Association of Applied Biologists

Last updated

Association of Applied Biologists
AbbreviationAAB
TypeScientific association
Legal statusCharity
PurposeEducational
Headquarters Wellesbourne
Location
Membership
Worldwide
Official language
EN
President of the Association
Stuart Knight
Affiliations Society of Biology
Formerly called
Association of Economic Biologists

The Association of Applied Biologists (AAB) is a United Kingdom biological science learned society. [1] From its foundation in 1904 until 1934, the institution was the Association of Economic Biologists. It publishes research and holds conferences in different specialisms of applied biology. [2]

Contents

History

The AAB was founded in 1904 as the Association of Economic Biologists for workers in applied biology "to discuss new discoveries, to exchange experiences and carefully consider the best methods of work" and "promote and advance the science of Economic Biology in its agricultural, horticultural, medical and commercial aspects." [3] "Within 10 years of its foundation, the association became the recognised society for all British workers interested in applied biology. Since then, the association has steadily expanded its knowledge." [3] [4] [5] In 1934, the current title of Association of Applied Biologists was adopted. With some 900 members from a wide range of specialisms in the UK and overseas, "it has developed a portfolio of scientific publications and annual conference programme to achieve its objectives and promote the subject of applied biology." [4]

The AAB organises conferences with universities specialising in agriculture and other aspects of applied biology, these have included Aberystwyth, Cambridge, Edinburgh, Newcastle, Nottingham, Reading and Illinois. It has working relationships with research institutes in agriculture, such as James Hutton Institute, the John Innes Centre and the Rothamsted Experimental Station. Papers published by the AAB are cited by governmental departments including Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Food and Environment Research Agency, Scottish Agricultural Science Agency and Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council. [6] [7] [8] [9]

Aims

The aims of the AAB are "To promote the study and advancement of all branches of Biology and in particular (but without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing), to foster the practice, growth and development of applied biology, including the application of biological sciences for the production and preservation of food, fibre and other materials and for the maintenance and improvement of earth's physical environment." [10] [11]

Management

Specialist groups

The AAB caters for specialist interests in applied biology through its group structure. [12]

Each group has a convenor who organises meetings of the group members, drawn from industry, research organisations and academia, to plan future conferences and other activities. This structure ensures that the final programme will be relevant to the membership and also to the needs of industry. The annual programme is assembled by a programme secretary who presents conference plans on a regular basis for approval by Council. [13]

President and Council

AAB President's chain of honour Aab1.jpg
AAB President's chain of honour

The AAB is managed by an executive who reports to the council consisting of elected executive members and the Convenors of the Specialist Subject groups. Executive meets as required and council meets three times a year and reports to all members through the AGM. The president and vice president (president-elect) are elected at the AGM and serve a two-year term. [14]

The current president is Mr Stuart Knight, and the president-elect is Professor Christine Foyer. Previous presidents have been:

List of presidents
TermsPresidents
2017–2018C. Watson
2015–2016B. Davies
2013–2014P. Shewry
2011–2012T.J. Hocking
2009–2010M. Jeger
2007–2008P.J. Lea
2005–2006B.R. Kerry
2002–2004A.R. Thompson
2001–2002H. van Emden
1999–2000C. Duffus
1997–1998J. Moorby
1995–1996C.C. Payne
1993–1994N.L. Innes
1992Y. Robert
1991G.M. Milbourn
1990D. Gareth Jones
1989C.E. Taylor
1988I.J. Graham-Bryce
1987D.S.H. Drennan
1986G.A. Wheatley
1985Gillian Thorne
1984M.J. Way
1982–1983F.G.H. Lupton
1981J.K.A. Bleasdale
1980–1981B.D. Harrison [3] [15]
1966–1967Sir Vincent Wigglesworth
1945–1946 Carrington Bonsor Williams
1938–1940 C H Gimingham
1928–1929 Edwin John Butler
1920–1921Sir David Prain [3]

Publications

The association has three peer-reviewed scientific journals: [16] Annals of Applied Biology , [17] owned by the Association and published by Wiley-Blackwell, Plant Biotechnology Journal , which is co-owned with the Society for Experimental Biology and Wiley-Blackwell and Food and Energy Security which is also jointly owned with Wiley-Blackwell, launched in 2012 and has successfully published its first full Volume. The Journals of the Association have Editorial Offices in Wellesbourne and Bristol. [10] In launching the new online-only, open-access journal Food and Energy Security, The Association "hopes to provide an innovative global platform to enhance the dissemination of research and developments in applied biology to a wider audience." [4]

