Interview with Isabel Varela, Scientific Secretary of the SEBBM
The Spanish society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (SEBBM) has come a long way in its first 50 years and has become, with over 3,800 partners, one of the scientific societies "most important, influential and respected". So says Professor Isabel Varela Nieto, scientific of the SEBBM and responsible for its dissemination programme secretariat. The society will organize the XXXVI Congress SEBBM between 3 and 6 September in Madrid. The event will feature the participation of illustrious names of science, including two awards Nobel.
The SEBBM celebrates this year its 50th anniversary. How has the evolution of society been in broad terms?
Since its founding in 1963, its objectives have been to promote research, encourage the transfer of knowledge, contributing to the international expansion of Spanish science and, in short, contribute to that science has an increasingly important role in our country. In recent years, the SEBBM has strived to develop activities to promote science and encourage an improvement in science education among the citizens.
For example?
The Committee was created in 2009 ' disclosure: Science for all ', in order to promote initiatives for the dissemination of science using both the web portal (www.sebbm.es), such as social networks and the Congress of the society. This group also is responsible for organizing a series of scientific dissemination activities in collaboration with other cultural and social organizations. We seek to present as entertainment and discipline, but also as attractive profession-molecular biology and biochemistry.
And how the market over the years has evolved? Technological advances should have changed considerably the biochemistry and his contribution to the well-being of society...
The influence of our work is reflected primarily in medical advances, for example, genetic diagnosis, clinical analysis, and new therapies. Equally important is the impact in biotechnology, generation of vaccines in animal health, for example, in agriculture with pest control, food, new materials, etc. It would be difficult to imagine life today without the biochemistry and molecular biology, perhaps the impact most recent media has been the application of laboratory techniques to the development of haute cuisine recipes.
What would you say that it is the current situation of Biochemistry in Spain?
Enjoys good health, with centres of excellence of international prestige, a good organization in networks, and possibly more important, a level in the teaching and the training of new professionals at the University.
Asebio recently published a report in which it pointed out that the weight of biotechnology in the Spanish economy doubles during the years of the crisis. What do you think it is because of that?
Surprisingly, given the business progress that is consolidated in areas where there is a scientific breakthrough. Research is a safe investment value.
The turnover of the companies using biotechnology has gone presumably, 2.98% of GDP in 2008 to 7.15 percent in 2011 and few sectors can boast of getting such increase. But what can the biochemical advances contribute to society?
In addition to those already mentioned health care, the company, and every day of the 21st century, you can add that we offer teaching and specialized training of high level in universities and research centres. Society in general we offer information and scientific culture.
The investment has stopped growing and also aid to research. What you can do or should do the Administration? Tell us about the possible consequences for the sector which could lead to this situation.
The Administration should be in a determined way bet to do what he preaches, that is to support the training, research and development as a safe and sustainable way of generating competitive enterprises and employment. Similarly to what has been done in other countries of our surroundings, Germany and the USA, for example. The reality is, however, that this is said but is not, which could cause irreparable damage to our system of higher education and competitive research. Research is like riding a bike, if not you ride you fall, and from the ground, it can not compete.
XXXVI Congress SEBBM
From 3 to 6 September will take place XXXVI Congress SEBBM at Ifema, a veteran event that is expected to attract 1,000 participants. What are the objectives of the Congress?
The main event organized by the SEBBM is its Congress, which is held annually each September. In Congress, there is space for academic interaction, for communication between researchers and companies, for the dissemination of the research among the citizens, and also a support to young researchers to develop their scientific careers. Some of the most relevant activities of the Congress are the plenary sessions and the meetings of 21 scientific groups current of the SEBBM, dealing with a subject that is extremely rich and diverse. This year's Conference in Madrid is special, as we celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the society.
What will be the central themes of the Congress in the next edition?
The program, available at www.sebbm.es, is articulated around three symposiums with topics of molecular biomedicine, cellular communication and genes, structure and function.
One of the strengths of the Congress is certainly their powerful scientific program. What personalities scheduled participate in the meeting?
Guest speakers are all figures at the highest level within the international scientific scene. It is difficult to mention some names above others, but to give an example, this year we will count with the participation of Brian. K. Kobilka (Stanford University, United States), recipient of the Nobel Prize in chemistry in 2012, and with Sydney Brenner (Janelia Farm Research Campus, Ashburn, United States), Nobel Prize in Physiology or medicine in 2002.
More than one hundred lectures and 500 communications in the form of panels...
Yes, it is possibly the Congress more representative of the sector in Spain. The event is an annual, and is the fourth consecutive year in which we have around 1,000 participants. This is a significant figure in the national scientific community, which speaks of interest in attending a Conference that offers world-class science and the opportunity to know and meet colleagues.
The israeli researcher and Nobel Prize in chemistry in 2009, Ada Yonath, at the plenary Conference in 2012 on the structure of Ribosomes.
Acts and parallel activities of the XXXVI Congress SEBBM
The SEBBM will organize a series of activities aimed at the non-specialised public, within the programming that takes by name 'Biochemistry in the city'. Many of these activities are framed, in addition, at the celebrations of the fiftieth anniversary of the SEBBM.
Specifically, presented two lectures, 'aging, longevity and immortality' in the 21st century (04/09/2013, at 19 h., at CaixaForum) and 'The language of science' (05/09/2013, at 19 h.(, at the Instituto Cervantes), which are included within the 'Fiftieth anniversary SEBBM' cycle, which is being held, since January, 2013, in some of the most emblematic buildings in Madrid. "With this series we intend to review the history of the SEBBM and highlight its role and its contribution to the construction of the modern Spanish society analyze the present and future of the scientific research from different perspectives", explains Professor.
Also envisaged the holding of the workshop 'Discover your DNA' (06/09/2013, at 11 h.(, at the National Museum of natural sciences), who will explain in a practical and simple way what is the DNA molecule. In it, attendees will isolate their DNA from the epithelial cells that line the inside of the mouth and can not only view it, but also take it home as I remember, within a small glass amphora.
In addition, coinciding with the Conference, will open the exhibition ' molecules of life: 50 years of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology in Spain ', the September 2, at the National Museum of natural sciences. It is a temporary exhibition of educational nature that seeks to bring to the public basic concepts of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. The exhibition is jointly organizing Fecyt and account sponsored by Grifols, MSD, Zeltia and Bio-Rad enterprises, as well as the collaboration of RTVE. "The contents proposed visitors an interactive tour of basic molecules that make up cells of our organism, favour our health and participate in our daily lives," says Varela.
SEBBM Awards
The SEBBM convenes in 2013 a number of awards, in collaboration with various companies and entities: the prize Izasa Werfen, which aims to recognize the important work of a young biochemist and is funded by 2,500 euros; the Fisher Scientific award, which consists of 1,000 euros to the best scientific article published by a young member of the SEBBM, as well as a second prize of € 500; the Roche Prize, a prize of 600 euros and a second prize of 200 euros for the best communication on panel at the Congress of the SEBBM; the award José Tormo, awarded 1,000 euros to a young researcher for a work published during the biennium 2012-2013 in any of the disciplines that encompasses the structural biology; the Eppendorf Award - Pinacoteca of the SEBBM, It rewards with a help of 600 euros to the author of the best scientific image of the year among those published in the section 'Art gallery of science' of the web of the SEBBM; and the 'Margarita Lorenzo' (Lilly foundation) prize, which recognizes the best work submitted to the Congress by young researchers under 35 in the thematic area of ' Diabetes, obesity and metabolic regulation '. The awards will be presented in a ceremony that will take place during the XXXVI Congress of the SEBBM.
