Venue information

The Biochemical Society Focused Meeting 'Post transcriptional control: mRNA translation, localization and turnover' will take place at the University of Edinburgh, UK.

University of Edinburgh

Pollock Halls of Residence

18 Holyrood Park Road

Edinburgh

EH16 5AY

UK

With streets steeped in history and a thriving cultural scene, the City of Edinburgh offers the perfect balance between all things traditional and contemporary.

The UNESCO World Heritage Site at the heart of the city combines the medieval Old Town, the Georgian New Town and award winning modern architecture. Explore Edinburgh at your leisure and you'll see views that make for perfect picture postcards.

The Lothian region consists of East Lothian, Midlothian and West Lothian where you can discover tales of Scotland's past. Stately homes, dramatic castles and medieval chapels all provide a sense of Scotland's impressive history.

For more information please visit:

Edinburgh Inspiring Capital

Local City Guide

Visit East Lothian

Venue map

Edinburgh University Map

Pollock Halls map

Travelling to the venue

By air: The flight from London takes around an hour and there are over 40 flights from London airports every day. Regular services arrive in Edinburgh from other major UK cities and there are frequent scheduled flights from 40 European airports, including Amsterdam, Paris, Frankfurt and Zurich. Continental Airlines offers a daily direct service from New York's Newark airport, while Delta Airlines offer a daily direct flight between Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and Edinburgh. Further transatlantic flights arrive at Glasgow International Airport, which is one hours drive away.

Edinburgh International Airport is 8 miles (12km) west of the city centre.

The Airlink operates a frequent bus service (every 10 minutes at peak times) between Edinburgh Airport and the city centre, with designated stops en route. The last stop on the route is at the train station, from here you can get a taxi to Pollock Halls for approximately £5. Journey time is about 25 minutes and tickets cost approximately £3 single and £5 open return.

Taxi's are also widely available at the airport and cost around £15 to the city center.

More information can be found on the Edinburgh International Airport website.

By train: Edinburgh is easy to reach by train, the Great North Eastern Railway (GNER) is just under 5 hours between Edinburgh (Waverley) and London (Kings Cross).

ScotRail operate an overnight service, the Caledonian Sleeper, between London (Euston) and Edinburgh 6 nights a week.

Edinburgh train station has good rail links to other major cities too. York, Newcastle, Inverness and Aberdeen are all about 2 hours away by train, and Glasgow is just 50 minutes away. From the train station you can get a taxi to Pollock Halls for approximately £5

The following companies can provide more information:

Linking Edinburgh and London - GNER, contact number +44 (0) 8457 48 49 50

Linking Edinburgh to other towns and cities in England: Virgin, contact number +44 (0) 8457 22 23 33

Travelling to and from Edinburgh to all around Scotland: First Scotrail, contact number +44 (0) 8457 48 49 50

For all your rail travel requirements: Traveline, contact number +44 (0) 8706 08 26 08

By car: Because Edinburgh is located at the heart of the Scotish motorway network, it can be surprisingly quick and easy to get there by car.

To help plan your journey you might find The AA Route Planner and the RAC Route Planner useful.

Parking at Pollock Halls is limited and is on a first come first served basis. Pollock Halls is located next to the Commonwealth Swimming Pool on 18 Holyrood Park Road. Parking around the George Square area is limited, with a limited number of pay & display parking spaces. There is an NCP car park, located just off St Leonard's Street, which is approx 10 minutes walk from George Square.

By bus: If you are on a budget then buses are a great travel option. There are regular coach services to Edinburgh from all major UK cities.

The following companies can provide more information:

Linking Edinburgh to England: National Express, contact number +44 (0) 8705 80 80 80

Linking Edinburgh to England and to cities across Scotland: Mega Bus, contact number +44 (0) 1738 639 095

Linking Edinburgh to towns and cities across Scotland: Scottish Citylink, contact number +44 (0) 8705 50 50 50

Or

Stagecoach, contact number +44 (0) 8706 08 26 08

By taxi: Taxis can be found at designated taxi ranks in the city (such as Pollock Halls) or you can simply hail taxis as they pass by. Some taxis are adapted to carry wheelchairs.