Alongside its conferences, the AAB has produced various publications including Aspects of Applied Biology, [18] the database CD ROM Descriptions of Plant Viruses, [19] and a regular newsletter with articles of topical interest, reports and announcements. [12] In addition, the AAB produced a centenary book in 2004 to celebrate this milestone. As well as chronicling the history of the association, the book also contains a message from the Queen's Office and a foreword by the 2004 President of the Royal Society, Lord May. [20]

Conferences

The AAB organises conferences to disseminate the latest developments in applied biology, providing a source of information for both the industry and its members. These are mainly held in Europe, particularly in the UK. Recent international conferences have been held in the US, the Netherlands and Ireland. Every autumn the Association holds its Annual General Meeting (AGM), in line with its requirements by the Charity Commission for England and Wales. In 2011, this was held at the Olde Barne Hotel, Lincolnshire alongside a conference on disease detection in crops. Amongst other locations, the AGM has previously been held at Kew Gardens, Wisley Gardens RHS and Campden BRI. [21]

The AAB also holds a succession of conferences in its specialist subjects throughout the year, [22] as outlined in the conference calendar on the official AAB website. These meetings may take the form of residential conferences, one day meetings or training workshops. Most attract BASIS points, showing their relevance to the agricultural industry. It has close links with other learned Societies and professional bodies and frequently organises conferences with or for their appropriate groups, often publishing Aspects of Applied Biology on their behalf. Conferences are widely advertised and schemes exist to support attendance by research students and researchers from overseas. Typically at one conference each year a poster competition is held for PhD students. [21]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Biotechnology</span> Use of living systems and organisms to develop or make useful products

Biotechnology is a multidisciplinary field that involves the integration of natural sciences and engineering sciences in order to achieve the application of organisms, cells, parts thereof and molecular analogues for products and services.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Genetic engineering</span> Manipulation of an organisms genome

Genetic engineering, also called genetic modification or genetic manipulation, is the modification and manipulation of an organism's genes using technology. It is a set of technologies used to change the genetic makeup of cells, including the transfer of genes within and across species boundaries to produce improved or novel organisms. New DNA is obtained by either isolating and copying the genetic material of interest using recombinant DNA methods or by artificially synthesising the DNA. A construct is usually created and used to insert this DNA into the host organism. The first recombinant DNA molecule was made by Paul Berg in 1972 by combining DNA from the monkey virus SV40 with the lambda virus. As well as inserting genes, the process can be used to remove, or "knock out", genes. The new DNA can be inserted randomly, or targeted to a specific part of the genome.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Renewable resource</span> Natural resource that is replenished relatively quickly

A renewable resource is a natural resource which will replenish to replace the portion depleted by usage and consumption, either through natural reproduction or other recurring processes in a finite amount of time in a human time scale. When the recovery rate of resources is unlikely to ever exceed a human time scale, these are called perpetual resources. Renewable resources are a part of Earth's natural environment and the largest components of its ecosphere. A positive life-cycle assessment is a key indicator of a resource's sustainability.

Warwick HRI was a United Kingdom organisation tasked with carrying out horticultural research and development and transferring the results to industry in England.

Agribusiness is the industry, enterprises, and the field of study of value chains in agriculture and in the bio-economy, in which case it is also called bio-business or bio-enterprise. The primary goal of agribusiness is to maximize profit while satisfying the needs of consumers for products related to natural resources such as biotechnology, farms, food, forestry, fisheries, fuel, and fiber.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ingo Potrykus</span>

Ingo Potrykus is Professor Emeritus of Plant Sciences at the Institute of Plant Sciences of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH), Zurich from which he retired in 1999. His research group applied gene technology to contribute to food security in developing countries. Together with Peter Beyer, he is one of the co-inventors of golden rice. In 2014 he was chairman of the Golden Rice Humanitarian Board.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mosaic virus</span> Cause mottled appearance in plant leaves

A mosaic virus is any virus that causes infected plant foliage to have a mottled appearance. Such viruses come from a variety of unrelated lineages and consequently there is no taxon that unites all mosaic viruses.

The International Union of Food Science and Technology (IUFoST) is the global scientific organization and voice for food science and technology representing more than 300,000 food scientists, engineers and technologists through its work in more than 100 countries. It is a voluntary, non-profit association of national food science organizations. IUFoST is the only elected scientific representative of Food Science and Technology in the International Science Council (ISC), elected by its peers across scientific disciplines. It is the only global representative of food science and technology to notable organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO), Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, United Nations Development Programme and (UNDP), CODEX Alimentarius.

