Biochemical Society
| File:Biochemical Society Logo.png | |
| Formation | 1911 |
|---|---|
| Legal status | Not-for-profit organisation |
| Purpose | Biochemistry in the UK |
| Location |
|
Region served | UK |
Membership | 7000 biochemists and molecular biologists |
Chief Executive | Chris Kirk |
Main organ | Biochemical Society Council |
| Affiliations | FEBS |
| Website | Biochemical Society |
The Biochemical Society is a learned society in the United Kingdom in the field of biochemistry, including all the cellular and molecular biosciences.
Structure
It currently has around 7000 members, two-thirds in the UK. It is affiliated with the European body, Federation of European Biochemical Societies (FEBS). From 2009, the society's president is Sir Tom Blundell. Its headquarters are in London.
History
The society was founded in 1911 by Benjamin Moore, W.D. Halliburton and others, under the name of the Biochemical Club. It acquired the existing Biochemical Journal in 1912. The society name changed to the Biochemical Society in 1913.
In 2005, the headquarters of the society moved from Portland Place to purpose-built offices in Holborn. In 2009, the headquarters moved again to Charles Darwin House, near Gray's Inn Road.
Activities
The Biochemical Society runs an annual BioScience meeting in Glasgow, as well as many smaller specialised meetings. The society gives several awards and medals for achievement in the field of biochemical research (for example the Colworth Medal). It works with the Biosciences Federation to influence science policy, and also supports biochemical education at school and university level by grants, workshops and careers events.
The society's not-for-profit publishing arm, Portland Press, publishes books, a magazine, The Biochemist, and several print and online academic journals:
- ASN NEURO the journal of the American Society for Neurochemistry
- Biochemical Journal
- Biochemical Society Symposia (online only)
- Biochemical Society Transactions
- Biology of the Cell
- Cell Signalling Biology
- Clinical Science
- Essays in Biochemistry
- Bioscience Reports
The society's flagship publication, the Biochemical Journal, celebrated its centenary in 2006 with the launch of a free online archive back to its first issue in 1906.
Further reading
- Goodwin, TW (1987) History of the Biochemical Society, Portland Press