Biology Internal Newsletter

The New Fusion Express

2013-05-17T00:00:00

We have the new FUSION XPRESS imaging system for Western Blots in and around St Andrews for the next few weeks and wondered if your lab would be interested in seeing it. We have availability on the 21-24 May then again on the 28-31 May and could bring it to your lab.

If you’re looking to replace your film processor, want to ‘upgrade’ to multiplexing and NIR imaging or just unsatisfied with your current method of Western blot imaging, the XPRESS is a super system.

Briefly, some info on the XPRESS

The new FUSION XPRESS – high performance just got more affordable! For chemiluminescence and fluorescent imaging of blots and gels, the new FUSION Xpress punches well above its optical resolution and well below the price you might expect. Packed with fully automated image capture and the brightest motorized lens on the market, the Xpress boasts an effective 5.5 MP resolution, full 16-bit imaging and super cooled camera for very rapid capture of publication ready images. List prices from £16,950
More information on our website

If this might be of interest please drop me back a note and we’ll be happy to sort out a convenient time to visit. We can also send you further information in brochures, quotes for grant applications etc…

Duncan Borthwick PhD

PEQLAB Ltd – the supplier for cell and molecular biology.

Congratulations

2013-05-17T00:00:00

Congratulations to Dr Susana Moleirinho who passed her PhD entitled “Mammalian upstream Hippo signalling pathway proteins activate core pathway kinases and functionally antagonize oncogenic YAP”

Well done!

BBSRC Industrial CASE Studentships Call

2013-05-17T00:00:00

The BBSRC vision is to provide PhD students with a first-rate, challenging research training experience within the context of a mutually beneficial research collaboration, between academic and partner organisations.

Studentships are principally based at the academic partner, with a mandatory placement at the non-academic partner for a minimum of 3 months and up to 18 months.

Applications must include both an academic and non-academic (typically industry) supervisor from eligible organisations. Eligible non-academic partners typically come from the bioscience industry sector, however they may include charities and levy bodies. Any organisation that is eligible for funding from any research council is not eligible to be a non-academic partner.

More information and application details are available here.

Save St Andrews Botanic Garden

2013-05-17T00:00:00

Extended petition deadline -20 May

You can sign a petition against the closure of the garden by going to:

http://www.st-andrews-botanic.org

and clicking on "Sign the Save the Garden Petition". Couldn't be easier. The petition now closes on 20 May and will be presented to the University together with a business plan for the Garden's future development.

Save St Andrews Botanic Garden - formal delivery of petition (28 May)

The petition will be delivered formally on Tuesday 28 May, as follows:

11.45: Gather in front of the University chapel in North St.

11.55: Short walk to College Gate.

12.00: Speech by Bob Mitchell, and (we hope!) presentation of petition to the University representative.

12.10: Press photographs.

12.15: Disperse.

You would be most welcome to join the delivery event. RSVP to Angela Montford (St Andrews Botanic Garden Education Trust): angelamontford@tiscali.co.uk

Daniel Barker

Have an interest in Marine Biology

2013-05-17T00:00:00

Marine Resources is a two-day short course (20-21st June 2013) held at the University of Sheffield. It combines short lectures, practical sessions, and case studies to give an introduction to the identification and analysis of the remains of marine animals that have been recovered from archaeological sites.

The Marine Resources course will train participants in the identification and analysis of some of the main types of archaeological remains associated with exploitation of marine environments in the past; fish bones, marine molluscs, marine birds, crustaceans and marine mammals. The course also includes sessions on the application of isotopic and artefact studies in the recognition of marine resource use.

The cost for the two-day course is £180 (£120 students)

More information about the course can be found here.

A place on the course can be booked through the following link.

School Manager Drop-in Surgery

2013-05-17T00:00:00

I will be in the Harold Mitchell Building on Tuesday 21st May, from 2:00 to 5:00pm for questions, complaints, compliments or just a chat.

Please stop by the seminar room!

Donna

MASTS Annual Science Meeting 2013

2013-05-17T00:00:00

The Marine Alliance for Science and Technology for Scotland will hold its third Annual Science Meeting (ASM) on Tuesday 27th – Thursday 29th August 2013 at the Heriot-Watt University Conference Centre, Edinburgh.

MASTS - Advances and Impacts!

This cross-disciplinary meeting brings together all members of the MASTS community, with the aim of promoting and communicating research excellence and forging new scientific collaborations. The cross-disciplinary nature of the event as well as the high calibre of the selected talks means that scientists can broaden their knowledge in marine science as well as benefit from expertise and ideas gained in a range of fields other than their own.

A 'buffet' of science presentations and e-poster sessions will take place on the first two days, together with Plenary Speakers and opportunities to network. We also invite you to join us at the conference dinner to be held on the evening of Tuesday 27th August. On the third day, the venue will host a number of meetings and workshops.

The MASTS ASM is an inclusive event and we encourage all members of the Scottish Marine Science community to attend.

For further details click here.

Grant Award

2013-05-17T00:00:00

The Gunn-Moore group has been awarded £120K from the Alzheimer’s Society and SULSA for a two year postdoctoral position on developing novel drugs for the treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease.

Well done!

