|
Welcome to the June 2023 issue of the Engineering Biology (formerly Synthetic Biology) Interdisciplinary Research Centre Newsletter - a round-up of news, events and notices from across the initiative.
|
|
Last month EngBio IRC established two sub-committees
EngBio Postdoc and Postgrads Committees. Join the mailing list to receive news and events, meeting information
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
Applying Open Tools & Resources
|
|
|
Look out for a call for seedfund applications. Next month as part of our project: Applying Open Tools & Resources: towards Accelerating Engineering Biology Innovation in the Cambridge Cluster, the EngBio IRC will announce its Open Tech Collaborations Seed Fund in the fields of 1. Biomed and 2. Agriculture and Sustainability.
|
|
|
|
EngBio Forum
Save the Date
27 November
|
|
Thank you to everyone who attended our Forum in-person and virtually on 4 May and making it a great success. Please save the date of the next Forum which will be on Monday 27 November at St Catharine's College. Registration open in September.
|
|
|
|
Cambridge Festival
14 - 28 March 2024
|
|
|
The festival will give us opportunity to highlight research through interesting talks and events covering the intersection of biology, engineering and computing within the themes of Health, Society, Environment & Discovery. Get in touch with us at coordinator@engbio.cam.ac.uk if you like to contribute.
Read more
|
|
|
|
|
|
ENGBIO POSTDOCS MEET & GREET
3rd Monday of Each Month, 12-1pm
Postdoc Centres at Mill Lane & Eddington
Join our monthly lunches to meet postdocs from across the University interested in biology, engineering, design, computer science, bioethics and more. Open to postdocs, students and research staff from across the University and affiliated institutes (MRC-LMB, Babraham Institute, Wellcome Sanger Institute).
Monday 17 July 12pm-1pm, Postdoc Centre Basement, 16 Mill Lane.
Layla Malouf, Dept of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology
"Building synthetic cells using DNA nanotechnology"
RSVP on Meetup or email vr314@cam.ac.uk
Future dates: 18 September Aaran Vijayakumaran, MRC Toxicology Unit
We also need speaker volunteers for future meetings, so if you’re able to give a 5-10min, overview of your research or a particular tool or technique that you use, please email Vicky at vr314@cam.ac.uk
|
|
|
CAFE SYNTHETIQUE
1st Monday of the Month
Panton Arms, Cambridge
We are back on Monday 3 July with Dr Mark Kotter, NIHR Clinical Scientist, University of Cambridge/CEO bit.bio
Title: on "Reprogramming human cells - from academia to scale up"
Sign Up HERE
Future Dates for your Diary: Mon 4 September
|
|
|
BIOMAKER MEETUP
3rd Wednesday of Each Month, 7:30-9pm
Cambridge Makespace, 16 Mill Lane
Monthly in-person, informal meetup at the Cambridge Makespace for anyone wanting to repair, design or build lab equipment. Bring your own project to work on (anything involving lab hardware is welcome), take the opportunity to work through Biomaker training with others or join one of the Beneficial Bio community projects.
21 June - See here for Info
|
|
|
Online & In-Person Events & News from Around the Web
|
|
BioResource Scientific Conference
28 June, 09:30-12:30
Join NIHR BioResource for their first scientific conference, showcasing the range of research made possible by using their infrastructure, access to samples, data & volunteer recall.
This event is free. Please find more info and register here: https://bit.ly/bio-conference-2023
|
|
|
|
Supporting researchers to work equitable with Low and Middle Income Countries - July Workshops
As part of the School of Biological Sciences’ commitment to supporting and promoting responsible research, events that are being delivered in partnership with the UK Collaborative on Development Research:
Research symposium: Equitable Partnerships to study disease in Low and Middle Income Countries - Monday 3rd July, 1 – 5pm, Robinson College, in person
The symposium will have a broad biological/biomedical focus, spanning human, animal and plant diseases that are both communicable and non-communicable
Register here: https://forms.office.com/e/AThpRYRM8R
Training workshop: Benefits, challenges and best practices for equitable partnership research with Low and Middle Income Countries Tuesday 11th July, 9:30 – 12:30, Trinity Hall, in person Register here: https://forms.office.com/e/vK7YVcqEzr
|
|
|
EMBL-EBI/University of Cambridge symposium 2023!
21 September 9am-5.30pm
The University of Cambridge and EMBL-EBI are hosting a joint one-day computational biology symposium to explore collaborative research and future opportunities between the two institutions. With an opening address from University Pro-Vice Chancellor for Research Anne Ferguson-Smith and EMBL-EBI Deputy Head of Research Virginie Uhlmann, the symposium will showcase successful current collaborative work and look at new breakthroughs and opportunities in and around the area of computational biology. Attendance is open to anyone at either the University of Cambridge or EMBL-EBI who has registered. All attendees are also welcome to bring a poster to present their work. Date: 21 Sep 2023 Venue: Hinxton Hall Conference Centre
Full details and registrations
|
|
|
MRC Prizes - deadline 30 June
Nominations are now for the MRC Impact Prize 2023 and the MRC Millennium Medal 2023 competitions. These prestigious prizes are awarded annually to outstanding individuals and teams across a broad career stage. Awardees will have made transformative impacts in medical research, from scientific discoveries to improving the wider research environment and culture.
Further details on the eligibility and nomination process can be found here.
