Events

Venue: Geneva Switzerland

With the completion of the human genome project, genomic and genetic research communities around the world have embarked on a new journey and continuing to push the frontier with second generation sequencing and personalised genome sequencing.

The speed and power of the new technologies will enable personal genomics and synthetic biology. These new fields raise new challenges and opportunities for society. HUGO Symposium on Genomics and Ethics, Law and Society, Sequencing of Individual Genomics: Impact on Society and Ethics will discuss the impact and potential consequences of personalised genetics on law, intellectual property, concepts of privacy, and social perception. It will be an important event for scientists, legal scholars, sociologists and ethicists to attend. The discussions will provide the framework for position papers on the subject.

Venue: National Council for Voluntary Organisations, London WC1H 9SN

This one-day meeting will be based on the theme of "Genetics and Health Promotion". Its aim is to examine the links between genetic and lifestyle factors that influence our health from a range of perspectives. It will include presentations from psychologists, social scientists, industry and public health clinicians to get a sense of how these complex factors are linked, and how best to use this knowledge in communicating key health promotion messages.  It will include presentations on the relationship between genetic factors and addiction in relation to drug and alcohol consumption. It will also examine genetic factors linked with obesity and examine the link between environmental and genetic factors in this context. The respective roles of genetic and environmental factors in influencing our perception of risk will be examined. A representative from industry will examine how the promise nutrigenetics may assist in developing healthier lifestyles in the future. The meeting will also consider the wider social implications for genetics and public health, and more explicitly how genetic information is used in health promotion by health professionals and the media.

 Speakers include: Professor Gunter Schumann, Dr David Gunn, Professor Robin Bunton, Professor Steve O’Rahilly, Professor Susan Michie, Professor Alan Maryon-Davis

A detailed programme, publicity flyer and registration form are available on the event website.

A one day seminar organised by the Postgraduate Forum in Genetics and Society (PFGS).

The PFGS invites postgraduate submissions (individual papers, panels or roundtable discussions) for its Autumn Regional Meeting. The day-long workshop aims to be participative and useful event for post-graduates, with an equal mix of presentations and discussion.

Papers so far include:
Law's involvement with PGD & questions of enhancement: an alternative stance. (Peter Lovett)
Saviour siblings & the law: has Luhmann anything useful to say? (Sharon Persaud)

Submissions are welcomed from UK postgraduates with a research interest in any area of genetics, particularly pre-implantatation genetic diagnosis or other forms of genetic testing from a disability perspective. Conference registration is free, and travel bursaries within the UK are available for all participants, including carers. The Clore Management Centre at Birkbeck is fully accessible.

Abstracts of 250 words for individuals and 250-350 for panels (including participant names) should be sent to committee@pfgs.org by 31st October.

Venue: Birkbeck College, University of London

Venue: Mercure Holland House Hotel, Cardiff

Following the successful 2007 event, another two day symposium on Clinical Cardiovascular Genetics is being organised to focus on recent developments, the current clinical and genetic practices and challenges for delivering the integrated services for inherited cardiovascular conditions.

The programme will include invited plenary talks, lectures on major topics delivered by experts, free platform presentations and poster presentations. There will be ample opportunity for discussion, net-working and multi-disciplinary team development. Abstracts for free platform and poster presentations are welcome.

Sessions will include:

·        Inherited Arrhythmias

·        Congenital Heart Disease

·        Marfan Syndrome and Related Disorders

·        Cardiomyopathies

·        Metabolic Disorders

·        Services for Inherited Cardiovascular Conditions

·        Complex cardiovascular diseases