Network Support Ends for XP, also Appletalk

2013-05-20T00:00:00

1. Support for the PC operating system Windows XP will be phased out from now over the next 10 months

This means that, for security reasons, XP computers will no longer be allowed to be used connected to the University's wired or wireless networks.

If your own desktop or laptop computer uses Windows XP, or if you use a piece of shared equipment which uses a computer with Windows XP, we need to know about it so that we can work out the best way forward. This may mean a hardware or software upgrade, or both, or in the case of laboratory equipment or microscopes, if upgrades are impossible, ITS have indicated that special arrangements may be possible. Either way, the first step is to let us know about any Windows XP computers. 'Keeping your head down' won't be an option, as ITS can detect and block XP machines remotely.

2. Support for the Mac filesharing platform called 'Appletalk' will also end with upcoming changes to the University's network.

If you currently use Windows XP, or Appletalk, please let us know by emailing medialab@st-andrews.ac.uk

Research Futures 2013: Public Engagement and the Impact Agenda

2013-05-17T00:00:00

You may be aware that after a gap of 4 years, the Research Futures conference (formerly organised by GRADSkills) is to return as a fixture in the University calendar. Under the auspices of CAPOD and St Leonard’s College, the first of the new Research Futures conferences will take place in the Gateway Building on 4 June, and will focus on the theme of Public Engagement and Impact.

As well as contributors from our own institution, there will be a diverse mix of presenters and workshop leaders from other institutions, organisations, publications and public bodies.

The conference is aimed at research staff, research-active academic staff as well as research students from St Andrews. A number of places will also be offered to other Scottish HEIs, and the conference will therefore be an excellent opportunity to network with researchers from other disciplines and other Universities.‌

The conference programme, further details and booking are available on the conference web page at https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/capod/researchfutures2013/

Bookings so far are healthy but there are still places available, particularly for research students who are currently under-represented in the attendance list.

Click here for the flyer

Gender Equality in Science Grants

2013-05-17T00:00:00

Biochemical Society Grants for Gender Equality in Science Projects

Small (£500) grants are available for projects on gender equality in science from the Biochemical Society- click here

More details about the scheme are available here.

For further reading please refer to the Society's Women in Science webpage, which also hosts our Position Statement on Gender Equality in Science.

Please refer to the Standard Conditions of the scheme before applying. The deadline for applications is 30 June 2013.

Dr Martin Ryan's Retirement

2013-05-17T00:00:00

Invitation from the Biological Society - Dr Martin Milner’s retirement

BioSoc's Last 2012 - 2013 Event

BioSoc will be holding a wine reception to mark Dr Martin Milner’s retirement on Friday 24^th May, at 2.00 pm in the Bell Pettigrew Museum, Bute Building.

This event will include a ‘Bell Pettigrew Museum Tour and Reflections‘ from Dr Milner.

Staff and students are all welcome.

The Science for Commercial Success

2013-05-17T00:00:00

The Biotechnology Young Entrepreneurs Scheme (Biotechnology YES) is an innovative competition for postgraduate and postdoctoral scientists which raises awareness of the commercialisation of ideas from the biosciences. The competition is organised jointly by UNIEI – The Haydn Green Institute and the Innovation and Skills Group at Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC).

Participants attend a half day briefing session to introduce the scheme before attending the three day residential workshop encompassing presentations and mentoring sessions from leading figures in industry. At the end of the three day workshop, teams make a presentation of their business plan to the panel of investors. Two teams from each workshop are selected to progress through to the final in London.

If you are interested in applying, in the first instance please contact Alistair Main, Assistant Director, Knowledge Transfer Centre, abm4@st-andrews.ac.uk, ext: 462165

Further details can be found here and click to download the application form

Applications must be received by 5pm on Friday 31 May

Visit of Duncan Wingham, Chief Executive of NERC

2013-05-17T00:00:00

As many of you know Duncan Wingham, the Chief Executive of the NERC will visit the University for the day on Monday, 24^th June, 2013. The details are still to be finalized, but on present plans he will present a lecture on NERC’s Strategic Direction at ~10.30 in the Medical and Biological Science Lecture Theatre at which there will be plenty of scope for a question and answer session.

Everyone is invited and perhaps at this stage you could simply let colleagues in your School know and have the opportunity to put this date in their diaries. Details will follow in early June.

Prof Chris Hawkesworth

Deputy Vice Principal

Oxygen Event

2013-05-17T00:00:00

The University will be hosting a community event on Sunday 30 June from 12.30pm to 3pm. For the final year of the 600^th Anniversary event, the Principal has asked that the event focus on ‘the future’ and look at themes of sustainability, technology, science or space exploration. We have already been in touch with some of you but this is an open invitation to all schools and departments to take part in the event, we are looking for fun interactive activities for a family audience which explore the themes above from a range of different perspectives and through a mixture of the University’s disciplines.

The format of the event will be similar to the ‘Food for Thought’ event which took place last year. It will be a drop-in style with opportunities for people to try out activities, buy food and spend an enjoyable afternoon at the University.

If you would like to take part please contact 600@st-andrews.ac.uk or call us on x1911 with details of what you would like to do.

Many thanks in anticipation of your help.

The Events Team