York researchers take their science to Parliament
Posted on 9 March 2012
Posters on research by PhD student Rosemary Wilson, 25, and Postdoctoral Research Fellow Dr James Fox, 31, will be judged against research by dozens of other scientists in the only national competition of its kind.
SET for Britain is a unique opportunity to illustrate first-hand the breadth and depth of the science occurring in research institutes directly to the politicians that control the funding of our research
Dr James Fox
Rosemary Wilson, from the Department of Biology and Dr Fox, from the Centre for Immunology and Infection, were shortlisted from hundreds of applicants to appear in Parliament on Monday, 12 March.
Rosemary Wilson’s poster is on her research into the organisation of DNA and how this is different in cancer cells, while James Fox’s research is about clinical markers of disease progression and novel therapeutics to treat the retrovirus Human T Lymphotropic virus.
Dr Fox said: “SET for Britain is a unique opportunity to illustrate first-hand the breadth and depth of the science occurring in research institutes directly to the politicians that control the funding of our research.
“It is a wonderful opportunity to highlight my individual research on an often neglected virus. The virus can cause debilitating disease or blood cancers and I am very passionate about contributing towards its further understanding in the hope that this will lead to novel therapeutics to treat infected individuals and reduce the spread of the virus.”
Rosemary Wilson said: “It’s a great opportunity to tell people about my research and to try to make science more accessible to everyone. I’m also looking forward to meeting the other presenters and hearing other exciting science that is going on in the UK.”
Both the young scientists’ research has been entered into the Biology session of the competition, which will end in a gold, silver and bronze prize-giving ceremony.
Judged by leading academics, the gold medalist receives £3,000, while silver and bronze receive £2,000 and £1,000 respectively.
Andrew Miller MP, Chairman of the Parliamentary and Scientific Committee, said, “This annual competition is an important date in the parliamentary calendar because it gives MPs an opportunity to speak to a wide range of the country’s best young researchers.
“These early career scientists are the architects of our future and SET for Britain is politicians’ best opportunity to meet them and understand their work.”
The Parliamentary and Scientific Committee run the event in collaboration with The Royal Academy of Engineering, The Institute of Physics, the Society of Biology, The Royal Society of Chemistry, the Physiological Society, the Wellcome Trust and the Society of Chemical Industry, with financial support from BP, Airbus/EADS, The Institution of Engineering and Technology, AgChem Access, Oxford Instruments, IBMS and GE Hitachi.
Notes to editors:
- SET for Britain is a poster
competition in the House of Commons - involving approximately 180 early
stage or early career researchers - judged by professional and academic
experts. All presenters are entered
into either the engineering, the biological and biomedical sciences, the
physical sciences (chemistry), or the physical sciences (physics) session,
depending on their specialism.
Each session will result in the reward of bronze, silver and gold certificates. Bronze winners will receive a £1,000 prize; silver, £2,000; and gold, £3,000. There will also be an overall winner from the four sessions who will receive the Westminster Wharton Medal.
SET for Britain was established by Dr Eric Wharton in 1997. Following his untimely death in 2007, the Parliamentary and Scientific Committee, with support from The Royal Academy of Engineering, The Institute of Physics, the Society of Biology, The Royal Society of Chemistry, the Physiological Society, the Wellcome Trust and the Society of Chemical Industry are working together to further his legacy. The event is made possible by industry sponsors BP, Airbus/EADS, The Institution of Engineering and Technology, AgChem Access, Oxford Instruments, IBMS and GE Hitachi.
Early stage or early career researchers include university research students, postgraduates, research assistants, postdocs, research fellows, newly-appointed lecturers, part-time and mature students, returners, those people embarking on a second career, and their equivalent in national, public sector and industrial laboratories, and appropriate final year undergraduate and MSc students, all of whom are engaged in scientific, engineering, technological or medical research. - For further information on the Department of Biology at the University of York visit www.york.ac.uk/biology
- For further information on the Centre for Immunology and Infection at the University of York visit www.york.ac.uk/cii/
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