The Biosciences Federation (BSF) was a
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
body formed in 2002.
Function
The Federation aimed to unite the
bioscience community over issues of common interest that related to both research and teaching. These organisations are a key component of the UK's
knowledge economy. It also aimed to influence the formulation of UK policy relating to biosciences, and to promote public debate on ethical issues. Its interests were in using knowledge gained in research to benefit society, and the impact of legislation on the life sciences industry.
Events
Each November, it would hold the ''Life Sciences Careers Conference''.
Structure
During October 2009, the Biosciences Federation was merged with the
Institute of Biology The Institute of Biology (IoB) was a professional body for biologists, primarily those working in the United Kingdom. The Institute was founded in 1950 by the Biological Council: the then umbrella body for Britain's many learned biological societie ...
(IoB) to form the
Society of Biology (which boasts some 80,000 members).
The last president of the Federation was Dame
Nancy Rothwell
Dame Nancy Jane Rothwell (born 2 October 1955) is a British physiologist. She has served as president and vice-chancellor of the University of Manchester since July 2010, having served as Deputy President and Deputy Vice-Chancellor until Januar ...
(2006–9); Richard Dyer, former director of the
Babraham Institute
The Babraham Institute is a life sciences research institution and a partner organisation of the University of Cambridge. The Babraham Institute is based on the Babraham Research Campus, partly occupying a former manor house, but also labora ...
, was the chief executive officer (2006–9). Sir
Tom Blundell
Sir Thomas Leon Blundell, (born 7 July 1942) is a British biochemist, structural biologist, and science administrator. He was a member of the team of Dorothy Hodgkin that solved in 1969 the first structure of a protein hormone, insulin. Blun ...
was a former president (2004–6).
Affiliated organisations in the federation
From 2007, the Biosciences Federation encompassed 51 member or associated organisations that covered the entire range of life sciences; these included
*
Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry
*
Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour
*
AstraZeneca
AstraZeneca plc () is a British-Swedish multinational pharmaceutical and biotechnology company with its headquarters at the Cambridge Biomedical Campus in Cambridge, England. It has a portfolio of products for major diseases in areas includi ...
*
Biochemical Society
The Biochemical Society is a learned society in the United Kingdom in the field of biochemistry, including all the cellular and molecular biosciences.
Structure
It currently has around 7000 members, two-thirds in the UK. It is affiliated with th ...
* British Andrology Society
* British Association for Psychopharmacology
*
British Ecological Society
The British Ecological Society is a learned society in the field of ecology that was founded in 1913. It is the oldest ecological society in the world. The Society's original objective was "to promote and foster the study of Ecology in its widest ...
*
British Neuroscience Association
The British Neuroscience Association (BNA) is a scientific society with around 2,500 members. Starting out as an informal gathering of scientists meeting at the Black Hourse Public House in London to discuss brain-related topics (the 'London Blac ...
*
British Pharmacological Society
The British Pharmacological Society is the primary UK learned society for pharmacologists concerned with research into drugs and the way they work. Members work in academia, industry, regulatory agencies and the health services, and many are medi ...
*
British Society of Animal Science
* British Society for Cell Biology
*
British Society for Developmental Biology The British Society for Developmental Biology (BSDB) is a scientific society promoting developmental biology research; it is open to anyone with an interest in the subject who agrees with the principles of the Society.
History
The British Society ...
*
British Society for Immunology
The British Society for Immunology, or BSI, is a UK-based organisation of British immunologists but accepts members from all countries. It was founded in November 1956 by John H. Humphrey, Robin Coombs, Bob White, and Avrion Mitchison and is on ...
*
British Society for Neuroendocrinology
* British Society for Proteome Research
* British Society for Medical Mycology
* British Toxicological Society
*
Experimental Psychology Society
The Experimental Psychology Society (EPS) is an academic society which facilitates research into experimental psychology and communication between experimental psychologists. It is based in the United Kingdom.
The society was originally formed a ...
*
Genetics Society
The Genetics Society is a British learned society. It was founded by William Bateson and Edith Rebecca Saunders in 1919 and celebrated its centenary year in 2019. It is therefore one of the oldest learned societies devoted to genetics. Its member ...
* Institute of Animal Technology
*
Institute of Biology The Institute of Biology (IoB) was a professional body for biologists, primarily those working in the United Kingdom. The Institute was founded in 1950 by the Biological Council: the then umbrella body for Britain's many learned biological societie ...
* Institute of Horticulture
* Laboratory Animal Science Association
*
Linnean Society
The Linnean Society of London is a learned society dedicated to the study and dissemination of information concerning natural history, evolution, and taxonomy. It possesses several important biological specimen, manuscript and literature colle ...
* Nutrition Society
*
Physiological Society
The Physiological Society, founded in 1876, is a learned society for physiologists in the United Kingdom.
History
The Physiological Society was founded in 1876 as a dining society "for mutual benefit and protection" by a group of 19 physiologis ...
*
Royal Microscopical Society
The Royal Microscopical Society (RMS) is a learned society for the promotion of microscopy. It was founded in 1839 as the Microscopical Society of London making it the oldest organisation of its kind in the world. In 1866, the society gained its ...
*
Society for Endocrinology
The Society for Endocrinology is an international membership organisation and registered charity representing scientists, clinicians and nurses who work with hormones. The Society was established in 1946, and currently has approximately 2,500 mem ...
*
Society for Applied Microbiology
Applied Microbiology International, formally known as the Society for Applied Microbiology (SfAM), is the oldest microbiology society in the UK founded in 1931. Its object is to advance for the benefit of the public the science of microbiology in ...
*
Society for Experimental Biology
The Society for Experimental Biology is a learned society for animal, cell and plant biologists. It was founded in 1923 at Birkbeck College to "promote the art and science of experimental biology in all its branches". It aims to demonstrate the i ...
*
Society for General Microbiology
The Microbiology Society (previously the Society for General Microbiology) is a learned society based in the United Kingdom with a worldwide membership based in universities, industry, hospitals, research institutes and schools. It is the large ...
* UK Environmental Mutagen Society
*
Zoological Society of London
The Zoological Society of London (ZSL) is a charity devoted to the worldwide conservation of animals and their habitats. It was founded in 1826. Since 1828, it has maintained the London Zoo, and since 1931 Whipsnade Park.
History
On 29 ...
Activities
The Federation responded to government consultations on biology-related issues; these responses were published on the Federation's website. It also distributed science policy news to a range of organisations that included universities, research councils, pharmaceutical companies and government bodies. The Federation hosted several life sciences careers conferences and
symposia on issues such as
open access publishing. It also supported the annual award for scientific communication.
References
External links
Society of Biology homepage
{{Authority control
Biology organisations based in the United Kingdom
Life sciences industry
Organisations based in Cambridge
Organizations established in 2002
Organizations disestablished in 2009
Professional associations based in the United Kingdom
2002 establishments in the United Kingdom