The health of humans and animals is intrinsically linked, a fact that previously has received little attention. Now, a two-day event on 15-16 October in Birmingham aims to redress this imbalance.
The field of biomedical science is most commonly associated with human medicine and specifically with the laboratory diagnosis of human disease. However, statistics from universities that offer degrees in biomedical science indicate that only a minority of their graduates from these courses go on to work in that area of biomedical science. Many can be found in veterinary school laboratories, government veterinary diagnostic laboratories, the pharmaceutical industry, commercial veterinary diagnostic laboratories, and in research establishments. Previously, there has not been the opportunity for people in those fields to come together to meet and discuss topics of common interest. Now, the Veterinary Biomedical & Pharma Sciences (VBMPS) congress, scheduled to take place at the International Convention Centre (ICC) in Birmingham on 15-16 October, aims to fill that gap.
One health
Mirroring the successful format of the IBMS Biomedical Science Congress, the two-day event will include plenary sessions and parallel sessions in a range of disciplines. The plenary sessions will be on the theme of 'One Health', recognising that the health of humans and animals are intrinsically linked. Concurrent sessions will be held in Cellular Pathology, Microbiology, Haematology/Biochemistry and Pharma Science, with the last topic focusing on drug discovery and toxicological pathology. Owing to the overlap of human and animal bioscience, it is expected that the Congress will be relevant to people working in biomedical science in the fullest sense of the term, and it is hoped that it will become a permanent feature on the biomedical science calendar. The event will also be supported by an exhibition in Hall 4 at the ICC.
Posters: a call for action
Researchers, practitioners, universities and students are invited to submit an abstract for a project, review, report or case study to be presented as a poster during the VBMPS Congress. The poster presentations will be sited in the delegate circulation/exhibition area of the event (ICC Hall 4), and will be on display for one day (see box). If a poster abstract accepted, the presenter's fee will be waived for the day of the poster presentation.
There are a number of benefits to presenting your work as a poster at VBMPS, including:
* day delegate fee waived
* opportunity to improve your CV
* earn CPD credits
* promote your place of work/department/university
* raise your research profile
* present your findings.
The deadline for submission of poster abstracts is 27 April 2012.