President’s Message:
Reflections BTS Annual Congress 2019
The BTS Annual Scientific meeting, from 15-17th April at Robinson College Cambridge, held jointly with the UK Environmental Mutagenicity Society (UKEMS) was an undoubted success. There were 350 Attendees, a fascinating mixture of Plenary Lectures and Scientific Symposia, a record number (87) of oral & poster abstracts. The accommodation at Robinson College and the Congress Dinner both sold out.
One session, on Tuesday morning, was organised by the Cambridge Alliance on Medicines Safety (CAMS) formed in 2015 as an open, pre-competitive, Collaboration between Astra Zeneca, GlaxoSmithKline, The Medical Research Council (MRC) Toxicology Unit and the University of Cambridge, to promote innovative, translational relevant, research on medicines safety – both experimental and clinical. https://www.ats.cam.ac.uk/what-we-do/cambridge-alliance-medicines-safety. The alliance currently has 17 PhD students and 4 postdoctoral fellows, with further appointments in progress, or planned. With the relocation of The MRC Toxicology Unit to Cambridge, the University of Cambridge continues to grow as a leading centre of toxicology in Europe.
As has become traditional, the early career toxicologists networking event on Monday evening progressed to the local pubs (I am told) continued well into the early hours of the morning.
On Tuesday evening, the Congress dinner was held at Queens’ College, which involved crossing the River Cam, via the mathematical bridge (below) ….
to reach a pre-dinner drinks reception, in the distinctively decorated, 15th century “Old Hall” (below)
Dinner was preceded by awards of prizes for the best student posters and oral presentations, followed by a few words from the Presidents of UKEMS and The BTS and, there was a new award, for “The Worst President’s Speech” – a dubious honour! As usual, scientific networking, music and dancing continued until late.
2019 Eurotox Meeting Helsinki, Finland Sept 8-11th
Over 30 different scientific sessions are planned, with contributions from a wide range of Internationally renowned scientists, on a diverse range of toxicology topics. I hope to see you there. http://www.eurotox-congress.com/2019/?s=detailed-programme
As a constituent Member of Eurotox, the BTS will be represented and voting at the Annual Business meeting of Eurotox.
Joint 2019 Meeting with the British Society of Toxicological Pathology (BSTP)
On the 19th & 20th Nov 2019 the BTS will jointly host a meeting with the BSTP on Emergent Epigenetic Therapies, at the Newcastle & Gateshead Hilton Hotel. http://www.bstp.org.uk/events/34th-annual-scientific-meeting-agm-held-jointly-with-the-bts/
2020 BTS Annual Congress– in Wales
Next Year’s Annual Congress will be held at The Saint David’s Hotel, Cardiff, from April 20-22nd. Because of space constraints at the venue, we are likely to have to limit attendance to 270 participants. Registering as early as possible is strongly recommended, to avoid disappointment.
Dr Chris J Powell, BTS President.