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Symposium for Biological Life Sciences 2017 (SymBLS)
Date: 24 November 2017
Time: 09:00 - 17:30 followed by drinks reception
Venue: The Old Divinity School, St John's College, Cambridge
To register your interest in this event please email Chiara Pantarelli.
The Symposium for Biological Life Science Students (SymBLS) is an annual, one day event for postgraduate students at the University of Cambridge and affiliated institutes. Since 2006, SymBLS has brought together students and renowned keynote speakers to explore trending topics in the broad field of life science.
This year the keynote talks will cover different themes:
Dr. Kathy Niakan, PI at the Crick Institute in London, who will be talking about her latest human embryo research;
Dr. Cathy Prescott, from Biolatris Cambridge, will be giving some insights into how new therapies are taken from the bench to the market;
Professor Nigel Emptage, from University of Oxford, is interested in the study of the nervous system and how it is impacted by diseases such as Schizophrenia or Alzheimer’s;
Dr. Don Powell, previously Head of Communication at Sanger Institute, now running his own communication consultancy (Don Powell Associates);
Dr. Virginia Newcombe, Academic Clinical Fellow in Neurocritical Care at Cambridge University Hospital.
The program will also include student talks, posters and an image competition.
In the last session a panel discussion featuring Dr Alexander Patto and Dr Joanne Durgan will address the topic of how basic science could help current environmental issues.
Dr Alexander Patto is from the Department of Engineering, and is CEO of a spin-out company, WaterScope. His team are developing rapid, automated water testing kits and affordable diagnostics to empower developing communities. It's microscopes are being used for education, to inspire future scientists from India to Colombia.
Dr Joanne Durgan, a postdoctoral researcher from the the Babraham Institute, has been recently selected for Climate Reality Leadership training with Al Gore. She will take part in Climate Reality Leadership Corps training and work with former US Vice President Al Gore and renowned climate scientists and communicators to learn about what’s happening to our planet and how we could use social media, powerful storytelling, and personal outreach to inspire audiences to take action.
Why should you attend?
SymBLS is an invaluable platform for students to present their research to their peers, to debate current issues in the life sciences, and to develop a network of contacts throughout the university. We aim to inspire our delegates with the breadth and quality of research carried out by our fellow members of the Graduate School of Life Sciences (GSLS).
Finally, the Symposium will provide an opportunity for attendees to participate in discussions on how scientists can develop technologies in renewable energy production, including solar panels, wind and wave energy and biofuels. We would like to increase awareness in reducing the impact of biological research on the planet. How do we make research more sustainable? It will be important to make institutes more energy conscious, to develop scientific policy concerning climate change, and to put pressure on funders to promote climate conscious projects.
To register your interest in this event please email Chiara Pantarelli.
Banner image from Punting Cambridge on Flickr.