Environmental Microbiology Lecture 2011 Report ■ PECS: Writing up ■ ■ ■
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The magazine of the Society for Applied Microbiology ■ December 2011 ■ Vol 12 No 4 ISSN 1479-2699 WOUND INFECTION ■ The evolving challenge of war wounds ■ Is the use of honey for the treatment of biofilms a sticky subject? ■ Bateriophages’ function in wound healing ■ New SfAM website ■ Biofocus: EU legislation ■ StatNote 27 ■ Science Communication Award winner ■ Environmental Microbiology Lecture 2011 report ■ PECS: writing up ■ ■ ■ INSIDE Summer Conference 2011 report Winter Meeting 2012 SfAM events in 2012 — save the dates! New Universal Containers Excellent Leak Free Performance • New cap design gives improved seal • Leak tested in accordance with BS EN14254 New ‘QuickStart’ Cap • Easier to handle with less than ½ turn Many Other Benefits • CE Marked • 95 kPa compliant • Lot number printed on each container • Handy inner bags of 50 pieces Tel: +44 (0) 844 844 3737 Fax: +44 (0) 1495 242 242 e-mail: [email protected] www.sterilin.co.uk Sterilin is part of Thermo Fisher Scientific December 2011 ■ Vol 12 No 4 ■ ISSN 1479-2699 contentsthe magazine of the Society for Applied Microbiology members 04 Editorial: Lucy Harper talks about wound infection 07 New Members: we welcome our new members 08 President’s column: Martin Adams talks about peer review 09 CEO’s column: latest developments in the Society 10 Membership matters 41 In the loop: writing up 42 Public Engagement Grant: report 44 Sponsored Lecture Grant: report 26 45 Students into Work Grant reports 47 President’s Fund reports publications 13 Journal watch news 11 Biofocus: legislation from the European Union 24 30 Science Communication Project report 12 Winter Meeting 2012 Honey for the treatment of biofilms features 26 The evolving challenge of war wounds information Microbiologist is published quarterly by the Society for 30 The use of honey for the treatment of biofilms Applied Microbiology. ISSN 1479-2699. Registered in the UK as a charity and Company limited by guarantee. Registered in England and Wales: 6462427. Registered 33 Bacteriophages’ function in wound healing Charity: 1123044. © Society for Applied Microbiology 2007-2011. Material 37 StatNote 27: identification of bacterial strains published in Microbiologist may not be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form meetings without the prior permission of the Society. Editor: Lucy Harper. [email protected] SfAM events in 2012: save the dates! 15 Contributions: These are always welcome and should be addressed to the Editor at: [email protected] Summer Conference 2011 report 16 Advertising: Lucy Harper. Tel: +44 (0)1234 326709. email: [email protected] Communications Award 2011 winner report 22 Design and print: Pollard Creativity Limited Tel: +44 (0)1933 664700. 23 Environmental Microbiology Lecture 2011 report email: [email protected] Cover: © Pollard Creativity Limited Winter Meeting 2012 programme and booking form 24 Society for Applied Microbiology, Bedford Heights, Brickhill Drive, Bedford MK41 7PH, UK. commercial Tel: +44 (0)1234 326661. Fax: +44 (0)1234 326678. www.sfam.org.uk 50 Advertisements and news from our Corporate members 03 members hen did you last fall over and cut yourself? For me it was as a child, and I’m happy to say W Microbiologist is it’s been a long time since I encountered published quarterly by an open wound. We’re all familiar with the Society for Applied the amazing, healing ability of the Microbiology, a human body, but if wounds become registered charity. infected, the formation of biofilms can ISSN 1479-2699. mean this process is interrupted. Some Copy Dates: people encounter wounds as a matter of course as part of their daily routine and Vol 13 No.1 March 2012 on page 26 we hear about the Friday 23 Dec 2011 complications of treating wounds of Vol 13 No.2 June 2012 conflict. As the authors say, this isn’t Friday 23 March 2012 new: “The fight against the development of infection in battle Vol 13 No.3 Sept 2012 wounds is not a new problem. Friday 22 June 2012 Sumerian carvings describe the use of beer and hot water to wash wounds Vol 13 No.4 Dec 2012 Friday 28 Sept 2012 which were then dressed with a plaster of herbs or fruits. The ancient Disclaimer: The Society Egyptians used honey and sometimes assumes no responsibility animal faeces to dress wounds and for the opinions Hippocrates describes the washing of wounds expressed by with wine and the drainage of pus to reduce contributors. The views expressed by Society inflammation.” officers and staff do not editorial Hmmmm… I’m not sure about its efficacy, necessarily represent the but I like the idea of treating wounds with official position of the Lucy Harper talks about wound infection wine… Society. Readers should note that scientific — the main theme of this issue of