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INTRODUCTION
TO THE SOCIETY
The British Microcirculation
Society was founded in July 1963 "to advance the study of circulation
of the blood and other tissue fluids especially, though not
exclusively, in the small vessels and of matters relating thereto". The
membership of more than 250 is drawn largely from the medical sciences
- anatomy, biophysics, pathology, pharmacology, physiology and clinical
medicine and surgery - but the pharmaceutical industry and the
veterinary and physical sciences and mathematics are also represented.
This spectrum of interests is one of the strengths of the Society and
enlivens discussion at its meetings. The Society holds a scientific
meeting and AGM each year, usually in the spring and the proceedings
are published in the Journal of Vascular Research. Additionally, it
contributes symposia to International and European Microcirculation
Congresses which are held in the Summer biennially. It also works to
advance the careers of researchers in the microcirculation by providing
grants for attendance at meetings and visits to laboratories for the
purpose of developing new techniques.
The British Microcirculation
Society maintains close links with other national societies in Europe
and with the European Society for Microcirculation and acted as hosts
and organisers of the 4th, 7th, 17th and 22nd Conferences of the
European Society in Cambridge (1966), in Aberdeen (1972), in London
(1992) and in Exeter (2002) and the Third World Congress for
Microcirculation in Oxford in 1984. Members are kept informed of
microcirculation events in both the European and international context,
for example, the next World Congress in Paris 2010. The Society
is hosting the European Society Meeting in London in 2013.
Meetings of the Society usually
consist of about 100 submitted papers and demonstrations. A specialist
symposium is held on a specific topic in two parts (eg.Regulation of
vascular tone, tumour microcirculation, role of free radicals in
microcirculation, lymphatics, receptors in the microcirculation,
inflammation, cell signalling in the microcirculation). This flanks a
series of themed talks covering all aspects of microcirculation, for
instance, from molecular genetics to integrative physiology by way of
mathematics and evolutionary biology. Oral communications in the themed
sessions are generally selected from submitted abstracts, often giving
excellent opportunities to scientists in the early stages of their
careers. Themed poster sessions also provide an opportunity for
presentation. The interdisciplinary nature of the meeting is one of its
great strengths, the social interaction and youthful vigour of the
meeting is another.
Anyone interested in research
or teaching on any aspect of microcirculation is eligible for
membership. A membership list and copy of the Constitution and Rules is
published regularly. The annual subscription is at present 30 GBP paid
by direct debit, 34 GBP by cheque and for overseas members, and 10 GBP
for students.
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