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National Clinical Cases Meeting 2010

Online registration for the Society for Endocrinology National Clinical Cases Meeting 2010 is now open. To register please click here.

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 the highest scoring submitted abstracts and a large number of poster presentations. Further details can be found on the website below. 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.

Calling all aspiring science writers

The Society for Endocrinology needs YOU!

The public are turning to the internet more and more in search of information on their hormones, yet how can they be sure they are getting facts not fiction?

You and Your Hormones is a new project by the Society for Endocrinology that aims to give the public online access to current, evidence-based information on the field of endocrinology. We are looking for enthusiastic and talented clinicians, scientists and nurses of any level or background to contribute articles to be published on our upcoming public website.

This is your chance to engage with and educate the public on the entire field of endocrinology, and develop your skills in science communication. Whether your expertise is in angiotensin or acromegaly, we'd really appreciate your input. In addition to contributing to the public profile of endocrinology, your efforts will be recognised with a certificate from SfE that can be presented in appraisals or as part of a CV.

Please circulate this call to any colleagues who may be interested. For information on what we are looking for and how to contribute, please contact the Society external relations team at: public@endocrinology.org.

Follow Society for Endocrinology on Twitter!

You can now follow SfE news and announcements on Twitter, the free social networking and micro-blogging service.

Twitter allows to you keep up-to-date with the latest news from SfE including upcoming events, grant deadlines and important announcements.

News and announcements from SfE: http://twitter.com/Soc_Endo.

Join the Society's Steroids SIG and receive regular news updates

Members who have registered their interest with 4 of the Society's Special Interest Groups (SIGs: Obesity, Bone and Mineral, Andrology and Endocrine disruptors) already receive regular emails alerting them to news stories on these topics. These stories are sent up to 2-3 times per week, with the option of opting out at any time. We will be introducing this service to members of the Steroids SIG and in time, extending this service to the remaining 4 SIGs: Laboratory Aspects of Clinical Endocrinology (LACE)*, Late effects of cancer therapy, PCOS and Metabolic Syndrome, and Pituitary.

If you are interested in receiving regular news alerts, sign up to a Society SIG here.

We'd also like to take this opportunity to remind you to update your preferences and details in the members' section of the website.

*Introducing our new SIG, Laboratory Aspects of Clinical Endocrinology (LACE), details of which will follow in next month's e-mail alert.

SfE launches online access to its journals for all members

We are pleased to announce that all members may now view the full text of the Society’s journals (Journal of Endocrinology, Journal of Molecular Endocrinology and Endocrine-Related Cancer) online at no extra charge to their membership subscription.

To gain access, please go to BioSciAlliance. This is the Society’s portal designed to enable you to manage your membership effectively.

The password for this site is the same as your usual password for the secure members’ area on the Society’s home page.

BioSciAlliance - create your profile today and be part of the endocrine community!

BioSciAlliance is an exciting service from BioScientifica that allows members to access a host of services using a single gateway. BioSciAlliance (www.bioscialliance.org) allows you to renew your membership, access abstract management and registration for Society meetings, update your membership profile and interact with fellow members, all using a single website.

Furthermore, Society members get free access to all SfE journals via this route.

Society members can logon to BioSciAlliance using their current membership number and password. Once you are logged on, you can build up your own profile and search for fellow members by geographical location or areas of interest. In addition, BioSciAlliance provides a wealth of educational resources, BioScientifica's world calendar of events and news articles on a range of biomedical specialities.

Communicate; Collaborate; Innovate - logon to BioSciAlliance today.

Logon to BioSciAlliance

Endocrine-Related Cancer - continuous publication online

Continuous publication online is a groundbreaking development from the journal Endocrine-Related Cancer. Continuous publication online allows authors and readers to share knowledge around the world, faster than ever before as NEW ARTICLES are published online as soon as they are ready for publication, without waiting for an issue to be complied. Take a look at ERC online at www.try-erc.org.

Endocrine-Related Cancer is the premier, global journal publishing basic, translational and clinical research on hormones and cancer with an impressive impact factor of 5.236. All reviews are published free online at www.try-erc.org.

