30 Jan 2026

SEB January 2026 Newsletter

Welcome to this month's newsletter!

 

SEB Conference Florence 2026: Registration is now open;
 

SEB Conference Florence 2026: Abstract submission is now open;
 

Awards nominations are open for SEB Annual Conference 2027;
 

Book your place for the next OED webinar: LinkedIn to Get In;
 

Ready for Gen‑AI in Education? Secure Your Spot for our OED symposium;
 

Book your place now for the upcoming Community Conservations webinar


Still time to download the SEB Magazine Autumn 2025 “Real World changes”
 

Read & Publish Open Access Agreement between The Company of Biologists and MALMAD renewed for a further three years;
 

Our Commitment to a safe, inclusive environment;
 

Voices of Experimental Biology: the SEB Podcast is coming soon;
 

Contribute to the Ask a Scientist project;
 

Download the ‘Scientists with Impact’ article collection;




Happy reading!  

 
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SEB NEWS
 

  • SEB Conference Florence 2026: Registration and Abstract submission are now open; 
     

  • Awards nominations are open for SEB Annual Conference 2027;
     

  • Book your place for the next OED webinar: LinkedIn to Get In;
     

  • Ready for Gen‑AI in Education? Secure Your Spot for our OED symposium;
     

  • Book your place now for the upcoming Community Conservations webinar
     

  • Still time to download the SEB Magazine Autumn 2025 “Real World changes”
     

  • Read & Publish Open Access Agreement between The Company of Biologists and MALMAD renewed for a further three years;
     

  • Contribute to the Ask a Scientist project;
     

  • Download the ‘Scientists with Impact’ article collection;

EVENTS

 

  • LinkedIn to Get In: embedding learning activities to support student career development through online professional networking  (11 February 2026)
     
  • EcoMito: Bridging Cellular Performance to Ecophysiology   (19 - 20 February 2026)
     
  • Use of AI in higher-education    (18 March 2026)
     
  • Decolonising the Bioscience Curriculum     (15 April 2026)
     
  • SEB Annual Conference (7 - 8 July 2026)
     
  • Other Meetings

 

CAREERS

  • Careers and Coffee
     
  • Leaders of the Future
     
  • Events videos are available on demand
     
  • Professional Development Resources available for SEB members!
     
  • Developing Excellent Research Proposals
     
  • Quick start guide to connecting with industry
     
  • Getting started with interdisciplinary collaborations
     
  • Public Engagement 101
     
  • Free "Standing up for Science" - media workshop 
     
  • Dealing with the media - Free media training and advice for SEB members

 



JOBS BOARD
 


 

JOURNAL NEWS 
 

  • Conservation Physiology: Could hair cortisol in free-ranging cattle be a proxy of wolf predation patterns? 

 

  • Journal of Experimental Botany: Volume 77, Issue 3, 27 January 2026
    Plasmodesmata: Current perspectives on plant intercellular communication and signalling

 

  • Plant Biotechnology Journal: The Nicotiana benthamiana Biofactory

 

  • Plant Direct: Mutations in Components of the TREX-2 Complex Result in Misexpression of the Kelch-Domain F-Box Protein KFB39 Promoter in Arabidopsis thaliana

 

  • The Plant Journal: January 2026 TPJ Editor choice: Transposon toggle: Flipping the switch on CRK8 expression for pathogen defense by Gwendolyn Kirschner

     


GRANTS AND FUNDING
 

  • Company of Biologists Grant 
     
  • Sponsorship for a Small Conference (closed)
     
  • SEB Diversity Grant
     
  • SEB Outreach Grant
     
  • Hardship fund
     
  • Funding for Satellite Meetings
     

 

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CONTRIBUTE TO THE ASK A SCIENTIST PROJECT

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This project was developed and delivered in two public engagement events we hosted this year, where the attendees could ask questions for scientists. We posted the questions on our website and need scientists to answer them!

The attendees have the webpage address, so they can go there and check the answers to their questions. Please look at these thought-provoking questions and reply to the ones you feel comfortable with through the form.

For more information and to access the form, visit:

 



  

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Dive into the past of the SEB by discovering the SEB History Articles Series

 

 


 

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Eco Mito Symposium - Bridging Cellular Performance to Ecophysiology

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Free

Decolonising the Bioscience Curriculum

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(7 - 9 July 2026 - Florence, Italy) 
 

 
Take a look at the sessions taking place at our annual Conference here: 

 

All the sessions are available by clicking the button below:
 

 


 MEET OUR PRESIDENT MEDALLISTS 

The SEB President's Medals are awarded annually to young scientists of outstanding merit. The awards are presented at the Annual Conference of the Society.


 

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David Labonte
Imperial College London
Animal section

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Poonam Mehra
University of Nottingham
Cell section

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Lorna McAusland
Nottingham University
Plant section

 

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Dave Lawson
University of Bristol
Outreach, Education and Diversity section
 

 


PLENARY LECTURERS

Each year at the Annual Conference of the SEB, the work of George Parker Bidder III and Harold Woolhouse is honoured with plenary lectures alongside the Cell Biology plenary lecture.

