Newly elected BSN Trustees announced

Newly elected BSN Trustees announced

We are delighted to announce the following people have been elected to stand as members of the BSN Board of Trustees: 

Kate Ellacott, University of Exeter (re-elected)

Neuroendocrine control of metabolism

I have been a productive member of the BSN board of trustees since 2016. I have contributed to the society and the broader neuroendocrine community in several ways: serving as a peer-reviewing member of the BSN-grants committee, representing the BSN on the ICN2022 programme organising committee (chair of the metabolism section), supporting the careers of ECR members as the ECR-perspectives senior editor of the Journal of Neuroendocrinology, and by initiating and leading on the creation of the BSN undergraduate education curriculum resource. I will take this opportunity to further promote the education and training mission of the society by helping develop additional freely available educational resources and development opportunities for the neuroendocrine community. I would also like to focus on ways that the BSN can support members (particularly ECRs) to navigate the challenging research climate during and after COVID-19. 

 

Neil Evans, University of Glasgow (re-elected)

Developmental programming of the reproductive and stress axes

I have contributed to the running of the BSN in many ways over the years including serving as General Secretary, hosting two annual meetings and leading on the successful bid to host ICN 2022 in the UK. I bring an element of 'memory' to the Board which may be of particular use in the immediate future given the relatively large change within the Board this year. 

 

Rebecca Dumbell, Nottingham Trent University

Neuroendocrine and chronobiological regulation of appetite, growth and bodyweight

I am passionate about the work the BSN does to support the neuroendocrine research community, having directly benefited, and in particular for early career researchers (ECRs) who are the future of the society. As Deputy- and ECR Representative 2019-2020, I worked with the committee and other ECR representatives to build provision for ECR members including developing a new Journal of Neuroendocrinology travel prize, the Julia Buckingham Prize (launch 2021), and co-organising a one-day symposium and webinar series. We are currently developing a mentorship scheme for BSN members that I helped to establish. I am committed to supporting diversity and took steps to avoid conscious and unconscious bias in the election of the Deputy ECR representative in 2019, and in our webinar series where I pushed for sessions being timed for different geographical regions. The support of diversity and for ECR members are key issues I’d continue to champion. 

 

Paula Brunton, University of Edinburgh

Stress physiology; neuroendocrine & behavioural adaptations during pregnancy, lactation and in response to stress

I have been a member of the BNG and then BSN for over 20 years and found it to be the most wonderful and supportive community. I have benefited greatly through my membership, not only from networking at society meetings, but also from the generous financial support provided by the BSN in the form of travel awards and project support grants. This support has undoubtedly contributed to promoting my professional development - allowing me to disseminate my research findings at international conferences, network, initiate collaborations and complete and publish research that otherwise may not have been possible. I am keen to give back to the society and the neuroendocrine community by promoting neuroendocrine research and education in neuroendocrinology, supporting BSN members at all stages of their careers, but particularly first generation scientists, women and other under-represented groups; as well as by contributing to formulating future BSN strategy and priorities. 

 

Allan Herbison, University of Cambridge

Reproductive Neuroendocrinology

I have been a long standing and very active member of the BSN. I recently returned to the UK from New Zealand to establish my laboratory at the University of Cambridge. My specialist area is kisspeptin and GnRH pulse generator physiology, one of the core disciplines in reproductive neuroendocrinology. My presence on UK soil means that I can now easily participate and support the BSN. I hope my knowledge and experience will bring value to the Board. 

 

Chi Udeh-Momoh, Imperial College London

Stress, sleep, glucocorticoids, cognition, Alzheimer’s disease prevention

My involvement with the BSN began 10 years ago, and I have since benefited from invaluable initiatives and opportunities provided by the society pivotal to my professional development. As a female from a minority-ethnic group, I am committed to promoting Athena SWAN* practices/principles, emphasised by role as Executive-Committee member at the Imperial-College-Opportunities-Committee to help drive and implement successful diversity initiatives College-wide, an example being our current investigation into gender-bias in high impact publications and mitigating solutions. Joining the BSN Committee will afford the opportunity to strategically and actively promote optimal research practices and avenues for useful initiatives such as fostering collaborations for translational research, while upholding the society’s core objectives, especially for underrepresented researchers and students. My position as co-investigator and scientific coordinator on multiple clinical/preclinical studies optimally positions me to utilise skills and connections developed in-situ to satisfactorily represent the BSN community e.g. through provision of placement opportunities.

 

Jo Edward Lewis, University of Cambridge

Physiological and behavioural mechanisms behind hunger and satiety

Having been an active member of the BSN since 2010, I am delighted to be joining the Board of Trustees. During my time as ECR Representative (2017-2019) I developed an understanding of the roles of Committee members and the inner workings of the Society. In addition to advocating for ECRs, I organised a successful grant writing workshop with Professor Fran Ebling, spearheaded ventures with the BNA, INF and the Physiological Society (the Physiology of Obesity and Diabetes with Professor Lora Heisler – a one-day symposium proceeding their annual meeting). We signed DORA and are launching a JNE prize for ECRs, in addition to organising a successful one-day conference to coincide with the 30th anniversary celebrations of the journal (with Dr Rebecca Dumbell and Dr Ashleigh Wilcox). I look to continue to represent Society members and continue to innovate to ensure maximum engagement. 

 

Karen Spencer, University of St Andrews

Developmental programming of circadian rhythms, cognition and social behaviour, effects of soundscapes on neuroendocrine responses in birds

I have been a member of BSN since my fellowship began in Glasgow in 2008, and in that time the Society has been generous enough to award me grants that have been invaluable to me and several ECRs who have worked with me. I am looking forward to giving back now and to help the Society make as much difference to other researchers as they have done to me. I am really passionate about helping ECRs (current ECR champion on steering panel for AWRN BBSRC/UFAW network), especially as the current crisis is likely to have significant impacts on this demographic, so I would be really motivated to get involved in initiatives that focus on this, as well as the many other activities the Society undertakes.  

 

These new eight members of the Board of Trustees will join the following existing members:

• Helen Christian
• Maria Canal
• Waljit Dhillo
• Preeti Jethwa
• Michelle Bellingham
• Gisela Helfer
• Ashleigh Wilcox
• Julian Mercer (non-voting board member), JNE Editor-in-Chief
• Dave Grattan (non-voting board member), Overseas representative

Thank you to everyone who voted. We are looking forward to experiencing what this new Board of Trustees will bring to the BSN!