For any questions, please email medal@mrc.ukri.org
|
|
|
|
Cambridge Enterprise Events
We run a number of events and programmes throughout the year for University members and external organisations. Our activities also bring together the University community with industry, investors, collaborators and partners.
Our programmes and events include knowledge sharing, training, showcases and networking opportunities covering a range of topics relating to impact and commercialisation. More Info Here.
Highlights includes The Chris Abell Postdoc Business Plan Competition - Are you a Cambridge postdoc working on innovative research? Do you have a great business idea? this can help you realise its full potential – and you could be in the running to win £20k investment. Close 16 July.
|
|
|
Physics of Living Matter Symposium (PLM17) - 28 & 29 September 2023 Cambridge.
As in previous years the conference will take place at Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics, Cambridge.
Registrations for PLM 17 - 2023 are now open. The programme includes a fantastic line-up of expert speakers from across the globe. You can find the registration link and other important information on our website: http://www.plm-symposium.org
Early bird registration ends on the 1 August. If you would like to be considered for a short oral presentation, the deadline for abstract submission is 30 June.
|
|
|
Understanding Biology in the Age of Artificial Intelligence
30 June
This conference aims to start a conversation around the role of AI in scientific understanding, and whether breakthroughs in the intersection of AI and biology are pushing us to revise our notion of scientific understanding.
|
|
|
AESIS Societal Impact Webinar Series
June
The Network for Advancing and Evaluating the Societal Impact of Science (AESIS Network) is an international, open community for various types of professionals working on stimulating and demonstrating the impact of science on economy, culture and well-being. The network consists of individual and institutional members, and thus connects different stakeholders. The members all work in a variety of organisations from all over the world, where they are involved in the evaluation of impact, research strategy and policy making, funding and other impact support.
|
|
|
Milner Therapeutics Symposium - 5 July
Registration is now open for the Milner Therapeutics Symposium! The Symposium will take place on Wednesday 5th July, and the physical venue is West Road Concert Hall in Cambridge. This event is an opportunity for scientists from academia and industry to discuss the latest academic and pre-clinical research, and how it could be applied in the pharma and biotech industry to develop new treatments.
|
|
|
AstraZeneca-Funded Non-Clinical PhD studentships (2024 intake)
The AstraZeneca-funded Non-Clinical PhD studentship program is inviting applications from University of Cambridge principle investigators from 9 May 2023.
Further details about the call and how to apply can be found CATS website.
Eligibility and Criteria: All applications should be submitted as a partnership between identified principle investigators employed by the UoC and AZ. Further details on the criteria for submissions can be found in the guidance document on CATS website.
Deadline: 3 July 2023
|
|
|
6th Cambridge International Conference on Machine Learning and AI in (Bio)Chemical Engineering
Dept. of CEB 6-7 July 2023 |
| |
| The conference will be held in the Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology. Abstract admissions open now. Machine Learning and AI in Bio(Chemical) Engineering Conference series is co-organised by research groups of the Universities of Cambridge, Leeds, Glasgow, Southampton, and University College London. This series of conferences grew from two collaborative research projects on robotics and automation in chemical development. The conference will feature lectures from global champions of research in ML/AI in chemistry/(bio)chemical engineering |
Read more
|
|
|
|
The Postdoc Academy
Various writing workshops, masterclasses and events throughout the year
Researcher development encompasses all the learning and development that you experience during your time in Cambridge.It provides you with the skills you need right now for your current work, as well as for your future, whatever that might look like. You can find upcoming training, events, resources for researchers from a range of providers across the University on our Postdoc Calendar
Learn more >>
|
|
|
Public Engagement Training 'Engaged Researcher' - Now offering Online and In-Person Sessions!
The ‘Engaged Researcher’ training covers all areas of public engagement with research by combining expert led practical workshops and taught sessions. No Public Engagement story is the same and this is reflected in the diversity of the training programme offered. To register and to see full list of trainings please go to UTBS
Learn more >>
|
|
|
British Science Festival, 7-10 September 2023 Exeter.
Award Lectureships for Early Career Academics (close 23 January)
These Award Lectures aim to promote open and informed discussion of science and related disciplines. The selected lecturers receive an all-expenses paid trip to the festival where they will present their lecture, as well as public speaking coaching and a £250 honorarium. Awards are available in seven different areas: Social sciences; Engineering, technology and industry; Environmental sciences; Agricultural, biological and medical sciences; Physical sciences and mathematics; Digital innovation; Science and the arts. More information: https://www.britishscienceassociation.org/award-lectures
|
|
|
|
GASB German Conference on Synthetic Biology
18-20 September, Germany
The conference this year, GASB7, will be co-organized with Designer Biology and the European Federation of Biotechnology in Freiburg. Silvia Vignolini and Alison Smith from Cambridge will be speaking at this event.
The promotional code is COMMUNITY23 and provides a 10 Euro discount.
More Info Here
|
|
|
Other events please see our website page 'Events'
Highlights include:
Molecules and Cells Annual Day -Monday the 26th June
Understanding Biology in the Age of Artificial Intelligence (UBAI 2023)
Cambridge Social Data School - 26-30 June
C2D3 - Trustworthy and Responsible AI - Monday, 26 June 2023
|
|
|
|
If you have an opportunity to advertise to the Cambridge EngBio community, please contact the IRC Coordinator at coordinator@engbio.cam.ac.uk.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
