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:

• 25th Annual Scientific Meeting - 'Back to the Future - 25 Years of Clinical Microbiology'

  Date: Friday 14th May 2010

  Location: Health Protection Agency, Colindale, London

  Please contact Janet Norcup for any further information.

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.

• Scientific Workshop 2009 - "Enterics – a bog standard approach?"
  Held on Friday, 27 November 2009 at The Hinckley Island Hotel, Watling Street, Hinckley

• 24th Annual Scientific Meeting - "Tips for TATs: The Importance of Turn-Around Times and Point of Care Tests in Microbiology"
  Held on Friday, 8 May 2009 at the Centre of Infections, HPA Colindale.

• 23rd Annual Scientific Meeting - "Doing more for less - giving up on culture"
  Held on Friday, 16 May 2008 at the Centre for Infections, HPA Colindale.

• 22nd Annual Scientific Meeting 2007 - "Do the Sick no Harm"
  This ASM was held on Friday, 4 May 2007 in the Wilson Lecture Theatre, Centre for Infections, HPA Colindale.

• The 21st Annual Scientific Meeting, TB or not TB? was held on Friday 12th May 2006.
  A Programme of the 21st ASM is available, or contact Janet Norcup for more information.

• The 20th Annual Scientific Meeting, "CNS Infections: A Laboratory Headache" was held on Friday 20th May 2005.
  A Programme of the 20th ASM, with links to presentations is available. Alternatively contact Janet Norcup (janet.norcup@hpa.org.uk) for a CD of the proceedings.

• The 19th Annual Scientific Meeting, "Sexually Transmitted Diseases: Changing Perspectives", was held on Friday 14th May 2004. View the Programme of the 19th ASM or contact Janet Norcup for a CD of the proceedings.

• A Workshop on Enteric Investigations was held in November 2003. Slides are also available.

• The 18th meeting, "Get it off your Chest", was held on Friday 16th May 2003. Slides are available.

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.