January 2003

Registered Charity No. 326739

Dear Colleague,

Annual Meeting, University of Southampton, 7-9 April 2003

1.     Scientific programme

We have accepted 28 oral presentations and 34 posters for the main meeting running from Tuesday 8 April to Wednesday 9 April. For those delegates who wish to claim CME (Continuing Medical Education) points, a total of 5 hours per whole day may be claimed.

There will be two guest lectures: Tuesday 8 April at 12.15-1.00 pm – the GlaxoSmithKline Lectureship – Dr. Gary Fisher from Ann Arbor, USA talking on Regulation of UV-induced signal transduction by receptor protein tyrosine phosphatases in human skin and on Wednesday 9 April at 12.15-1.00 pm, Prof. V. Hugh Perry from Southampton talking on Atypical aspects of inflammation in the central nervous system.


2.     Affiliated meetings

The British Contact Dermatitis Society is holding its annual meeting in the morning at 10.00am until 1.00pm on Monday 7 April. The BSID/Skin Club symposium on “The mechanisms underlying the therapeutics of skin disorders” begins at 2.00pm until 5.30pm on Monday 7 April (outline programme attached). Programmes of these meetings will also shortly be listed on the website. Please note that pre-registration is required.


3.     Educational session

On Monday 7 April we will hold an evening educational session 6.00-7.20pm, comprising two overview lectures. Prof. Tony Quinn will give a talk entitled Discovering new drugs: The long and winding road from high throughput screening to proof of principle in man, and this will be followed by Dr. Braham Shroot from San Antonio, USA, giving an overview about dermatological research within the pharmaceutical industry entitled Rational approaches to topical formulation. This session is aimed particularly at clinical trainees and non-clinical scientists who have just entered skin-related research. A drinks reception and buffet will be held immediately afterwards at 7.20pm.


4.     Meeting arrangements

The local arrangements for this meeting have been co-ordinated by Prof. Eugene Healy and Prof. Peter Friedmann. The meeting and accommodation will be at the University of Southampton. The scientific programme will be held in the Avenue Campus and accommodation will be in the adjacent hall of residence, Highfield Hall. En suite and standard single rooms will be available. Please note that the numbers of rooms with en suite facilities are limited and later registrants may not be guaranteed their preferred choice of accommodation. Details concerning travel and a map of the university sites are available under annual meeting/travel on the BSID website. The registration form is attached and can also be downloaded from the BSID website. Early registration rates apply until 17 February 2003. Please note that the University of Southampton requires delegates to pre-register for the meeting, and that the latest date for registration is 17 March 2003. Payment must accompany registration forms. In the case of cancellation of registration, the BSID office must be notified in writing before 17 February 2003, registration fees will be refunded less £20 for administration costs. After 17 February 2003 no refund will be possible.

A welcome reception sponsored by Syngenta Central Toxicology Laboratories, for which there is no charge, will be held at 7.20pm on the evening of Monday 25 March in the foyer of the Avenue Campus and this will be followed by a buffet supper from 8.00pm in Highfield Hall. The conference dinner will be held on Tuesday 8 April at Chilworth Manor and transport will be provided. We are grateful to Aventis for generous sponsorship of the dinner.


5.     Committee membership and request for nominations

Lesley Rhodes’ 3-year term expires at the annual meeting and Lesley has indicated that she will not be standing for a second term. My second 3-year term on the committee also expires at the time of the annual meeting and I would like to thank the committee for their hard work and support during the last 3 years.

Two positions on the committee will therefore become vacant and nomination forms for new committee members will be available to download from the BSID website. According to constitution, the committee membership should contain at least two non-medically qualified scientists which it currently does and nominations may therefore be received from both clinicians and non-clinical scientists. Nominations need to be received 6 weeks in advance of the annual meeting, i.e. by 28 February 2003.


6.     Webpage

As most members will now be aware, we have set up the BSID webpage. Further development is required, and if any members are interested in helping out with webpage design/development they should contact Eugene Healy or Marie Cumberbatch. There may be opportunities for interested individuals to be co-opted onto the BSID committee.


7.     Late breaking abstracts

This year we are able to accept late breaking abstracts for consideration as a poster presentation. Abstracts should be submitted via the BSID website or e-mailed to bsid@ncl.ac.uk by 28 February 2003. Authors will receive a decision from the committee within one week and abstracts will subsequently be published in the British Journal of Dermatology.


I look forward to seeing you at the 2003 meeting and hope that you will contribute towards its success.

Best wishes.

Yours sincerely,


Nick J. Reynolds
Chairman