Sample copies and free online trial registrations for ERC will be available at the Society for Endocrinology BES meeting in Manchester, UK in March, at the 14th International Congress of Endocrinology in Kyoto, Japan in March, at the 12th European Congress of Endocrinology in Prague, Czech Republic in April and at ENDO 2010 in San Diego, CA, USA in June. Visit the Society for Endocrinology booth at any one of these conferences to find out more about Endocrine-Related Cancer.

Specialty Certificate Examination in Endocrinology & Diabetes 2010

The Specialty Certificate Examinations (SCE) are designed to assess a candidate’s knowledge and understanding of the clinical sciences and disorders, relevant to their specialist medical practice, to a level appropriate for a newly appointed Consultant.

The next exam takes place on 30 June 2010. Registration for UK centres is open from 29 March to 26 April 2010 and for overseas candidates 1 to 29 March. See the SfE careers section and www.mrcpuk.org/sce for more information or e-mail your query to sce.queries@mrcpuk.org.

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

SFE BES 2010 meeting - Young Endocrinologists' Prize Lecture winners

Each year the Society awards two prize lectures to young endocrinologists, one basic science and one clinical, to be given at the Society's annual BES meeting, rewarding up-and-coming endocrinologists with a prestigious platform from which to present their personal research.

This year we would like to congratulate Dr Vicky Smith for her basic science abstract entitled 'PTTG and PBF as targets for augmenting radioiodine uptake in thyroid cancer', and Dr Alia Munir for her clinical abstract entitled 'RNA interference as therapy for Cushing's disease.'

Drs Smith and Munir will present their lectures on Monday 15 March at SfE BES meeting 2010 in Manchester, and will be rewarded with a £2500 honorarium each.

Find out more about the Young Endocrinologists' Prize Lecture here.

Clinical Endocrinology survey - win a Fortnum and Mason hamper!

Clinical Endocrinology survey

As the official clinical journal of the Society for Endocrinology we want to hear your views on Clinical Endocrinology. What you like, what you don’t, what you want to see more/less of – this is your chance to let us know what you want from your journal.

Complete our survey by following the link below and you’re in with a chance of winning a luxurious Fortnum & Mason hamper!

The survey will close on Friday 19 March 2010 and the randomly selected lucky winner of the hamper will be notified by email on Monday 22 March 2010.

SfE supports the National Campaign for Libel Reform

The Society has signed up to the National Campaign for Libel Reform. This campaign is being run jointly by Sense about Science, English PEN and Index on Censorship to campaign for reform of English libel laws. This follows on from Sense about Science’s campaign to ensure that English libel laws are not used to silence critical discussion of medical practice and scientific evidence and to discourage debate in the public arena. This campaign was launched in the wake of the case of science writer Simon Singh, who is being sued for libel for an article in The Guardian. The Society urges members to sign the petition at the link below.

National Campaign for Libel Reform: sign the petition here.

Sense about Science

SfE member Chung Thong Lim wins Xcel science student of the year 2010

Congratulations to Chung Thong Lim for winning this years Xcel student of the year competition. Currently in his final year of an intercalated degree in medical sciences and endocrinology at Barts and London Medical School, Chung has excelled throughout his academic career and is expected to contribute a huge amount to the field of endocrinology. He received his award at a ceremony in London on 21 January 2010 in front of an invited audience of over 350 people.

Public Event - Gender: more than X versus Y

Gender: More than X versus Y

The Society for Endocrinology is pleased to announce that its next public event will take place at Edinburgh International Science Festival on Monday 12 April 2010.

Chaired by Professor Richard Sharpe of the University of Edinburgh, Professor Richard Anderson and Professor Christopher Kelnar will speak on how hormones control sexual development, and will examine what happens when this balance of chemical signals is disturbed.

Edinburgh International Science Festival

Undergraduate Achievement Award 2010

The Society for Endocrinology Undergraduate Achievement Awards have been established to encourage excellence in the study of endocrinology by undergraduate students.

Departments are invited to submit applications to the Society for an award to outstanding undergraduates. The award will consist of a £300/yr grant to the department (for three years), and a certificate from the Society to the award winner.

One grant will be available to a department in any three-year period. There will be up to twelve grants available each year, awarded to eligible departments on a first come first served basis.

Applications will only be considered if submitted by a paid up member of the Society for Endocrinology. Applications open on 18 June and close on 16 July 2010.

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

Popular antidepressant 'cancels out' effect of breast cancer drug (The Daily Telegraph, 9 February 2010)

Canadian scientists have shown that taking the antidepressant paroxetine (brand name Seroxat) to relieve the side effects of the breast cancer drug Tamoxifen could result in a higher mortality when compared to those not taking paroxetine. Experts advise against any sudden decisions but recommend a review of the data to clarify the nature of the interaction.

Artificial pancreas hope for children with diabetes (BBC News Online, 5 February 2010)

Cambridge scientists have combined a glucose sensor with an 'insulin pump' in a closed loop system in vivo to create an artificial pancreas that reacts to changes in blood glucose levels. The researchers report that in trial patients with type 1 diabetes, the device keeps blood glucose levels within the 'normal' range 60% of the time, and prevents hypoglycaemic events.

Sunbathing ups men's testosterone (BBC News Online, 2 February 2010)

A study published in Clinical Endocrinology by a team of Austrian researchers has found that men who are sufficiently supplied with vitamin D - the main supply of which is made in the skin when it is exposed to sunlight - have higher circulating levels of testosterone.

Chemicals in old furniture can make it harder to get pregnant (The Daily Telegraph, 27 January 2010)

A study from the University of Berkeley has found that women with high blood levels of PBDEs, flame retardant chemicals found in furniture predominantly made in the 1970s and 80s, suffer from a reduced chance of pregnancy. The researchers suggest that the chemicals alter normal levels of sex hormones to affect fertility.

Top obesity drug sibutramine being suspended (BBC News Online, 22 January 2010)

Following recommendations from the European Medicines Agency, the MHRA is suspending the use of the anti-obesity drug sibutramine in the UK after new evidence linked the drug with an increased risk of non-fatal heart attacks and strokes.

Non-stick chemical linked to thyroid disease (The Daily Telegraph, 21 January 2010)

A study by the University of Exeter and Peninsula Medical School has described an association betweeen higher blood levels of perfluorooctanoic acid - a synthetic chemical used in a number of household items - and increased rates of thyroid disease.

Diabetes gene points way to new treatments (The Times Online, 18 January 2010)

Scientists from research centres across the world have pooled data to contribute to the largest association study published to date, and have found nine new genes that influence blood-sugar levels and can be linked to type 2 diabetes.

What is Hot in Society Journals?

Is acromegaly under-diagnosed?

Historically, acromegaly has been under-recognised until its later stages when clinical characteristics are more apparent but treatment is more difficult. Reid et al. examined data from 324 patients presenting with acromegaly from 1981 to 2006 and found that signs, symptoms and associated comorbidities, tumour size and preoperative GH levels did not change significantly in the 26 years since the patients were diagnosed, indicating that their acromegaly was already advanced at diagnosis. The authors conclude that clinical recognition of acromegaly has not improved much in the last 25 years and that increased awareness of acromegaly amongst practitioners is required. Reid et al., Clinical Endocrinology, DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2265.2009.03626.x

Maternal parity and adipokines

Hyatt and co-workers used an established sheep model to investigate the impact of maternal parity on adipose tissue development with regard to glucocorticoid sensitivity and adipokine gene expression. The increase in fat mass associated with the firstborn was accompanied by a resetting of the leptin and glucocorticoid axis within the adipocyte. This shows the importance of parity in determining adipose tissue development and that firstborn offspring have an increased capacity for adipogenesis that may be critical in determining their adiposity. Hyatt et al., Journal of Endocrinology.

DOI: 10.1677/JOE-09-0358

Short prolactin receptor downregulates long form

Multiple isoforms of the human prolactin receptor are produced by alternative splicing, and the different ratios have been associated with disease. In a study on human embryonic kidney cells by Tan and Walker, the short form SF1b was shown to downregulate the expression of the long form (LF), affecting prolactin expression and cell number. This suggests that the ratio of SF1b:LF may have implications for tumour growth. Tan and Walker, Journal of Molecular Endocrinology.

