British Society for Microbial Technology

Welcome to the BSMT Website

About Us:

The BSMT is a not-for-profit organisation of microbiologists working mainly in the NHS and Health Protection Agency as healthcare scientists and medical microbiologists. The society's aim is to promote an exchange of information on laboratory practices in clinical microbiology.

The society was founded in 1985 by a group of colleagues from a widespread geographical area who had a common interest in antimicrobial sensitivity testing and who were concerned about the plethora of methods, the lack of acceptable controls and the need for validation of procedures and recommendations on interpretation and performance. In 1991, the Society produced “Multipoint Methods in the Clinical Laboratory – A Handbook” (M Faiers, R George, J Jolly and P Wheat. 95pp. Published by PHLS and BSMT). With an increasing array of new antibacterial drugs, as well as novel idiosyncratic pathogens being recognised, there was a need for a forum to discuss and to attempt to identify and address these concerns.

Since then, the BSMT has become broader in its interests, and the Annual Scientific Meeting has covered many different aspects of microbial technology and management, as shown below.

Laboratory Education Grants

The BSMT offers ten £250 Laboratory Education Grants each year. Ideally, these will support the practical side of laboratory-orientated education. For example, they may be used to purchase consumables or commercial kits used in the project module of microbiology courses. The grants will not normally be awarded to applicants who have received grants from other sources but will be available to those who have funding for tuition fees but not for project consumables.

If you would like to apply, please fill out the Laboratory Education Grants Application Form and post it to the address in the form.

View Collette Allen's poster © to see how she used the grant funds – congratulations Collette!

Most recent event:

Past Events:

Over the past few years, the BSMT has run several very successful annual scientific meetings at the Centre for Infections, Colindale, in North London.

The BSMT, with colleagues from the NHS and HPA, has also convened three Management in Microbiology Conferences in October 2004, November 2005 and November 2006.

Contact:

Contact the BSMT at tgwinstanley@hotmail.com or any of the committee members.