2025 Winter Symposium 

Early Career Researcher Symposium

3 December 2025, Durham University  

Free to attend 

Our 2025 ECR Symposium builds on the success of our ECR symposium and is a free, in-person, one-day event based at Durham University. It will bring together early career stage researchers (ECR), established academics and industrialists to explore the power of interdisciplinary life sciences research and foster new collaborations.

Register here: https://forms.office.com/e/cQHTFSVZjH 

 

What is an ECR? 

For the BSI ECR group we include undergraduates, Masters, PhDs, PDRAs, Fellows and academics in the first few years of their first academic role. Although the symposium is organised by ECR for ECRs, attendees are welcome to attend from across all levels, from undergraduates to senior academics. The event will provide an opportunity to share and learn about fascinating discoveries within biomathematics, biophysics, biological chemistry, chemical biology and bioengineering.  

 

Sessions and Keynote Speakers 

• Unravelling Biology Through Biophysics: Prof. Gail McConnell (Strathclyde)  
• Decoding Life with AI & Computational Tools:  Dr Matteo Degiacomi (Edinburgh) 
• Advances in Biomolecular Discovery: Dr Dimitry Ghilarov (Oxford)

 

Location: John Snow College Hub Hall, Durham University 

Start Time: 9.30 am (3 December 2025) 

End Time: 5.30 pm (3 December 2025) 

What is included: All refreshments and food during the symposium times. 

What is not included: Accommodation or travel (for attendees). 

 

Registration link:  https://forms.office.com/e/cQHTFSVZjH 

 

Symposium Programme 

 

9:30	Arrival, Registration & Coffee
10:00	Welcome and introductions
Session 1: Unravelling Biology Through Biophysics:
10:15	Keynote: Professor Gail McConnell (University of Strathclyde) Mesoscale optical imaging with the Mesolens and 3D printed optics
11:00	Oligomerisation of Ku from Mycobacterium tuberculosis promotes DNA synapsis Dr Harriet Read (University of Sheffield)
11:15	Rheodialysis: A Platform for Real-Time Monitoring of Gelation Kinetics in Polymer Networks Qandeel Saleem (Durham University)
11:30	Nanoscale Biophysical Regulation of Skin Regeneration Laura Forster (Queen Mary University of London)
11:45	Biology Exploits Geometry: Impact of Aspect Ratio on Protein Networks Dr Matt Hughes (University of Leeds)
12:00	Conference Group Photo
12:10	Lunch & Poster Session
Session 2: Decoding Life with AI & Computational Tools
13:00	Keynote: Dr Matteo Degiacomi (University of Edinburgh) Learning (from) protein dynamics
13:45	Coarse-Grained Modelling of Protein-DNA Complexes Kierran Falloon (University of Strathclyde)
14:00	The mechanics of crocodile head scale patterning Dr Rory Cooper (University of Sheffield)
14:15	Modelling DNA in Complex Topologies: The Role of Gyrase Katy Hollands (University of York)
14:30	Coffee Break & Poster Session
Session 3: Advances in Biomolecular Discovery
15:00	Keynote: Dr Dimitry Ghilarov (Oxford)
15:45	Collagen Single Fibril Mechanical Properties Measured Using Activity Microscopy Dr Ilya M. Beskin (University of Twente)
16:00	The Synthesis of N-Substituted Hydroxamic Acids: A Critical Iron-Chelating Motif in Fungal Siderophores Daniel Bonn (Durham University)
16:15	AccA from Neisseria gonorrhoeae provides a new framework for understanding periplasmic copper metallochaperones.   William Earl (Durham University)
16:30	The development of frequency-dependent mechanotransduction in auditory hair cells Dr Samuel Webb (University of Sheffield)
16:45	From Passive to Active Membranes: How Adhesion & Tension Shape Vesicle Dynamics Natalie Richards (Durham University)
17:00	Physics of Life Network Presentation
17:15-17:30	Prize ceremony and closing remarks

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Past Symposia 

BSI ECR Winter Symposium 2024

The Early Career Researchers' Winter Symposium 2024, hosted at Durham University, marked an exciting event for the next generation of researchers at the boundaries of the life sciences and the other physical sciences. With over 50 attendees from eight institutions and companies, the one-day event focused on presenting cutting-edge research, and showcasing interdisciplinary discoveries from across biomathematics, biophysics, biological chemistry, chemical biology and bioengineering.

2023 ECR Symposium 

 

Our January 2023 symposium was the BSI’s first in-person ECR symposium. It attracted around 40 participants from across the UK and Europe, including the Universities of Padua, Amsterdam, Strathclyde, York and Sheffield.  The attendees were a mixture of PhD students (32), postdoctoral researchers (19) and others including undergraduates and PIs. 

The one-day event, held in St Mary's College, provided participants with an opportunity to get together and to share their physical biology research. It featured short talks, key-note talks and posters selected from abstracts by the ECR panel. 

Organising Committee

• Nathan Gavin
• Ruth McTiernan
• Will Trewby

 

The 2020 Symposium

Our very first research symposium was held at the end of July 2020. The symposium was held virtually and attracted more than 50 participants from 45 different institutions, 13 different countries and 3 continents. To mark the occasion the 2020 ECR Symposium’s keynote talk was the Howard Prize Lecture. This was given by Professor Silvia Marchesan (University of Trieste) “Heterochiral Peptide Assembly: Entry in Wonderland through the Looking-Glass” an Alice in Wonderland themed journey through peptide chemistry. Below is a screenshot of some of the symposium's attendees.