But on a more serious note, the mention of honey leads me nicely on to our second feature material is not refereed Microbiologist on page 30 which describes the use of honey in and represents only the views of the authors. the treatment of biofilm infections. Again, this is The claims of advertisers not a new phenomenon: “Honey is an ancient cannot be guaranteed. wound remedy that has been re-introduced into modern medical practice and a range of licensed products that contain honey are Subscriptions: contribute available on prescription in Australasia, Europe and North America. A subscription to They range from sterile medical grade honey in tubes, honey Microbiologist is included in the annual We are always looking incorporated into ointments or impregnated on to dressings.” SfAM membership fee. for enthusiastic writers In the final feature article, we look at a pet love of mine — For further information who wish to contribute bacteriophages and their use in the treatment of wound infections. Turn to about the many benefits articles to the magazine page 33: “Bacteriophages are ubiquitous and more abundant than any of membership please on their chosen see page 6. microbiological subject. other nucleic acid-based entities. They display incredible variations in how they adhere to their target host cell, breach the outer defences, Advertising: For further information replicate, and eventually lyse their host to infect new cells. Added to please email the editor, Information about Lucy Harper at: this complexity are vastly different strategies for phage infections advertising in [email protected] possessed by lytic versus temperate bacteriophages. However, through Microbiologist and how persistence the therapeutic use of bacteriophages is emerging.” to submit advertise ments In keeping with the approaching festive season, this issue is also one of can be found on the celebration. We celebrate the winner of this year’s Communication Award, Society website. Professor Joanna Verran on page 22 and, as with each issue of the Website: our website magazine, we celebrate the work that’s funded by many SfAM grants, (www.sfam.org.uk) is including the Sponsored Lecture Grant and the Public Engagement Grant. a timely source of up-to- All the information you’ll need about our grants is available on the new date information on all SfAM website http://www.sfam.org.uk/en/grants--awards/index.cfm and Society matters and we’ve made it easier for you to apply for grants, by providing a facility to maintains a do this online. You can read all about the new SfAM website on page 10 comprehensive archive of articles and reports on and remember, the site will continue to develop and evolve with the needs a variety of of our Members, Non-Member visitors and the development of new microbiological topics. technologies. So get in touch with your ideas. Finally, at this time of celebration, I would like to wish all readers a Lucy Harper fantastic festive season and a wonderful 2012. 04 contact point executive committee COMMITTEE MEMBERS HON PRESIDENT: Professor Martin Adams, School of Biomedical & Molecular Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, Surrey GU2 7XH email: [email protected] HON GENERAL SECRETARY: Dr Mark Fielder, School of Life Sciences, Kingston University, Penrhyn Road, Kingston upon Thames, Surrey KT1 2EE email: [email protected] HON MEETINGS SECRETARY: Dr Andrew Sails, Health Protection Agency, Society for Applied Microbiology Newcastle Laboratory, Institute of Pathology, Newcastle General Hospital, Westgate Bedford Heights, Brickhill Drive, Bedford MK41 7PH, UK. Road, Newcastle NE4 6BE email: [email protected] tel: +44 (0)1234 326661 fax: +44 (0)1234 326678 HON TREASURER: Mr Steve Davies, Microbiology Department, Northern General email: [email protected] Hospital, Herries Road, Sheffield S7 5AU www.sfam.org.uk email: [email protected] society office staff ORDINARY COMMITTEE MEMBERS UNTIL JULY 2012 Mr Mark Reed, Pro-Lab Diagnostics, 7 Westwood Court, Neston CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER: Philip Wheat Cheshire CH64 3UJ email: [email protected] email: [email protected] tel: +44 (0)1234 326661 Dr Sally J Cutler, School of Health and Biosciences, University of East London, COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER: Lucy Harper Stratford Campus, Romford Road, London E15 4LZ email: [email protected] email: [email protected] tel: +44 (0)1234 326709 Dr Samantha Law, NCIMB, Ferguson Building, Crabstone Estate, Bucksburn, COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER: Clare Doggett Aberdeen AB21 9YA email: [email protected] email: [email protected] tel: +44 (0)1234 327679 Dr Alison Kelly, School of Life Sciences, Kingston University, Penrhyn Road, MEMBERSHIP & FINANCE CO-ORDINATOR: Kingston upon Thames, Surrey KT1 2EE Julie Wright email: [email protected] email: