PHG Foundation | www.phgfoundation.org

This conference aims to provide a critical, comparative analysis of world-wide research on the ethical, legal and social implications (ELSI) of genomic science and technology, and promote communication between ELSI researchers, genomic scientists, policy-makers and the public, in order to improve the translation of ELSI research into practices and policies and the anticipation of emerging genomics issues.

Venue: Renaissance Hotel, Cleveland, Ohio

Professor John Dupre, Director of the ESRC Centre for Genomics in Society (Egenis), Exeter University. Part of the Cambridge Bioethics Forum seminar series.

Venue: Wilkins Rooms, Downing College, Cambridge.

ERBI is celebrating a decade of bio-entrepreneurship in Cambridge at its 10th Annual BioPartnering Exchange .

The Cambridge biotech cluster has witnessed spectacular successes over the last 10 years – including the launch of the UK’s first blockbuster drug, and the largest ever pharma-biotech deal in Europe.

Delegates can discover why Cambridge is Europe’s most successful bio-cluster; access the latest developments in drug discovery, platform technologies and services; and discuss the trends that will drive Cambridge's success in the next decade.

Venue: The Wellcome Trust Genome Campus

The Milroy Lecture, given by Dr Ron Zimmern - Executive Director of the PHG Foundation.

Advances in genomic science have led to a much greater knowledge of disease mechanisms and the development of novel technologies such as genetic tests and molecular biomarkers. Government policy now explicitly supports the commercialisation of scientific research, exhorting all sectors, academic and industry alike, to regard scientific development as a key driver for economic success. This drive for innovation has led to the marketing of many new diagnostic tests, including those that claim to predict future disease risk or prognosis.

The UK does not have an effective framework for addressing the clinical evaluation of diagnostics. This lecture will argue that greater attention must be given to this subject, and that introduction of tests into clinical practice requires evaluation within a robust and transparent regulatory framework. It will further argue that public health practitioners of the future will need to understand genomic and molecular science in order to be able to distinguish the hype and rhetoric of modern biological science from reality.

Venue: Royal College of Physicians, London

This one-day conference will review scientific progress in the area of genetic susceptibility testing and consider the policy issues raised by this new generation of tests, with a particular emphasis on the regulation of consumer genetics.

The Society for Genomics Policy and Population Health (SGPPH) aims to promote interdisciplinary discussion and research into issues raised by developments in genomics and health.

Venue: Education Centre, Birmingham Women's Hospital

This 3-day event will represent the pioneering work being conducted by 50 of the world's most respected research and commercial organisations.

Venue: London, UK

Advances in genomic science have led to a much greater knowledge of disease mechanisms and the development of novel technologies such as genetic tests and molecular biomarkers. Government policy now explicitly supports the commercialisation of scientific research, exhorting all sectors, academic and industry alike, to regard scientific development as a key driver for economic success. This drive for innovation has led to the marketing of many new diagnostic tests, including those that claim to predict future disease risk or prognosis.

The UK does not have an effective framework for addressing the clinical evaluation of diagnostics. This seminar will argue that greater attention must be given to this subject, and that introduction of tests into clinical practice requires evaluation within a robust and transparent regulatory framework. It will further argue that public health practitioners of the future will need to understand genomic and molecular science in order to be able to distinguish the hype and rhetoric of modern biological science from reality.

Venue: Large Seminar Room, 1st Floor, Institute of Public Health, University Forvie Site, Robinson Way, Cambridge.

A series of lectures followed by an open panel discussion, this half-day meeting aims to help facilitate a first conversation between scientists, social scientists, and the general public on this important and timely matter.

Speakers: Martin Bobrow, University of Cambridge; Paul Flicek, EMBL; Agnar Helgason, deCODE; Adam Hedgecoe, University of Sussex; Graham Lewis, University of York

Venue: Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge, UK

In May 2008, the State of Israel will celebrate its 60th year of independence, and this event provides us with the opportunity to illuminate the exciting Israeli community of stem cell research.

Event held in conjunction with the ILSI-Biomed Israel 2008 Conference.

Topics include: signalling in stem cells, cancer stem cells, epigenetics and reprogramming, nucluear transfer and neural stem cells.

Venue: New York, USA