MICROBIOLOGY SOCIETY ANNUAL REPORT 2019 Microbiology Society (Limited by Guarantee)
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MICROBIOLOGY SOCIETY ANNUAL REPORT 2019 Microbiology Society (Limited by guarantee) Report and financial statements 31 December 2019 MEMBERS OF COUNCIL AUDITOR Directors of the limited company and Trustees of the Moore Kingston Smith LLP Contents registered charity Devonshire House *outgoing December 2019 60 Goswell Road † incoming January 2020 London Introduction from the President and Chief Executive 6 EC1M 7AD Strategic plan 2018–2022 7 Professor Judith Armitage BANKERS Professor Maggie Smith National Westminster Bank plc Progress towards our strategic objectives 14 Professor Ian Roberts 13 Market Place Professor Mark Harris† Reading Risk management 63 Professor Jodi Lindsay Berkshire Professor Mick Tuite* RG1 2EP Structure, governance and management 64 Professor Stephen Smith† Dr Tadhg Ó Cróinín SOLICITORS Financial review 66 Professor Paul Kellam RadcliffesLeBrasseur Professor Nicola Stonehouse* 5 Great College Street Independent auditor’s report 68 Dr Chloe James† London Dr Amy Pickering SW1P 3SJ Statement of financial activities 72 Professor George Salmond Professor David Blackbourn INVESTMENT MANAGERS Balance sheet 73 Professor Tracy Palmer Waverton Investment Management Limited Professor Deirdre Devine (until February 2020) Statement of cash flows 74 Professor Charles Dorman 21 St James’s Square Professor John Morrissey London Notes to the financial statements 75 SW1Y 4HB SENIOR STAFF Tilney Investment Managers Limited Dr Peter Cotgreave (Chief Executive and Company (from February 2020) Secretary) 6 Chesterfield Gardens London Sarah Buckman (Director of Strategy and Members’ W1J 5BQ Programmes, on maternity leave until September 2019) REGISTERED OFFICE (until August 2019) Tony McBride (Interim Director of Strategy and Charles Darwin House Members’ Programmes, until September 2019) 12 Roger Street London Tasha Mellins-Cohen (Director of Publishing) WC1N 2JU Joanne Morley (Chief Operations Officer) REGISTERED OFFICE (from September 2019) 14–16 Meredith Street London EC1R 0AB REGISTERED NUMBER 1039582 REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBERS England and Wales 264017 Scotland SC039250 1 Our principal goal Our strategic objectives To develop, expand and strengthen the networks available to our We will enable our members to strengthen their existing members so that they can generate new knowledge about microbes and relationships and gain access to new communities, unlocking the ensure that it is shared with other communities. potential for knowledge exchange. I joined the Microbiology Society for similar reasons as the ones that triggered Overall, attending FEMS as a Microbiology Society Champion has been an me to organise this first GAS UK meeting: my curiosity to meet other invaluable experience. Not only have I improved my scientific research and researchers from similar but diverse backgrounds and to learn from their development, but I was able to network, expand my connections and improve expertise. The Society and our meeting both give us the unique opportunity my personal presentation skills. to bring people together that establish new opportunities to network and As a Microbiology Society Champion, I experienced the best of both worlds. exchange knowledge. I would encourage anyone to become a Champion; the support and the “ I am very grateful for the funding we have received from the Microbiology “ opportunities the Microbiology Society provide you with are phenomenal. Society and New England Biolabs – as well as additional funding from the MRC You are able to work in different locations, participate in a variety of events – to organise and run this first of hopefully many GAS focus research meetings and be at the forefront of networking. Being a Champion has definitely in the UK. improved my confidence through speaking with different people, ranging from Dr Helge Dorfmueller, member and organiser of the inaugural Group A undergraduate students to professors. I look forward to the opportunities I will Streptococcus (GAS) UK meeting, was hosted at the London School of Hygiene have as a Society Champion in the future. and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) in October 2019 Member and Microbiology Society Champion Winnie Lee attended the Federation of European Microbiological Societies (FEMS) Congress in Glasgow in July 2019, with over 2,700 delegates from 90 countries in attendance, and London School of “ Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) in October 2019 “ 2 3 Our strategic objectives Our strategic objectives We will advance understanding of microbiology and champion the We will reinforce the Society’s long-term sustainability and contribution made by microbiology, our members and their work in resilience by diversifying income streams, increasing efficiency and addressing global challenges. ensuring robust governance. We set up and facilitated two exciting hands-on activities themed ‘DNA and I felt that the application process for the Harry Smith Vacation Studentship Diversity.’ I couldn’t be more excited to be getting support from both the lab was a really valuable experience as it asked me to provide the background and and the Microbiology Society to do what I love the most; sharing my work and justification for my research proposal in a similar way to how a larger grant the world of microbiology with youngsters. application would. The application process also gave me the experience of In line with my passion for making science accessible to everyone, the aim of really planning a project and the methodology out so that it would be clear not the event was to introduce the girls to the world of Microbiology and inspire only to the reviewing committee but also clear for the student to understand “ them towards science careers by stimulating their interest through hands-on “ and refer to throughout their time in the lab. Additionally, this studentship science-based activities. The presence of other young and early career female allowed me to follow up on an idea related to my current project, which I scientists besides myself served to inspire as role models. This makes a huge wouldn’t have had time to do myself, whilst offering a student the opportunity impression on the girls, teachers and parents alike. to work in a research laboratory. As part of Biology Week in 2019, Member and Microbiology Society Champion Dr Following the award, I was able to see first hand how to manage a grant and Linda Oyama taught primary school girls about DNA along with a team of female it also gave me the chance to mentor and supervise a highly motivated and scientists from Queen’s University, Belfast talented undergraduate student. Overall, I feel this studentship has helped me develop some of the skills that I will need to further my career in the future. Member and Microbiology Society Champion Winnie Lee attended the Federation of European Microbiological Societies (FEMS) Congress in Glasgow in July 2019, with over 2,700 delegates from 90 countries in attendance, and London School of “ Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) in October 2019 “ 4 5 Introduction from the Strategic plan 2018–2022 President and Chief Executive In 2019 we built on the foundations of our We are a strong voice for our membership and Our vision: a world in which the science of microbiology provides strategy 2018-2022 and looked towards the 75th the wider microbiology community, and we value anniversary of the Microbiology Society in 2020, the participation of our members across the UK maximum benefit to society. embarking on a programme to demonstrate the and Ireland. During 2019, Science Foundation impact of microbiologists - past, present and Ireland (SFI), the largest single funder of scientific future. research in the Republic of Ireland, consulted on its strategy to launch its new five-year plan Our principal goal is to develop, expand and in early 2020. We surveyed our Irish members, strengthen the networks available to our drafted a discussion paper to stimulate debate members so that they can generate new and held a series of workshops with members in In 2020 we will celebrate 75 years since our knowledge about microbes and ensure that is Ireland. The level of engagement from members founding with a programme of projects and shared with other communities. In the second has been extremely high, and we are developing activities designed to demonstrate the impact of year of our strategy we worked to bring together a position statement for release in 2020. This will microbiologists - past, present and future. The and empower the communities that shape the consider what further steps we can take in the world is facing indisputable challenges, from future of microbiology via our flagship Annual future to ensure that the wider issues of funding climate change to antimicrobial resistance. The Conference held in Belfast, and our Focused microbiology are given sufficient attention. opportunity for us to adapt and do more for our Meeting programme, and by hosting the membership and community has never been Federation of Infection Societies (FIS) Conference In 2019 we launched Access Microbiology, a greater. 2019. new service to members of our community allowing the publication of replication studies, During our 75th anniversary we will shine a light Hosting FIS gave us a unique insight into negative or null results, research proposals, data on the role of and value provided by developing our community to better represent management plans, additions to established microbiologists working to resolve these the needs of clinicians and health-related methods, and interdisciplinary