Mycosphaerella eumusae is a fungal disease of banana, causing Eumusae leaf spot. Its symptoms are similar to black leaf streak. M. eumusae is the predominant Mycospharella of banana in mainland Malaysia and in Thailand, and is present in Mauritius and Nigeria. Septoria eumusae is an anamorph of Mycosphaerella eumusae.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nina Fedoroff</span> American biologist

Nina Vsevolod Fedoroff is an American molecular biologist known for her research in life sciences and biotechnology, especially transposable elements or jumping genes. and plant stress response. In 2007, President George W. Bush awarded her the National Medal of Science, she is also a member of the United States National Academy of Sciences, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the European Academy of Sciences, and the American Academy of Microbiology.

The Society for Experimental Biology is a learned society for animal, cell and plant biologists. It was founded in 1923 at Birkbeck College to "promote the art and science of experimental biology in all its branches". It aims to demonstrate the importance and impact of experimental biology research to the wider public and within the scientific community and to connect and support experimental biologists in their research and career development. The society has an international membership of approximately 1500, more than 20 scientific special interest groups and an outreach, education, and diversity (OED) group.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rajeev Kumar Varshney</span> Indian geneticist (born 1973)

Rajeev Kumar Varshney is an Indian agricultural scientist, specializing in genomics, genetics, molecular breeding and capacity building in developing countries. Varshney is currently serving as Director, Western Australian State Agricultural Biotechnology Center; Director, Centre for Crop & Food Innovation; and International Chair in Agriculture & Food Security with the Food Futures Institute at Murdoch University, Australia since Feb 2022. Before joining Murdoch University, Australia he served International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), a global agriculture R&D institute, for more than 16 years in different scientific and research leadership roles including Research Program Director for three global research programs– Grain Legumes, Genetic Gains and Accelerated Crop Improvement Program. He has the onus of establishing and nurturing the Center of Excellence in Genomics & Systems Biology (CEGSB), a globally recognized center for genomics research at ICRISAT that made impacts on improving agriculture and development of human resources in several countries including India, China, Kenya, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Nigeria, Ghana, Mali, Senegal, Burkina Faso, etc. Varshney holds Adjunct/Honorary/Visiting Professor positions at 10 academic institutions in Australia, China, Ghana, Hong Kong and India, including The University of Western Australia, University of Queensland, West Africa Centre for Crop Improvement, University of Hyderabad, Chaudhary Charan Singh University and Professor Jayashankar Telangana State Agricultural University.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ajay Kumar Parida</span> Indian biologist (1963–2022)

Ajay Kumar Parida was an Indian biologist noted for his contributions in the fields of agriculture, plant molecular biology and biotechnology. In 2014, Parida was awarded the Padma Shri Award by the President of India for his contribution in the field of Science and Technology.

The Colorado State University College of Agricultural Sciences includes five academic departments and offers nine undergraduate majors with many concentration options as well as multiple graduate degree programs. People in the College of Agricultural Sciences lead research and design projects in food production, security, and safety, ecosystem health, landscape design, and human well-being. They also provide extension and participate in engagement in agricultural sciences and landscape architecture.

Vishweshwaraiah Prakash is an Indian structural biologist, food technologist and a former director-general designate of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). He is a former director of the Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI), Mysore and was involved with the International Union of Food Science and Technology as the chairman of its International Academy during 2008-10. He received the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize, the highest Indian award in the science and technology category in 1996. The Government of India awarded him the fourth highest civilian honour of the Padma Shri in 2004,

<span class="mw-page-title-main">International Center for Biosaline Agriculture</span>

International Center for Biosaline Agriculture (ICBA) is an international, not-for-profit applied agricultural research center with a unique focus on marginal environments. It identifies, tests and introduces resource-efficient, climate-smart crops and technologies that are best suited to different regions affected by salinity, water scarcity and drought. Through its work, ICBA aims to improve food security, nutrition and livelihoods of resource-poor farming communities around the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ebenezer Oduro Owusu</span> Ghanaian academic

Ebenezer Oduro Owusu is a Ghanaian entomologist and university administrator who served as the Vice Chancellor of the University of Ghana from 1 August, 2016 to 31 July, 2021. In this role, he was the principal academic and administrative officer of the university. Ebenezer Oduro Owusu is a professor of entomology at the Department of Animal Biology and Conservation Science and prior to his appointment as vice-chancellor, he was the provost of the College of Basic and Applied Sciences at the University of Ghana. He is the current President of the Presbyterian University College.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stephen P. Long</span> British plant physiologist

