SAVE THE DATE
15 May 2025: BSMT 40th Annual Microbiology Conference.
Venue: Royal Air Force Museum, Hendon.
39th ANNUAL MICROBIOLOGY CONFERENCE
Venue: UKHSA, Colindale
Date: Thursday 02 May 2024
Rapid Diagnostics ~ warts and all
Read Programme Preview 1 and Programme preview 2 in readiness for the Conference. The final preview article is available here.
Profiles for Chairs and Speakers
How do we assess and value rapid diagnostics?
Dr Luke Moore, Consultant Infectious Diseases, Microbiology & Virology, Chelsea & Westminster NHS Foundation Trust
Next-generation molecular diagnostics: Leveraging digital technologies to enhance multiplexing in real-time PCR
Dr Jesus Rodriguez-Manzano, Associate Professor, Imperial College, London
STI AMR surveillance; the molecular approach
Dr Michelle Cole, Principle Clinical Scientist, STI Reference lab, UKHSA
Setting up a Microbiology service in a low to middle income country
Ivor Mitchelmore, Now retired Chief BMS, Luton & Dunstable University Hospital
Evaluation of a unified metagenomic method for rapid detection of bacteria, fungi and viruses in clinical samples
Adela Alcolea-Medina, Lead, Next Generation Sequencing, Infection Sciences, Synovis, St Thomas’ Hospital, London
UKHSA: What next for AMR? The 2024-2029 UK Antimicrobial Resistance National Action Plan
Dr Alicia Demirjian, Clinical Lead, Antimicrobial Resistance & Prescribing (AMRP), UKHSA and Consultant in Paediatric Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Evelina London Children's Hospital
Dr Kate Templeton, BSMT President and Professor Brian Duerden CBE, will chair the conference
About the Conferences
BSMT conferences are aimed at senior biomedical and clinical scientists, other scientists, medical microbiologists and other healthcare professionals. They are particularly relevant for bench microbiologists to provide up-to-date information about organisms and techniques especially with regard to new molecular technologies.
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CPD
The Microbiology Conference on 02 May 2024 is registered with the IBMS - download the Self Assessment Sheet.
The 2024 conference was dedicated to the memory of Mahsa Amini
Mahsa Amini, an Iranian student about to start a degree in Microbiology but was arrested on 13 September 2022 for ‘improperly wearing the mandatory head covering’; she died in police custody several days later.
We are offering several grants in memory of Mahsa Amini aimed at potential delegates who would otherwise not be able to attend the BSMT conference due to financial reasons. The grant is for the registration fee and/or the cost of travel (standard rate). To apply for the grant, please write a short summary (one side of A4) of your reasons and send to BSMT Chair, Dr Mark Wilks (mwilks@bsmt.org.uk). They will be assessed by a subgroup of the BSMT committee.
UK 5-year action plan for antimicrobial resistance 2024 to 2029 is published
This second 5-year national action plan supports the UK 20-year vision for antimicrobial resistance.
Articles
Newly in - two excellent previews of the coming annual conference published in the Biomedical Scientist April 2024 and Pathology in Practice February 2024:
Microbiology: Rapid Diagnostics Warts and All
Rapid diagnostics - warts and all: a microbiology conference preview
Read Topics in Microbiology and infection: a review of the BSMT conference. An article published in Pathology in Practice giving an overview of the recent BSMT conference May 2023.
The following articles are previews of the conference on 11 May 2023. The first Microbial technology: a further preview of this year’s BSMT conference covers the global problem of AMR and childhood respiratory infections by Dr Mark Wilks, Chair of BSMT Committee. The second article Topics in microbiology and infection: 2023 BSMT exhibition preview is an introduction to the 20 leading biomedical science companies which are supporting the event. We invite all attendees to visit each trade stand and come armed with your questions to the commercial representatives.
Read Under the Microscope: Microbiology and Infection by David Westrip. A shorter version of this was published in the Biomedical Scientist April 2023.
Read Revolution in genomics and microbiology: the impact of technology by Mark Wilks. A report on the BSMT microbiology conference July 2022.
Past Events
Follow the link to see information on previous BSMT conferences.
New Website
We hope you like this new website developed by Mike Brind at Step Communications Ltd - many thanks to Mike for his skills and patience during our training in editing the new website.
Our previous website was built 15 years ago by Henry Bevan and has served us well – many thanks to Henry who has provided such good service often at short notice and for his continuing help and advice.
Thanks also to Steve Dillon (also at Step Communications Ltd) for designing our new Logo and for his forbearance in providing many options for us to choose from.
2024 Conference
Invitation to Comment on UK SMIs
All microbiologists are invited to comment of the UK Standards for Microbiology Investigations (UK SMIs).
Go to UK SMI page here