DOI: 10.1677/JME-09-0101

Plasma sex hormones and breast cancer

This nested case-control study by Woolcott and colleagues extends the existing evidence of the association between sex hormones and breast cancer risk from mainly white study populations into a multiethnic cohort. The study confirms, for the first time, that high levels of sex hormones and low levels of sex hormone-binding globulin are associated with increased breast cancer risk in an ethnically diverse population. Woolcott et al., Endocrine-Related Cancer.

DOI: 10.1677/ERC-09-0211

Jobs

Freelance web content developer

The Society for Endocrinology is the UK's leading society for the promotion of research, education and patient care in endocrinology. We are looking for a freelance web content developer to work part-time with us on a new website. The website will be aimed at the public and will provide information on hormones and hormone-related diseases. We are looking for someone who is experienced in producing material for online publication. Previous experience of producing information aimed at patients would also be valuable. We currently have funding available for up to 7 months.

The closing date for applications is Thursday 25 February 2010. If you are interested in working with us, please send your CV and 2 relevant writing samples to jobs@endocrinology.org.

Trust Grade in Diabetes and Endocrinology

Added via HealthJobsUK.com

Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust is looking to appoint a Trust SHO Grade in Diabetes and Endocrinology for a six month period. Based within the Diabetes and Endocrinology wards at the Queen's Medical Campus, the post includes opportunities for out-patient work, and attendance at general medicine and speciality training events will be encouraged.

The deadline for applications is 17 February 2010. For more information please follow the link below.

PhD studentship - a prospective study of neuroendocrine aspects of cognitive ageing

Added via FindAPhD.com

Average life-expectancy in European men remains 5-6 years shorter than that of women. The School of Translational Medicine at the University of Manchester is offering a PhD studentship designed to investigate the potential neuroendocrine mechanisms behind this discrepancy. By looking at how levels of various anabolic hormones change with age, the project hopes to describe an 'aging phenotype' in man, and examine how far the endocrine system exerts its influence on ageing.

The deadline for applications is 18 February 2010. For further information, including how to apply, please follow the link below.

Staff Nurse - Endocrinology

Added via www.HealthJobsUK.com

An exciting opportunity has arisen at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust for someone wishing to gain experience in the care of the diabetic patient. Ward C54 is a 28-bed newly refurbished Acute Medical Ward with a special interest in diabetes. Successful candidates will not only gain extensive experience in this speciality, but will gain experience in looking after patients with general medical disorders.

For this exciting role you must be a team player who is dynamic, motivated and keen to develop leadership skills. You will also play an active role in the challenging and rewarding developments such as Nurse Led Discharge and Patient Group Directives.

The deadline for applications is 22 February. For a job description and information on how to apply please follow the link below.

Clinical Lecturer in Endocrinology - Glasgow University

Added via the Medical Schools Council clinical academic jobs page.

The division of cardiovascular and medical sciences at Glasgow University is offering a lectureship in endocrinology developed under the Scottish Clinical Research Excellence Development (SCRED) scheme.

The post is flexible and can accomodate the training needs of an early-stage academic trainee by providing a structured clinical training framework, or can support more senior appointees through the development of a personal research proposal under the supervision of a research leader. Suitable candidates will hold MRCP and will have completed general professional and training (i.e. at least to the level of ST2) in core medical training or equivalent.

The deadline for applications is 26 February 2010. For a job description and information on how to apply please follow the link below.

Clinical research fellowships at the University of Newcastle Medical School

Added via the Medical Schools Council clinical academic jobs page.

Applications are invited for four clinical research fellowships at the Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University. Funded by the Wellcome Trust, the posts provide an excellent introduction to academic research for clinically qualified individuals training in Internal Medicine specialities, Neurosciences, Paediatrics and Human Genetics, and focus on the translation of science into improvements in treatment.

Further information can be found by following the link below. The deadline for applications is 26 February 2010.

Associate Clinical Professor of Diabetes & Endocrinology

Added via the Medical Schools Council clinical academic jobs page.