 

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Ari Sadanandom
University of Durham
Cell Winner

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Julian Hibberd
University of Cambridge
Woolhouse Winner

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Kiisa Nishikawa
Northern Arizona University
Bidder Winner

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Claire Garden
Edinburgh Napier University
Outreach, Education and Diversity winner
 

 



OTHER MEETINGS



Take a look at the event picture gallery which is available now on our   Facebook page

 

Summer School 2026: Plant single cell RNAseq workshop: From current technologies to data analyses (28 June - 3  July January  2026)

16th International Congress on the Biology of Fish 2026 (12 - 16  July  2025)

 

 

 

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The Company of Biologists Travel Grant

Application deadline: 31 March

The Company of Biologists Travel Grant 2026 is available for student and early career scientist SEB members.
It supports their participation at conferences, workshops, and even training courses. The COB Travel Grant was recently reviewed, giving more support to applicants depending on their travel distance.

From 1 July, the grant limits are as follows:

  • £300 travel within own country
  • £600 travel within own continent
  • £800 travel beyond own continent
     

You can find out more about eligibility and apply via

 

 


Sponsorship for a Small Conference

Application deadline: 1 November 2026

SEB members can apply for up to £1000 to help with the cost of organising a scientific meeting independently or in collaboration with another organisation.

 


 


Diversity Grant

Application deadline: 31 December 2026

SEB members can apply for funding of up to £1000 for projects associated with improving diversity and increasing inclusivity in academia and bioscience research.

 

 


Outreach Grant

Application deadline: 1 June 2026

A maximum of £1000 is available to SEB members and £200 non-members to cover the costs associated with holding or participating in an outreach event that promotes experimental biology to a wide range of audiences.

 

 

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Over the past few months we held a number of training webinars. If you did not get a chance to attend these you can access on demand recordings and resources on the SEB members' area. Simply log into your SEB account, go to the resources area and select the "Careers" tab to view these. 

The following content is available for you to access: 

EVENTS VIDEOS ARE AVAILABLE ON  DEMAND
Recordings of our events are available in our Ressources section.

JXB Webinar series videos

Plant Journal Webinar series videos

Plant Biotechnology Journal Webinar series videos

Conservation Physiology Webinar series videos 

Careers and Coffee videos 


PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES AVAILABLE!
Videos and PDFs are available


The SEB is excited to release our new on-demand professional development resources to support our members at every stage of their career. This includes a video and PDF covering time management skills, and a five part mini-series exploring evaluation of impact for projects such as public engagement events and activities


DEVELOPING EXCELLENT RESEARCH PROPOSALS
Presentation Slides are available


In this this workshop, we examined the key elements involved in turning your initial research idea into a proposal that will get the attention and support of the reviewers, demonstrate the importance of the research and assure funders that your project will make a valuable contribution to your field
 


QUICK START GUIDE TO CONNECTING WITH INDUSTRY
Webinar recording now available 


This webinar takes a brief look at how researchers can identify their individual skills and expertise to support engagement as well as to how to clearly articulate their research in a way that generates interest from potential industry collaborators. 
 


GETTING STARTED WITH INTERDISCIPLINARY COLLABORATIONS
Presentation Slides and Chatbox transcript now available 

A multidisciplinary approach requires a combination of skills including a willingness to listen and learn about other disciplines, to see patterns and make connections, to have a wide ranging network, to ask insightful questions, facilitate others to take part, problem solve in a solution focused way and to be open and creative. 

In this interactive 90 minute online workshop looked at how to be open to opportunity for interdisciplinary collaboration and the key skills required to identify and approach potential collaborators. 


DEALING WITH THE MEDIA -FREE MEDIA TRAINING AND ADVICE FOR SEB MEMBERS

Have you been approached by the media for an interview or to comment on your research and not sure what to expect or how to approach it?
 
Getting your research covered in the media is a very exciting moment but can also feel scary if you do not have experience and are not sure what to expect. SEB members can benefit from free advice and training on their first media appearance through our partnership with Sense about Science. If you would like to learn more get in touch with [email protected].
 
In the meantime, check out these “Standing up for Science” Guides on interacting with the media:

 


 

JOBS BOARD


Below are the latest vacancies available:

 PhD opportunity: Unravelling the ontogeny of bird migratory behaviour in a changing world
 Lisboa, Portugal

This PhD project will capitalise on a long-term GPS-tracking study of white and black storks (> 400 GPS devices combined with 3D-accelerometers deployed

Deadline for applications: 8 February 2026
 


 


 2x PhD scholarships: Climate Resilience and Adaptation of Pilbara Leaf-nosed Bats
 Murdoch, Australia

We are seeking two highly motivated PhD candidates for a funded research program to predict the vulnerability of Pilbara-leaf-nosed bats (PLNB) to environmental change

Deadline for applications: 15 February 2026
 


 


PhD student in 'Annual cycle energetics of migratory birds
 Murdoch, Australia

The project aims to uncover the energetic trade-offs of migratory landbirds across their full annual cycle and to compare these trade-offs among species and individuals exhibiting different migration strategies

Deadline for applications: 20 February 2026
 

 



Click   here   to visit the SEB jobs board page

 


 

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THE LATEST FROM THE SEB JOURNALS


Conservation Physiology
Could hair cortisol in free-ranging cattle be a proxy of wolf predation patterns? 


 


Journal of Experimental Botany
Editor Choice: Plasmodesmata: Current perspectives on plant intercellular communication and signalling

 


Plant Biotechnology Journal
The   Nicotiana   benthamiana   Biofactory


 


Plant Direct
Mutations in Components of the TREX-2 Complex Result in Misexpression of the Kelch-Domain F-Box Protein KFB39 Promoter in Arabidopsis thaliana


 


The Plant Journal 
January 2026 TPJ Editor choice: Transposon toggle: Flipping the switch on CRK8 expression for pathogen defense n    by   Gwendolyn   Kirschner