Stephen Patrick Long is a British-born American environmental plant physiologist and member of the National Academy of Sciences studying how to improve photosynthesis to increase the yield of food and biofuel crops. He is the Stanley O. Ikenberry Chair Professor of Plant Biology and Crop Sciences at the University of Illinois and Distinguished Professor in Crop Sciences at Lancaster University. His work, published in Science, proved that photosynthesis can be manipulated to increase plant productivity—an idea once considered the holy grail of plant biology. Long has added to our understanding of the long-term impacts of climate change, such as rising levels of carbon dioxide and ozone on plants. He has briefed former President George W. Bush and the Vatican, as well as Bill Gates and Anne, Princess Royal, on food security and bioenergy.

Eric Yirenkyi Danquah is a Ghanaian plant geneticist, professor, founding director of the West Africa Centre for Crop Improvement (WACCI) and former director of the Biotechnology Centre at the University of Ghana.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lisa Ainsworth</span> American molecular biologist

Elizabeth Anna Ainsworth is an American plant physiologist currently employed by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Research Service (ARS). She also is an adjunct professor of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and was awarded the 2018 Crop Science Society of America Presidential Award. She is known for her work concerning the effects of specific atmospheric pollutants, including ozone and carbon dioxide, on the productivity of selected major crops such as corn and soybeans.

References

  1. ↑ Association of Applied Biologists Council, AAB Home page , retrieved 1 November 2011
  2. ↑ Wiley Blackwell/AAB, "Food and Energy Security aims and scope", Food and Energy Security, doi: 10.1002/(ISSN)2048-3694
  3. 1 2 3 4 Association of Applied Biologists 1904–2004: A Celebration of Achievement. Wellesbourne:Association of Applied Biologists, 2004
  4. 1 2 3 Wiley Blackwell, Food and Energy Security press release, archived from the original on 26 April 2012, retrieved 18 December 2011
  5. ↑ Wiley Blackwell, Food and Energy Security press release , retrieved 18 November 2011
  6. ↑ "Supporting paper F1. Maximum Nitrogen (Nmax) Limits, and Exemptions from the Closed Spreading Period for Manufactured Nitrogen Fertilisers. Nitrates consultation, July 2007" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 April 2012. Retrieved 11 January 2012.
  7. ↑ "DEFRA pesticides consultation 2011" (PDF). Retrieved 12 January 2012.
  8. ↑ "Trove – Association of Applied Biologists". Trove.nla.gov.au. Retrieved 11 January 2012.
  9. ↑ The Committee Office, House of Commons (5 April 2007). "House of Commons – Science and Technology – Written Evidence". Publications.parliament.uk. Retrieved 11 January 2012.
  10. 1 2 Association of Applied Biologists. "Association of Applied Biologists". Nationalrural.org. Archived from the original on 26 April 2012. Retrieved 11 January 2012.
  11. ↑ Charity Commission, Association of Applied Biologists , retrieved 13 January 2012
  12. 1 2 AAB Office, AAB News 72 (PDF), archived from the original (PDF) on 3 February 2016, retrieved 13 January 2012
  13. 1 2 AAB Office, Specialist groups , retrieved 12 January 2012[ permanent dead link ]
  14. ↑ AAB Office, Annual Report 2010 (PDF), archived from the original (PDF) on 3 February 2016, retrieved 13 January 2012
  15. ↑ AAB Office, Who's who at the AAB , retrieved 1 November 2011[ permanent dead link ]
  16. ↑ "SHERPA/RoMEO – Search – Publisher copyright policies & self-archiving". Sherpa.ac.uk. 19 May 2009. Retrieved 11 January 2012.
  17. ↑ "Annals of applied biology : Association of Applied Biologists : Free Download & Streaming : Internet Archive". 10 March 2001. Retrieved 11 January 2012.
  18. ↑ Alternative Farming Systems Information Center (27 September 2011). "Sustainable Agriculture: Top 10 Research Journals". Nal.usda.gov. Retrieved 11 January 2012.
  19. ↑ John Antoniw. "DPVWeb Home Page". Dpvweb.net. Retrieved 11 January 2012.
  20. ↑ "Details – Annals of applied biology. – Biodiversity Heritage Library". Biodiversitylibrary.org. Retrieved 11 January 2012.
  21. 1 2 AAB Office, AAB Conference Calendar , retrieved 1 November 2011[ permanent dead link ]
  22. ↑ "Association of Applied Biologists Non Food Uses of Crops conference – 4biomass". 4biomass.eu. Retrieved 11 January 2012.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.