An exciting opportunity has arisen to strengthen the research programme in diabetes and metabolic science in Warwick Medical School (WMS). WMS are seeking a dynamic individual to join a rapidly expanding group of clinical academics in Warwickshire Institute of Diabetes, Endocrinology & Metabolism (WISDEM) at UHCW Trust. This new post will also contribute to the development of the undergraduate teaching at the Warwick Medical School.

Applications are open to those with CCT in Diabetes & Endocrinology. You will join a vibrant academic community working on various aspects of metabolic diseases at University of Warwick. The deadline for applications is 5 March. Please follow the link below for more information.

Grants and Prizes

The Royal Society Industry Fellowship

British Medical Association 2010 Grants

The British Medical Association (BMA) awards research grants each year (totalling approximately £500,000) to encourage and further medical research in a variety of areas. One of these grants, the Joan Dawkins, is to assist research into type II diabetes, specific to men’s health. Applications are invited from UK registered medical practitioners and/or research scientists, for projects taking place in the UK only, and can be for either research in progress or prospective research.

In 2010, the Joan Dawkins grant will be awarded for an amount up to £55,000. The research grants are now available to apply for online on the BMA website. The application deadline is 12 March 2010. For more information on the Joan Dawkins grant and other BMA research grants please visit the BMA website here.

European Research Council Advanced Grant for Life Sciences

The European Research Council (ERC) awards a number of grants annually to exceptional investigators in all fields of research. They are currently calling for applications for their Advanced Grant for Life Sciences. ERC grants support projects which are carried out by individual research teams headed by a single Principal Investigator of any nationality and, if necessary, include additional team members. Applicants for the prestigious ERC Advanced Grant are expected to have a track-record of significant research achievements in the last 10 years which must be presented in the application.

The grants are designed as part of the 'FP7' initiative for European collaboration in all areas of research, and applicants can apply for up to Euro 3.5 million for a period of 5 years. The deadline for this round of applications is 17 March 2010.

ERC grants page

Royal Society Industry Fellowships

The Royal Society offers a number of industry fellowships each year to encourage cooperation between industry and academia. It provides opportunities for an academic scientist to work on a collaborative project with industry, or someone employed in industry to work on a collaborative project with a university department or not-for-profit research organisation. It is anticipated that fellows will establish personal and corporate links between the two sectors in the UK as a foundation for their long-term future development.

Applications are welcome from all areas of life and physical sciences (excluding clinical medicine). The deadline for the current round is 24 March 2010. Please follow the link below for more information.

2010 L'Oreal-UNESCO UK and Ireland For Women In Science fellowships

L’Oréal UK and Ireland, the UK National Commission for UNESCO, the Royal Institution of Great Britain, and the Irish National Commission for UNESCO, have partnered together to provide a dedicated UK and Ireland For Women In Science Fellowship Programme for women scientists at postdoctoral level to enable and/or facilitate promising scientific research in the life or physical sciences.

Four Fellowships will be awarded in 2010 to outstanding female postdoctoral scientists to assist them with their research. The Fellowships, each worth £15,000 (equivalent Euro for candidates in Ireland), are tenable at any UK or Irish university or research institute to support a 12-month period of research.

The fellowship money can be spent in any number of innovative ways to enable women scientists to further their careers and facilitate world class research - such as buying equipment, paying for childcare or funding travel costs to an overseas conference.

The deadline for applications is 7 April 2010. Visit www.womeninscience.co.uk to apply.

Diabetes, Supporting TrAnslational Research and Twinning (D-Start) grant program

The International Diabetes Federation (IDF) is now welcoming proposals for a large-scale, multi-centre project centred on translational research projects on the primary prevention of type 2 diabetes in low- and middle-income Countries. D-START (Diabetes - Supporting TrAnslational Research Twinning) will see an established research centre provide support and training to two smaller centres that show promise yet have had difficulty accessing funds from their own economies.

The first phase - submission of framework study design by international experts - is open until April 15 2010. Please follow the link below for more information.

D-START home

British Thyroid Foundation award for nurses

The Evelyn Ashley Smith award is an annual award of £500 made to a nurse, endocrine nurse or midwife to help them improve care for patients with thyroid disorders. It can be used to support training needs such as attendance at a conference, fund a specific project lasting one year or reward a completed project that is yet to be published.