To get to Pollock Halls of residence from the city centre, you will need to get a bus (No. 2 Lothian buses) or a taxi (approximately £5).

Registration fees and forms

Earlybird registration deadline: 07 April 2010

Registration has now reached maximum capacity. If you wish to be add to the waiting list, please contact the Conference Office.  

Internet Access

Wireless internet access is available free of charge in all public spaces for the duration of the conference. Wireless is available in the rooms as well and passwords for this can be purchased at reception for £3 per day.

Please note, there is a limited number of computers available for delegate use and therefore we recommend bringing a laptop if internet is required.

Payment of fees

All payments must be made prior to the meeting. Please note that invoices for registration fees will not be issued.

Credit card/Debit card:
(Preferred method of payment, and the only acceptable form of payment for online registration)

The following credit/debit cards will be accepted:
Mastercard and Visa.

If you wish to pay by cheque, bank draft or bank transfer please contact the Conference Office


 

Confirmation email

At the final stage of the online registration process, all registered delegates will be directed to a confirmation page and receive a separate email to confirm registration details. This confirmation should be checked carefully to ensure that all requirements are correct. In particular, the spelling of names and affiliations should be checked, as this information will be used to create badges.

Confirmation emails also act as a receipt. Please bring a copy of the email with you to the meeting.

If you have not received a confirmation email two weeks before the meeting, please contact the Conference Office.

Registering at the meeting

Please bring your confirmation email to present at the registration desk at the meeting. Badges will be issued upon registering and, for security reasons, must be worn for the duration of the meeting.

Student travel grants

The maximum student travel grant available is £150 and includes:
Registration fees (up to £50)
Accommodation (up to £50)
Travel (up to a maximum of £50)

The following principles apply to application for a Student Travel Grant:

1. Students can apply for a Travel Grant if they are a member of the Biochemical Society by the poster abstract submission deadline and have submitted a poster abstract.

2. Students can only apply for one Student Travel Grant in a year.

3. Students are not eligible for a Student Travel Grant if they have already received funding from the General Travel Fund in that same year.

4. All student members of the Biochemical Society are entitled to apply for these Travel Grants and this entitlement will extend to PhD graduates for up two years after graduation and to foreign student members in respect of travel in the UK and Irish Republic.

How to apply:
The online registration form for the meeting should be completed along with the Student Travel Grant Application Form.

Grant applications received four weeks prior to the meeting will be available for collection at the meeting (cheque only); however, you may apply for a grant at the Registration Desk, or up to four weeks after the meeting.

Subject to approval, applicants will receive a cheque for the appropriate amount. The maximum amount for travel expenses that will be reimbursed will be at the level of the current Young Persons Railcard fare. If the application does not use up the full amount of the Grant, the balance cannot be transferred to another meeting.

Poster abstract submission

Abstract submission deadline: 30 March 2010.

Online abstract submission is now closed. If you wish to submit an abstract please contact the Conference Office. Late abstracts will not appear in the programme book.
 

Has my abstract been accepted?
After submitting your abstract you should receive a submission number which will identify your abstract. If you have not received a submission number, then please email conferences@biochemistry.org immediately.

Approximately 2 weeks after the abstract submission deadline has passed, you will receive an email informing you whether your poster has been accepted or not and informing you of your poster number and session time.

All poster abstracts will be available to view online two weeks prior to the meeting.

Poster Board size: 1m wide x 2m high (portrait).

Velcro to mount your poster will be provided at the meeting.


 

Accommodation

Residential registration includes 2 nights accommodation in a twin en suite room (this will be shared unless a £40 single supplement is paid) at Pollock Halls of residence.

The key will be available from Pollock Hall reception which is open 24 hours.

Refreshments

At the meeting
Lunch and refreshments will be provided for all attendees and will be included in the registration fee.

Dietary requirements

Should you have any special dietary requirements, please indicate this on the registration form. Alternatively, please inform the Conference Office as changes to the menu cannot be made at the meeting.

