In September 2024 gerontologists from around the world made their annual pilgrimage to the BSRA’s 73rd scientific meeting to share the latest in ageing biology, network with colleagues both new and old, occasionally have a good-natured argument over hypotheses, and enjoy the slightly damp weather that Birmingham put on.
As was the case at 2023’s meeting in London, we hosted the UK Ageing Networks (UKAN) as a one-day satellite event the day before the conference proper started. These events allow all 11 networks to meet in person, something that the BSRA will continue to support following the cessation of UKRI funding to the UKAN in 2025.
The Conference opened on Wednesday the 4th September with our traditional early career researcher (ECR) workshop. This year themed around industry partnerships and commercialisation of research, with ECR members being challenged to produce a fundable pitch within 24 hours and present this back to a panel. The two winning students were awarded a cash prize to aid the development of their pitch and will be given the opportunity to formally present their ideas to a panel of investors at the 2025 ASM. That evening, Professor Stephen Harridge gave our annual public lecture on exercise and ageing to packed audience including many members of Birmingham’s 1000 Elders cohort. As well as a brilliant turnout from academia and industry, it was incredible to see such a large number of interested members of the public in attendance, a very promising sign that the BSRA’s commitment to disseminating research is bearing fruit.
After a packed schedule on the Thursday comprising talks and panels, including the American Ageing Association’s best ECR oral presentation (the reciprocal to the BSRA’s Korenchevsky Prize), the highlight of the day was the awarding of the Lord Cohen of Birkenhead medal to Cynthia Keynon of Calico Labs for her groundbreaking work in the discovery and demonstration of the role of key genes in longevity. Awarded by BSRA’s Chair David Weinkove, who was pleased to point out that this was the first Lord Cohen medal that was awarded to a fellow C elegans researcher.
As is tradition for the BSRA Annual Scientific Meeting, the formal dinner followed. Local event organiser and member of the Board of Trustees Niharika Duggal welcomed attendees in her toast, David Weinkove thanked the organising committee and congratulated Cynthia Keynon again on her Lord Cohen Medal, and Richard Faragher of the University of Brighton gave a toast on behalf of all attendees. The scientific and social conversations continued late into the evening, and it was brilliant to catch-up with old friends and to make some new ones.
Professor Cynthia Kenyon (left), 2024 awardee of the Lord Cohen of Birkenhead medal, and Professor David Weinkove (right), Chair of the British Society for Research on Ageing. Photo credit Nicola Gotts (www.nicolagotts.com).
In a new addition to the BSRA’s meeting, for the final symposium we welcomed the British Geriatric Society who hosted a patient centred translational session on applications of research to improve older people’s lives. The aim for this was to build and maintain better links with our colleagues in the British Geriatric Society with reciprocal symposium at each other’s annual meetings moving forward. This initiative aims to inform their more clinically focused researchers on emerging basic science in biogerontology, whilst also exposing the BSRA’s membership to applications and outcomes from the basic science work. We hope that this will result in more translational and interdisciplinary work between these two audiences moving forward!
Finally, awards from the conference were announced, with poster prizes to Jack Sullivan, Rhiannon Cumming, and Pasquale Putter for 3rd, 2nd, and 1st places respectively. The highly competitive Korenchevsky Prize for best ECR elevated Oral Presentation was awarded to Hanane Hadj-Moussa of the Babraham Institute for her work on identifying ageing mechanisms in yeast. The Korenchevsky Prize includes flights and registration for the American Ageing Associations annual meeting (next year in Alaska!) and an oral presentation slot there, platforming the best ECR research from BSRA membership to our trans-Atlantic colleagues.
With 2024 done, here in the BSRA’s events committee we’re already planning for a busy schedule for 2025. Our 74th Annual meeting will be held in Manchester 3rd – 5th September, and we already have several noted international speakers confirmed to attend. After the success of the 2024 members seminar series, look out for an announcement on our 2025 schedule of seminars. It’s looking like 2025 will be another great year for BSRA events and the UK’s biogerontology scene!