Nutrition Research (HNR). Her research focuses on the role of the diet in the causes and treatment of obesity and its related metabolic diseases. She also leads the HNR Communications team. Susan has carried out extensive communication activities about obesity in society with a variety of audiences, and her work has had significant impact and reach - especially with policy makers. She has used a range of methods to share knowledge of her science, including writing articles for a popular magazine, giving public lectures, engaging with the media, playing a key role in government advisory committees, and giving cookery demonstrations whilst discussing affordable healthy eating.

The Science Communication Awards recognise research-active bioscientists from UK universities or institutes who make an outstanding and consistent contribution to communicating science to the public. For more information, please visit the Society of Biology website at the link below.

Society of Biology

2010 British Biology Olympiad - registration now open

The British Biology Olympiad and the Biology Challenge competitions are aimed at enthusiastic post-16 biology students and are supported by the Society of Biology, BBSRC and University of Birmingham School of Biosciences. Every year the best young biologists from all types of schools throughout the UK take part in this demanding and rewarding competition. Gold, Silver and Bronze medals along with Highly Commended and Commended certificates are awarded on the results of the first round examination. These are presented by the BBO President at an Awards Ceremony in late June in London. Additional prizes are awarded to the top schools in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. The competition is also used to select a team to represent the United Kingdom at the annual International Biology Olympiad which is to take place in Korea in July 2010.

Entrants will take a ninety minute multiple-choice paper between the 1-5 February 2010. High scoring students will be invited to take an additional paper and the score from this paper will be used to identify the twelve finalists. The papers will be taken in school and the answer sheets marked by the School of Biosciences at the University of Birmingham. The School of Biosciences will also host the finals between the 14-16 April 2010. These take the form of practical tests which are used to select the UK team for the International Biology Olympiad (IBO). Some training for the IBO will also take place at the finals in Birmingham and the team will receive additional training in July at several venues, including the Natural History Museum and Kew Gardens.

Full details can be found on the British Biology Olympiad website below. Application forms should be submitted by 18 December 2009.

British Biology Olympiad

Pituitary Foundation on Tonight with Trevor McDonald

The Pituitary Foundation are pleased to announce that they will be represented on “Tonight with Trevor McDonald” on Friday 4 December. The programme, which airs at 8:00 p.m on ITV1 will feature a four minute segment with their Patient Support Manager, Pat McBride, talking about pituitary disease, its effects, treatments and The Pituitary Foundation. The programme will be a follow up on Russell Watson, however, the Pituitary Foundation are very excited to be included in the programme. Don't forget to tune in!

The Pituitary Foundation

Other International Conferences