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Infection

Date(s)

Thursday 19th (09:00) - Friday 20th July 2012 (16:30)

Contact

Workshop leader: Professor Mark Pallen

Description

The University of Birmingham has recently established an Institute of Microbiology and Infection (IMI). However, this is narrowly focused on laboratory-based research on pathogenic microorganisms. Instead, it is important to recognise that infection is a phenomenon and an idea, which permeates the whole of human endeavour and brings an interdisciplinary angle unmatched by almost any other topic. Here are a few of the many topics that could fall under this umbrella:

Biology and Medicine

o    Ecology and Evolution of Infection; Infection and the changing environment

o    Clinical Aspects of Infection

o    Infection in Public Health and Primary care

o    Infection and War

History

o    Infection shaping the destiny of peoples (e.g. Native Americans; Black Death and plague in Europe) and "great men" (what if Cromwellor Jinnah had not succumbed to infection?)

o    Infection in the Ancient world. Infection and trade routes and the slave trade and the great voyages of discovery. Irish potato famine. Local history. Smallpox.

o    History of microbiology and epidemiology: John Snow, Jenner, Germ theory

o    Palaeoinfection: archaeology and infection, Black Death genome

Arts and Humanities

o   Infection in literature. Infection and the tragic hero. Love in a time of cholera. Byron dying of dysentery at Missolonghi. Infection and exististentialism, e.g Camus, La Peste. Infection in science fiction and survivalist literature (Death of Grass)

o   Infection in the visual arts. Paintings: an exhibition at the Barber? Film Studies from Outbreak to Contagion.

o    Theology of infection. Religious attitudes to infection (e.g. Jesus healing a leper). Infection and predestination.

o    Philosophy of Infection. Language of infection; corpus linguistics of infection. Infection in metaphor.

Social Sciences

o    Infection and stigma. Infection and policymaking. Infection and wealth creation/poverty. Infection and the law. Infection and human rights. Vaccination and antivaccination. AIDS denial in South Africa and the Mbeki/ANC government.

o   Social responses to catastrophe and threats. Bioterrorism and biowarfare. Malthus and Infection; Infection and the Apocalypse; Infection and life expectancy. Infection and the media.

o    Mind viruses, infectious memes. Viral marketing.

Geography and Environment

o The geography of infection: from John Snow to Google Maps

o Infection and Food security; BSE, bovine TB; badger culls; Striga. potato blight, Death of Grass; Bee colony collapse disorder

Engineering and Physical Sciences

o Infection and nanotechnology: threat of the “grey goo”.

o Computer viruses and artificial life. Agent-based modelling. Malware and computer security. Stuxnet.

The aim of the workshop was to survey this topic in all its rich diversity, exploring the potential for collaborations and new research activities across and beyond the campus, together with thoughts on how we might build capacity and make an application to become an IAS Theme.

Delegate List

Professor Dlawer Ala'Aldeen	Professor of Clinical Microbiology, University of Nottingham	daa@nottingham.ac.uk
Lt Col (Dr) Mark Bailey	Consultant Physician & Associate Professor in Infectious Diseases & Tropical Medicine Birmingham Heartlands Hospital, Warwick Medical School & Royal Centre for Defence Medicine	markbailey@nhs.net
Dr Apoorva Bhatt	Lecturer in Molecular Microbiology, Institute of Microbiology & Infection, University of Birmingham	a.bhatt@bham.ac.uk
Dr Kiranmai Bhatt	Medical Trainee, West Midlands Rotation	bhattkir@gmail.com
Professor David Blackbourn	SGM General Secretary; Professor of Virology, University of Birmingham	d.j.blackbourn@bham.ac.uk
Professor Steve Busby	Head of School of Biosciences and Professor of Biochemistry, University of Birmingham	s.j.w.busby@bham.ac.uk
Dr Jacqueline Chan	Post-doc, University of Institute of Microbiology & Infection, University of Birmingham	j.chan.1@bham.ac.uk
Dr Chrystala Constantinidou	Experimental Officer, Institute of Microbiology & Infection, University of Birmingham	c.constantinidou@bham.ac.uk
Dr Paul Dark	Reader & Hon. Consultant Intensivist, University Of Manchester	paul.m.dark@manchester.ac.uk
Dr Martin Dedicoat	Consultant in Infectious Diseases, Heart of England NHS Trust	martin.dedicoat@heartofengland.nhs.uk
Ms Sue Gilligan	Deputy Director and Manager, Institute of Advanced Studies, University of Birmingham	s.gilligan@bham.ac.uk
Dr Anne-Marie Krachler	Birmingham Fellow, Institute of Microbiology & Infection, University of Birmingham	a.krachler@bham.ac.uk
Dr Hubert Lam	Lecturer in Environmental & Occupational Epidemiology, University of Birmingham	k.lam@bham.ac.uk
Dr Nick Loman	MRC Fellow, School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham	n.j.loman@bham.ac.uk
Dr Andrew Lovering	Lecturer, School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham	a.lovering@bham.ac.uk
Dr Robin May	Lister Fellow & Reader in Infectious Diseases, Institute of Microbiology & Infection, University of Birmingham	r.c.may@bham.ac.uk
Dr Claire Miller	Post-doc, University of Institute of Microbiology & Infection, University of Birmingham	c.miller@bham.ac.uk
Dr Debbie Mortiboy	Consultant Microbiologist, UHB NHS Trust	Deborah.Mortiboy@uhb.nhs.uk
Dr Jim Mussell	Lecturer, Department of English, University of Birmingham	j.mussell@bham.ac.uk
Professor Puja Myles	Associate Professor Health Protection & Epidemiology, University of Nottingham	puja.myles@nottingham.ac.uk
Prof Karen O’Brien	PVC Education, University of Birmingham	pvceducation@contacts.bham.ac.uk
Surg Lt Cdr Matthew O'Shea	Medical Officer, Royal Navy	m.k.oshea@doctors.org.uk
Professor Mark Pallen	Director of the Institute of Microbiology and Infection, Professor of Microbial Genomics, School of Biosciences University of Birmingham	m.pallen@bham.ac.uk
Professor Charles Penn	Professor of Molecular Microbiology School of Biosciences University of Birmingham	c.w.penn@bham.ac.uk
Professor Malcolm Press	Director of the Institute of Advanced Studies, Head of College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham	m.c.press@bham.ac.uk
Dr Jonathan Reinarz	Director, History of Medicine Unit, University of Birmingham	j.reinarz@bham.ac.uk
Dr Adrian Simmonds	Research Facilitator, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham	a.c.simmonds@bham.ac.uk
Professor David Simmons	Ex-Chief Scientific Officer, Cellzome, Honorary Professor, University of Birmingham	d.simmons@bham.ac.uk
Dr Mike Ward	Senior Lecturer, School of Mechanical Engineering, University of Birmingham	m.c.ward@bham.ac.uk
Dr Mark Webber	BBSRC David Philips Fellow, Institute of Microbiology & Infection, University of Birmingham	m.a.webber@bham.ac.uk
Professor John Wain	Professor of Medical Microbiology, University of East Anglia	j.wain@uea.ac.uk

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