Disabled access

Disabled access is available. If you require assistance during the meeting please contact the Conference Office

Sponsors and trade exhibition

The following companies will be sponsoring the meeting:
 

Sponsors

Biochemical Society Transactions
Portland Press Ltd

Biology of the Cell

BJ Gene

Exhibitors

Roche

New England Biolabs
AMS Biotechnology

Miltenyi Biotec Ltd

Life Technologies

Please feel free to view our sponsorship and trade exhibition opportunities at this meeting.

If you are interested in sponsoring or exhibiting at the meeting please contact the Conference Office.

 

Poster and Oral Communication Prize

Poster prize

Biology of the Cell will award a £150 prize to the best poster presented during the programme. The winner will receive £150 and a host of Biology of the Cell goodies. Entrants must be PhD students or post doctoral scientists within 7 years of receiving their PhD. To enter, please collect a sticker from the registration desk before the start of your poster session.

Oral communication prize

BJ Gene will award a £100 prize to the best selected oral communication presented during the programme. Oral communications will be selected from poster abstract and will be given during the main science programme. If you wish your abstract to be considered for an oral communication slot, please tick the box during abstract submission. 

Funding your research independence

The funding workshop will be made up of an expert panel:

Simon Morley (University of Sussex, UK)

Anne Willis (University of Nottingham/MRC Toxicology Unit, Leicester, UK) 

David Wyllie (University of Edinburgh, UK)

Bob Hill (MRC Human Genetics Unit, Edinburgh, UK)

The workshop is free of charge to all registered delegates. Please note that the workshop is now full and therefore no more delegates can be accepted to participate.

All workshop attendees will be asked to submit questions prior to the workshop.

The workshop will be chaired by Matt Brook (University of Edinburgh, UK) and the panel will be directed to respond to questions posed in advance from delegates. There will also be time for additional questions and discussion.

The key questions to be addressed will be:

1) What funding avenues are currently available that enable a researcher to attain independence?

2) What will maximise your chances of being successful in applying for such funding?

Refunds

Cancellations will be accepted in writing until 28 May 2010, and a refund (less £15 administration charge) will be issued.

After this date, neither full nor partial refunds can be given. Please note that refunds of less than £15 cannot be issued.
 

Official letters of invitation

Official letters of invitation, which are intended to assist with administrative arrangements in certain countries will only be issued when the individual has completed the following criteria:

1) Submitted an abstract which has been approved by the meeting scientific organizer for inclusion into the relevant meeting.

2) Sent a letter from the head of their academic department on University headed paper saying why they need to attend the meeting in relation to their research.

3) Registered and paid for the meeting:
Such letters do not imply commitment of financial or other support by the organizers.
 

Tweeting and Blogging

Tweeting and blogging at Biochemical Society conferences

With increasing frequency, conference attendees at scientific conferences are using Twitter or blogs to share and highlight interesting information discussed at conferences, and also to network with each other. The Biochemical Society has created the following policy with regards to the use of networking sites at Biochemical Society conferences.

The Biochemical Society’s Twitter and blogging policy

Harden Conferences
Proceedings and abstracts of Harden Conferences are unpublished, in order to promote the exchange of novel information and ideas.  Delegates are asked to respect the closed nature of the conferences, and not to report information discussed via Twitter, Facebook, blogs and similar social networks.

Focused Meetings and Annual Symposia

The Biochemical Society encourages the discussion of its conferences via Twitter, Facebook and similar social networks.  In order to promote discussion and the exchange of information, delegates who wish to tweet are asked to use the Biochemical Society hashtag:

#biochemsoc

Speakers will be made aware of this policy, and have the right to ask delegates not to disseminate their research via the Internet. If a Speaker makes this request, delegates are asked not to discuss the relevant work in this way. Delegates are respectfully asked to refrain from communicating using mobile devices whilst lectures are in progress.

Contact Us

If you require any further information, please contact:
 

The Conference Office
The Biochemical Society

Charles Darwin House

12 Roger Street

London WC1N 2JU

UK

Email: conferences@biochemistry.org

Telephone (Conference Office): +44 (0) 207 685 2450
Telephone (Main reception): +44 (0) 207 685 2400
Fax: +44 (0) 20 7685 2467