The application deadline is 1 July 2010. For further details and an application form please visit the 'what's new' section of the British Thyroid Foundation homepage (link below).

Miscellaneous News

9th Postgraduate course in Clinical Endocrinology - registration now open

Registration for the 9th Postgraduate Course in Clinical Endocrinology of the European Society of Endocrinology is now open. The course is taking place on 27-29 May in Tartu, Estonia, and coincides with the 5th Baltic Congress of Endocrinology.

The ESE are delighted to present you with a comprehensive scientific programme that comprises state of the art lectures, exciting clinical debates and challenging workshops given by outstanding experts in clinical endocrinology. In order to facilitate the development of endocrine surgery in the region as well as the collaboration between endocrinologists and endocrine surgeons, the second day of the course will centre on endocrine surgery. Another challenging area in endocrinology – gonadal disorders – will be the focus of the third day of the course.

The registration deadline for reduced rates is 15 April 2010. Further information on the course, and online registration, can be found at www.ese2010.ee.

The 14th International Congress of Endocrinology - pre-registration deadline 15 February

The 14th International Congress of Endocrinology (ICE2010 Kyoto, 26-30 March 2010) is now just over two months away.

The deadline for Pre-registration is 15 February 2010. Please register on-line at www.congre.co.jp/ice2010/. The deadline is fast-approaching and so to avoid difficulties in last minute registration, please register now.

An impressive program has been created consisting of 11 plenary lectures, panel discussion, 31 Meet-the-Professor sessions and 115 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.

BBSRC heralds 'Age of Bioscience' with launch of new strategic plan

The Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) has released a 5 year strategic plan outlining the framework that will help shape its direction and funding decisions.

The plan focuses on three research priorities; food security, bioenergy and industrial biotechnology, and basic bioscience underpinning health; and has three underpinning themes; knowledge exchange, innovation and skills, and exploiting new ways of working and partnerships.

With this plan the BBSRC hopes to benefit society and the UK economy by promoting innovation and strengthening collaboration in biosciences research.

BBSRC strategic plan

Society of Biology update - the first months

Letter from Mark Downs, Chief Executive, Society of Biology

It has now been over 4 months since the Biosciences Federation and Institue of Biology officially merged to become the Society for Biology. A letter from its Chief Executive Mark Downs outlines how the Society is planning on using its position as a single, unified voice for UK bioscience over the coming months to improve opportunities, education and policy in the biosciences.

News from AMEND - the Association for Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia Disorders

AMEND moves into its first office

AMEND has opened its first administrative office in Tunbridge Wells at The Warehouse, No 1 Draper Street, Southborough, Tunbridge Wells, Kent, TN4 0PG. Tel: 01892 516076, Email: info@amend.org.uk, Web: www.amend.org.uk. Please tell your MEN and associated tumour patients.

AMEND AGM 2010

The 8th Annual General Meeting and Information Day of the Association for Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia Disorders will be held at Charity Centre, Directory of Social Change, 24 Stephenson Way, London NW1 2DP, from 10.00 a.m. on Saturday 8 May 2010. All MEN and associated tumour patients are welcome to register (contact details are as above) to attend this free event.

Hull Ball

AMEND is excited to be holding its first major exclusive fundraising ball, organised by a member who has just undergone surgery for thyroid cancer. The event will be held at Hull RLFC on Saturday 12 June 2010 and tickets are £35 pp with all proceeds going to AMEND. Contact details for the event are as above.

MEN Passport

In 2009 AMEND launched its MEN Passport, a practical file for patients to record details of their MEN tests and treatments. They are available free to patients who contact AMEND. Further details are available on the AMEND website.

AMEND home

Science communication workshops

Are you interested in gaining the skills to make your work more accessible to the scientific community and public? Two workshops will be taking place soon hosted by organisations that have a great deal of experience in science communication: register now to avoid disappointment:

Sense About Science workshop - Research: publishing it, reviewing it and talking about it publicly.

Sense About Science will be holding a workshop on peer review at the University of Sussex on Friday 5 March. This event is free, and deals with the process and criticisms of peer review in journal publishing. What does peer review do for science? Does it detect fraud and misconduct? Will it illuminate good ideas or shut them down? Registration for the even closes on Friday 19 February.

Science Media Centre workshop - Introduction to the News Media

The Science Media Centre has issued an invitation to all scientists to attend a beginner's guide to the media, to take place on Friday 12 March at the University of Edinburgh. Topics include how journalists find stories, the role of the editor and press officer, and the importance of engaging with the media. Interested parties should contact the Science Media Centre with their name and institutional e-mail address at introduction@sciencemediacentre.org.

Science communication activities

We at the Society for Endocrinology believe that getting current ideas and new developments into the public eye is crucial to the future of scientific endeavour (see above for information on the upcoming SfE public website). A number of projects centred around public engagement with science are calling for volunteers from the scientific community to come forward and get involved:

Fresh Science - a UK Council of Graduate Education scheme that is looking for early career researchers to work online with a teachers to develop classroom resources using real research and data. (Further information)

I'm a scientist, get me out of here - a Wellcome Trust funded project where scientists compete for a £500 prize by presenting their work online to a class of secondary school children. (Further information)

The Big Bang - the UK Young Scientists and Engineers Fair 2010 is looking for hundreds of volunteers in various positions to assist in this 3 day event in Manchester that features a number of science engagement shows such as Braniac Live and Bang Goes the Theory. (Further information)

Horizons in Medicine 21 - proceedings of the Advanced Medicine Conference 2009

The Royal College of Physicians has published the proceedings of its Advanced Medicine Conference 2009. Horizons in Medicine 21 offers physicians of all levels and backgrounds the opportunity to gain insights into cutting edge medicine and broaden their knowledge of other specialties. Topics covered include metabolic syndrome, steroid resistance and thyroid disease.

Horizons in Medicine 21

Accreditation of UK Bioscience degrees - a consultation by the Society of Biology

The Society of Biology has been working towards developing an accreditation process for UK bioscience degrees. With this in mind they have now opened an online consultation to gather further information and views, and encourage anyone interested in the accreditation process to take part. The project page, which includes a report of a workshop on the accreditation process held in October 2009 and a link to the survey, can be found by clicking here.

The Society for Endocrinology urges all members with an interest in degree accreditation to respond to this survey. The consultation will close on 21 February 2010.

Rare Disease Day 2010 - 28 February

Rare Disease Day is an annual event designed to raise awareness for the multitude of people around the world suffering from conditions that affect less than 5 in 10,000 people each. Individually they affect only a small number of people, yet collectively they affect 1 in 17 people in the UK.

Owing to their scarcity, research into these diseases remains poorly integrated and inadequately funded, depriving the rare disease patient of appropriate diagnosis, treatment and support. To combat the shortfall in rare disease research, the theme for this year's Rare Disease Day is "Patients and Researchers: Partners for Life."

Rare Disease Day falls on the last day of February - 28 February - and this year Rare Disease UK will be holding three parliamentary receptions to promote awareness amongst the parliaments of Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Events will be taking place worldwide. For more information please visit the websites below.

Rare Disease Day 2010

Rare Disease UK

The Athena Survey of Science Engineering and Technology

The Athena Survey of Science Engineering and Technology (ASSET), is an open access, web-based survey of career progression in STEMM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Medicine and Mathematics) in Higher Education (HE).

ASSET is open to scientists who work in and/or are employed by a UK university in a STEMM subject area. It aims to raise awareness of the differences in male and female career progression, of good practice policies, and to enable universities, HE and research funders and STEMM policy makers to benchmark progress. To take part in ASSET 2010 please follow the link below.

The survey closes on 26 February. ASSET 2010 is an HEFCE Leadership, Governance and Management Fund project that is led by Imperial College, London and supported by the Royal Society.

ASSET home

Royal College of Nursing 2010 Prize Draw

Every month during 2010 the RCN are holding a prize draw to win a free delegate place at an event of your choice. Just book a place on any RCN event during 2010 and you will be automatically be entered into the prize draw. This prize draw is valid for all paid for event bookings made during 2010 regardless of the type, cost or location.

For more information, and terms and conditions, click here.

Other International Conferences