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Early Career Researchers' Winter Symposium 2024
Our 2024 symposium is a free, in-person, one-day event based at Durham University. It will bring together early career stage researchers (ECR), established academics and industrialists to explore the power of interdisciplinary life sciences research and foster new collaborations.
2024 Early Career Researchers' Winter Symposium
12 December 2024, Durham University
Free to attend
Our Winter symposium is organised by Early Career Researchers (ECRs), for ECRs. Attendees are welcome to attend across all levels, from undergraduates to senior academics. The event will provide an opportunity to share and learn about fascinating discoveries within biomathematics, biophysics, biological chemistry, chemical biology and bioengineering.
Presentations at the symposium will include keynote lectures as well as ECR short talks, flash presentations and posters selected from abstracts. To submit an abstract or to register as an attendee, please complete the online registration form: https://forms.office.com/e/Eh8cRASS9b
Keynote Speakers and Panellists
Keynote Speakers
- Dr Danny Cole (Newcastle University)
- Dr. Chris Coxon (University of Edinburgh)
- Dr Christine Dufès (University of Strathclyde)
Industrial Panellists
A panel of experts from across industry sectors will discuss research in an industrial context and answer questions about pursuing a career in industry.
- Elizabeth Crone, Owlstone
- Neil Lant, Senior Director Research Fellow – Procter & Gamble
- Deepan Shah, Head of Technology for Biotechnology Business – CPI
Programme
| Time | |
|---|---|
| 9:30 | Registration and refreshments |
| 10:00 | Welcome from the BSI and event overview |
| Session One | |
| 10:15 | Ice Breaker Activity |
| 10:30 |
Shining light on DNA hairpins environmental sensitivity with smFRET Sarah Graham, University of York |
| 10:45 |
Targeted Protein Degradation of Epstein-Barr Nuclear Antigen 1 Eleanor Taylor-Newman, Durham University |
| 11:00 |
Keynote: Fluorinated peptide tools for chemical biology Chris Coxon, University of Edinburgh |
| 11:45 | Q&A with Industry Panel |
| 12:30 | Lunch and poster session |
| Session Two | |
| 13:45 |
Biophysics of liquid-phase bacterial protein-RNA droplets Lewis Frame, University of York |
| 14:00 |
Structural requirements for the specific binding of CRABP2 to cyclin D3 revealed by biophysical and computational analysis Natalie Tatum, Newcastle University |
| 14:15 |
The role of post-synaptic dopamine transport in Drosophila memory Karina Piotrowska, Durham University |
| 14:30 |
Keynote: Open-source software for building, scoring and design of SARS-CoV-2 main protease inhibitors Danny Cole, Newcastle University |
| 15:15 | Coffee break and poster session |
| Session Three |
|
| 15:35 |
Surface-immobilized, pH-responsive DNA nano switches for electronic actuation Francisca D’Rozario, University of York |
| 15:50 |
Rapid oral presentations R1: Understanding enzyme mobility kinetics in complex industrial systems Charlotte Fletcher, Newcastle University R2: From Tip to Ship: Characterisation of New Antifouling Coatings Benjamin Devenish, Durham University R3: Quantifying the Mechanical Properties of Stress Granules in Live Cells Thomas Williamson, University of Edinburgh R4: Exploring the effects of a multicomponent phytoceutical health product in a Drosophila melanogaster repetitive concussion model Norah Alanazi, Durham University R5: Comparative Study of a Potent CNS-Permeable RARβ-Modulator, Ellorarxine, in Neuronal Cells In Vitro Yunxi Zhang, Durham University |
| 16:15 |
Keynote: Designing tumour-targeted nanomedicines for cancer therapy Christine Dufѐs, University of Strathclyde |
| 17:00 | People’s choice award vote announcement |
| 17:05 | Closing remarks, prizes, and instructions for evening meal |
Further Symposium Details
Location: Collingwood College, Durham University
Start Time: 10 am (12 December 2024)
End Time: 5 pm (12 December 2024)
What is included: All refreshments and food during the symposium times.
What is not included: Accommodation or travel (for attendees).
Symposium Dinner: 7-9 pm, 12 December 2024
Thursday 12th December 2024.
Registration link: https://forms.office.com/e/Eh8cRASS9b
Past Symposia
2023 ECR Symposium
Our January 2023 symposium was the BSI’s first in-person ECR symposium. It attracted around 40 participants from across the UK and Europe, including the Universities of Padua, Amsterdam, Strathclyde, York and Sheffield. The attendees were a mixture of PhD students (32), postdoctoral researchers (19) and others including undergraduates and PIs.
The one-day event, held in St Mary's College, provided participants with an opportunity to get together and to share their physical biology research. It featured short talks, key-note talks and posters selected from abstracts by the ECR panel.
Organising Committee
- Nathan Gavin
- Ruth McTiernan
- Will Trewby
The 2020 Symposium
Our very first research symposium was held at the end of July 2020. The symposium was held virtually and attracted more than 50 participants from 45 different institutions, 13 different countries and 3 continents. To mark the occasion the 2020 ECR Symposium’s keynote talk was the Howard Prize Lecture. This was given by Professor Silvia Marchesan (University of Trieste) “Heterochiral Peptide Assembly: Entry in Wonderland through the Looking-Glass” an Alice in Wonderland themed journey through peptide chemistry. Below is a screenshot of some of the symposium's attendees.