VOLUME 1 - ISSUE 1 - SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS

As part of the restructuring of our meetings the BPS is forming a number of Special Interest Groups (SIGs). The aim is to bring together, within a SIG, pharmacologists with similar research interests and thus facilitate and stimulate scientific exchange. A number of members have agreed to act as SIG co-ordinators. It will be up to each SIG to create its own identity and to define its activities. Each SIG will have an e-mail listing of its members and this will allow directed e-mailing of information to the members of individual SIGs. Members will receive advance notice of the future meetings at which their SIG will participate. This should ensure that at those meetings there will be a critical mass of people interested in a specific topic. At the meeting the oral and poster communications of a SIG will be grouped together and a Special Lecture, given by a leading member of the SIG, may be included as part of the SIG's programme.

 

SIGs may also create their own page on the BPS web site and set up a notice board/chat room where members can exchange information or seek advice. In August 2003 an e-mail alert will be sent to all BPS members inviting them to log on to the BPS website and sign up to become members of the SIGs that correspond to their areas of research. Below is a list of the SIGs that are being proposed. This list is not set in tablets of stone; as time progresses new SIGs may be formed and some of the original SIGs may cease to exist as activity in that area decreases.

 

Proposed SIGs
  • Molecular Pharmacology of Receptors
  • Cell Signalling
  • Ion Channels
  • Systems Neuropharmacology
  • Cellular Neuropharmacology
  • Excitatory Amino Acids
  • Cannabinoids
  • Nitric Oxide
  • Apoptosis and Free Radicals
  • Autonomic Pharmacology
  • Pulmonary and Cardiovascular Pharmacology
  • Endothelium
  • Pain and Inflammation
  • Respiratory Pharmacology
  • Endocrine Pharmacology
  • Gastro-intestinal Pharmacology
  • Renal Pharmacology and Shock
  • Urogenital and Sexual Dysfunction
  • Pharmacokinetics and Drug Metabolism
  • Drug safety and Toxicology
  • Pharmacogenomics
  • Imaging
Certain topics (e.g. Nitric Oxide and Cannabinoids) are independent SIGs because of their diverse physiological roles, whereas others (e.g. Excitatory Amino Acids) are SIGs because of the volume of research in this area at present. A SIG in Education has not been created as this area falls under the remit of the BPS Education Sub-committee who already organise special events.

 

Graeme Henderson
Vice-President (Meetings)