The SoCoBio DTP Annual Conference is a two-day event that provides the entire cohort of the South Coast Bioscience Doctoral Training Partnership (SoCoBio DTP) with opportunities to communicate their science, exchange research ideas, and share their training experience. In addition, there are networking opportunities with industry, guest lectures, discussion panels, a wellbeing workshop led by DTP Wellbeing Lead and student wellbeing champions.The conference is held at a different DTP partner each year so students also get an opportunity to visit partner institutions and tour their facilities.
We look forward to welcoming SoCoBio students, the DTP Leadership Team and our Guest Speakers to the 2024 SoCoBio DTP Annual Research Conference, hosted by the University of Kent. Please use the buttons on this page to download the Joining Instructions Pack to find all the relevant information you will need to plan your journey to the venue, view the event programme, and read the abstracts of the talks by SoCoBio students.
This year’s conference has a full programme of talks, 3-minute thesis style flash talks, posters, guest speakers (see below), and a wellbeing workshop on reflexivity. Prizes will be awarded for best year 4 student talk, best year 3 Poster and best year 2 3-minute thesis.
Day two, 18 April, is industry focused. Student talks and posters will be by CASE students, and there will be talks from industry and Q&A session, giving students and industry the opportunity to network and share their research interests and network (perhaps leading to future research collaborations), learn more about the programme, and find out other ways to engage with SoCoBio DTP.
You can also download the poster of the event here.
2023 Conference: Reflexivity activity, networking lunch, talks and group photo
2022 Conference: Posters & talks
Guest Speakers
Dr Michelle Marín Chau
Talk title: ‘Dreams, Goals and Impact: Scaling and Commercialising a Seaweed Technology Company.‘
Dr Michelle Marín Chau is Communications Director and one of the founders of Nutri-San Ltd, a B2B seaweed bio-technology company. In 2023, she was granted the status of Honorary Academic in the School of Biosciences at the University of Kent.
Michelle started her career in academia, lecturing in Politics (University of York) and Development Studies (UEA), before moving into professional services. For over fifteen years she worked for global Executive Search firms in the UK and internationally.
In 2016, Michelle and her husband decided to set up Nutri-San Ltd and pursue their vision to build a sustainable seaweed technology business which, as well as producing products with environmental and health benefits for the animal feed and livestock industries, would also generate employment opportunities – particularly in marginalised coastal areas. It has operations in Vietnam, Zanzibar and the UK.
Professor Sara Rankin FRSB:
Talk title: ‘I Did It My Way: An Unconventional Path to Success in Academia‘.
Professor Sara Rankin FRSB has a first-class hons degree and PhD in Pharmacology from Kings College London. Having undertaken postdoctoral work at UCSD and CRUK she joined Imperial College London in 1995 where she is now Professor of Leukocyte and Stem Cell Biology. Her work is multisiciplinary, working with material scientist, engineers and Physicists, in the field of Regenerative Pharmacology.
Throughout her Scientific career she has been committed to societal engagement and promoting diversity and inclusion in STEM. She has won awards for Leadership, Collaboration and Innovation in Societal Engagement and has worked collaboratively with artists and creatives on projects ranging from science pop-up shops, sci-art exhibitions and is Director of the first National Black Graduates Career Conference.
Prof Rankin is dyslexic and dyspraxic and her most recent work, supported by RSB, RSC and BPS seeks to promote neuroinclusion in STEM education and careers. https://www.cacti.org.uk She works to raise awareness of Neurodiversity in STEM businesses, research Institutes and Universities and support them in setting up ND networks. The network she setup in Astra Zeneca now has just under 3000 people in their Global network.
This year's organisation committee are:
From the DTP Leadership and SoCoBio supervisors: Jenny Tullet, Becky Hall, Mark Wass, Anastasios Tsaousis, Marina Ezcurra and Mark Shepherd (University of Kent), Rohan Lewis and Vincent O’Connor( University of Southampton), Eleftheria Stavridou (NIAB), Matt Guille (University of Portsmouth).
DTP Students: Oya Canik and Matt Shaw (University of Kent), Anastasia Kolesnikova, Muhammad Zalkifal and Jo Fish (University of Southampton).