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ECR Winter Symposium 2024
Durham, UK – December 12, 2024 – The Early Career Researchers' Winter Symposium 2024, hosted at Durham University, marked an exciting event for the next generation of researchers at the boundaries of the life sciences and the other physical sciences. With over 50 attendees from eight institutions and companies, the one-day event focused on presenting cutting-edge research, and showcasing interdisciplinary discoveries from across biomathematics, biophysics, biological chemistry, chemical biology,
Brings Together Early Career Researchers’ from Across the Life Sciences
The symposium which was organised by Durham BSI ECRs featured three keynote lectures. Dr. Chris Coxon of the University of Edinburgh presented his work on the use of fluorinated peptide tools for chemical biology, while Dr. Danny Cole from Newcastle University discussed open-source software for building and designing SARS-CoV-2 protease inhibitors. Dr. Christine Dufès of the University of Strathclyde closed the day with a fascinating lecture on designing tumor-targeted nanomedicines for cancer therapy.
In addition to the keynote sessions, the event included a mix of short talks, flash presentations, and poster sessions from ECRs. Topics covered a wide range of fascinating subjects, from the environmental sensitivity of DNA hairpins to the biophysics of bacterial protein-RNA droplets.
A special highlight of the day was the industry panel, which included Dr Elizabeth Crone from Owlstone and Dr Neil Lant from Procter & Gamble. The panel provided valuable insights into the relevance of research in industrial contexts and discussed career pathways for researchers considering industry roles.
The symposium concluded with the announcement of awards, recognizing the outstanding contributions of ECRs.
- ECR Oral Presentation Prize: Francisca D’Rozario from the University of York, with the People’s Choice Oral Presentation Prize awarded to Eleanor Taylor-Newman of Durham University.
- Poster Prize: Hannah Cole from Durham University, with the People’s Choice Poster Prize awarded to Katy Hollands from the University of York.
- Rapid Oral Presentation Prize: Charlotte Fletcher from Newcastle University, with the People’s Choice Prize awarded to Norah Alanazi, Durham University.
The Biophysical Sciences Institute are very grateful to the ECR organizers Libbi Moon, Ermando Canga, Dorothea Barnes, Dr. Will Brittain, and Dr. Liz Morris for their hard work leading to the success of the symposium. The 2024 Early Career Researchers' Winter Symposium embodied the BSI’s spirit of innovation and collaboration, and it is expected to remain a fixture in the academic calendar for years to come.
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