Introduction:

This year’s event on the theme “Social and Biosciences – a critical collaboration?” took place from 11-12 December 2008 at Lancaster University.  

It included;
• Presentations from postgraduates in the field of Genetics and Society
• Keynote speech from Assistant Director of the Genomics Forum
• A panel session with original members of PFGS
• Interactive Patent Database Workshop,
• Workshop on Law and Ethics in biosciences
• Bio-art debate led by Bio-artist

The Colloquium is open to all postgraduate students and recent post docs in any discipline with an interest in this research area. All accommodation and refreshments are provided and travel bursaries of up to £60 per student are available.

Aims and Objectives:

The Colloquia offer an opportunity to:

• rehearse ideas by presenting their work-in-progress
• discuss the research of others in a supportive and constructive environment
• attend presentations by guest speakers.

Provisional Agenda 

Attendees may want to arrive on the night of the 10th December 2008.
 

Day 1 - Thursday 11th December
 

10.00 Coffee and registration
10.30 Welcome address, keynote and opening speeches - Dr. Steve Sturdy & Professor Ruth Chadwick
11.15 Coffee
11.30 Parallel session: PFGS member papers
13.00 Lunch
14.00 Parallel session: PFGS member papers
15.00 Coffee
15.30 PFGS Alumni Panel Session - Dr Adam Hedgecoe, Dr Niall Scott and Dr Richard Tutton
17.00 Closing remarks
17.30 Wine reception hosted by Cesagen
19:00 Conference Dinner, Barkers House Farm
 

Day 2 - Friday 12th December
 

9.00 Welcome
9.15 Bio-art session
10.15 Coffee
11:00 Parallel session: PFGS member papers
12.30 Lunch: PFGS AGM over lunch
13.30 Bioethics and the Law session: Obesity testing - Dr Dita Wickins-Drazilova
14.30 Coffee
15.00 Website interactive session
15:30 Synthetic Biology: The International Patent Landscape - led by Dr Paul Oldham
16.30 Closing remarks
 

Participation:

 Registration is now closed.

Travel Information

Information about how to travel to Lancaster University can be found at http://www.lancs.ac.uk/travel/travel.htm

A map of the campus and of the area surrounding the University can be found here: http://www.lancs.ac.uk/travel/maps.htm

The Colloquium will take place in the first class conference facilities of the Institute for Advanced Studies (IAS) at Lancaster University, a dedicated centre for interdisciplinary research and home to ESRC Centre for Economic and Social Aspects of Genomics (Cesagen).The ESRC Centre for Economic and Social Aspects of Genomics (Cesagen) was established in October 2002 as a collaboration between the Universities of Cardiff and Lancaster. Cesagen is a multidisciplinary centre in which staff from social sciences and humanities work closely with natural and medical sciences to address the social, economic and policy aspects of developments in genomics.

The IAS building provides a flexible and integrated mix of research "club" space, facilitating high autonomy interactive discussion and research collaboration, and flexible research "cell" space for private scholarship and research. The ground floor incorporates the Food for Thought Cafe (open 9:00-16:00 Monday-Friday), plus a mix of well-equipped, interlinked and flexible meeting rooms, exhibition space and a staffed reception area. The Building is fully WiFi enabled.

The IAS building can be found in County College South, John Creed Avenue and is marked as 17 on the campus map submitted with this revised proposal. For more information go to: http://www.lancs.ac.uk/ias/

 

Accommodation

On campus accommodation will be provided in Fair Snape, situated just to the rear of the IAS building on John Creed Avenue. This is indicated at number 13 on the campus map. All rooms are en-suite.