Liverpool Biochemistry Centenary Meeting

Programme Committee Meeting Thursday 11 November 1999

Present: Prof. Huw Rees (chair), Dr Andy Bates, Dr Dave Fernig, Dr Sandy McLennan, Prof. Philip Rudland.

1. Apologies were received from Prof. Julian Crampton, Prof. Malcolm Jackson and Dr Mike White.

2. Minutes of the meeting of ‘November 4 1999 were accepted.

3. Matters arising

3 - 3(i) Biochemical Society HHR had received an email from Sheila Mills at the Biochemical Society. Concerning the registration fee, she says we are at liberty to charge whatever fee we feel is appropriate, but the Biochemical Society would wish to have a contribution to their secretariat costs, if the meeting is finally in profit. She is not currently aware of any clashing meetings, although she is still looking at information. In this context, it was thought that we should flag the existence of our meeting through the Society. It was agreed that we would send the Society an announcement with the following form of words:

Signalling the Future

A University of Liverpool, School of Biological Sciences International Meeting

Celebrating 100 Years of Biochemistry in Liverpool and the UK

2nd - 6th September 2002

Action HHR

3 - 3(ii) Accommodation HHR noted that the Conference Office had now confirmed a provisional booking of room in Dale Hall. The current state of room bookings is as follows:

Dale 265 (two rooms sharing one bathroom) or 136 (en-suite rooms)
Derby 101 (en-suite) plus 200 (standard)

Also available, but not yet booked are:

McNair 161 (standard)
Salisbury 220 (standard)

With all of these, the totals would be:

818 (237 en-suite) with Dale counted as en-suite or
897 (101 en-suite; 265 shared bathroom) with Dale counted as shared.

However, in view of the capacities of the two large lecture theatres A and B (625), it was felt that we should tentatively be thinking of a ceiling on numbers of around 700, given that some delegates will inevitably attend for less than the full free days. Nevertheless, it was agreed that all the above accommodation would be booked provisionally. Final confirmation is only required 12 months before the event, although if another party expressed an interest, we would be asked for a rapid decision.

Action HHR

3 - 5. Minutes ADB confirmed that he had made the minutes of the first two committee meetings available on a Liverpool-only Web page devoted to the Meeting:

http://www.liv.ac.uk/~bates/local_html/Meeting/Home.html.

The address had been sent to the ‘Biochemistry’ staff, Jon Saunders and Brian Tomsett. ADB asked that he be made aware of any useful Web addresses or other information - he will provide links on the page, so that all this information is conveniently accessible.

3 - 6. Finance In the absence of MJJ, further discussion of an approach to the Wellcome Trust was not possible.

5(i) Howard Hughes Investigators DGF had not yet checked the pedigree of the Howard Hughes Investigators in the list, but will do so in due course.

Action DGF

5(ii) Historical Speaker ADB and AGM had spoken briefly to George Pitt about possible Historical speakers. George had suggested Jack Pennock or Frank Hemmings. However, further discussion centred around the possibility of asking George himself, or perhaps asking Rob Beynon. This will be considered further.

4. Programme (continued)

The remaining discussion concerned the design of the programme. The symposium themes from the previous week’s meeting were considered further; in some cases more appropriate names were thought up, and Biochemical Society Groups or other sources of funding were attached to them. The following list is a comprehensive list of the current state of play. The next stage is to put together a letter or letters to go to potential partners in the organisation of these symposia.

Non-invasive Biochemistry

MRHW to consider possible sponsors or partners.

Action AGM/DGF/PSR

5. AOB - None.

6. Date of next meeting: To be announced

 

Andy Bates