Royal Society of Biology (successor)
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| Royal Society of Biology (successor) | |
|---|---|
| Name | Royal Society of Biology (successor) |
| Formation | 2015 (successor formation) |
| Type | Learned society |
| Headquarters | London |
| Region served | United Kingdom, international |
| Leader title | President |
Royal Society of Biology (successor) is a learned society and professional body formed as the successor organization to preceding British biological societies. It promotes the advancement of biology through advocacy, accreditation, and public engagement alongside partnerships with institutions such as University of Oxford, University of Cambridge, University College London, Imperial College London, and Queen Mary University of London. The successor continues links with historic organizations including Royal Society, Zoological Society of London, Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland, Linacre College, Oxford, and Kew Gardens while engaging with international bodies like United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, World Health Organization, and European Molecular Biology Organization.
History
The succession followed negotiations involving legacy bodies that traced roots to antecedents such as British Association for the Advancement of Science, Society for Experimental Biology, Institute of Biology, and Federation of European Biochemical Societies. Early milestone interactions occurred with universities like University of Edinburgh, University of Glasgow, University of Manchester, and learned institutions including Royal Institution and Royal Society of Edinburgh. Political interactions referenced by successors involved offices like 10 Downing Street and parliamentary committees such as the House of Commons Science and Technology Committee and the House of Lords Select Committee on Science and Technology. Historical alignments drew on precedents set by figures associated with Charles Darwin, Thomas Huxley, Joseph Dalton Hooker, Alexander Fleming, and institutions like Wellcome Trust and Medical Research Council.
Structure and Governance
Governance mirrors models used by Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, Royal College of Physicians, Royal College of Surgeons of England, and Royal Society of Chemistry. A presidential council and trustee board include representatives from universities such as University of Leeds, University of Birmingham, University of Bristol, and professional partners like Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, Academy of Medical Sciences, The Royal Academy of Engineering, and Natural History Museum. Advisory committees have drawn membership from experts affiliated with EMBL, European Space Agency, National Institutes of Health, and regulatory bodies such as Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency and Food Standards Agency.
Membership and Qualifications
Membership pathways reflect frameworks used by Chartered Institute of Management Accountants and Royal Statistical Society, offering chartered status analogous to schemes at Royal Astronomical Society and Royal Geographical Society. Accredited categories align with training programs at Trinity College Dublin, University of St Andrews, Durham University, and professional qualifications recognized by General Medical Council and Health and Care Professions Council. Fellows and chartered members have included affiliates from institutes such as Sanger Institute, Pasteur Institute, Max Planck Society, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, and Howard Hughes Medical Institute.
Activities and Programs
Programs encompass continuing professional development modeled on offerings at Institute of Physics, public lectures akin to those at Royal Institution, and school outreach resembling initiatives by Royal Academy of Arts and National Trust. Training collaborations involve centres like Francis Crick Institute, CERN, Wellcome Sanger Institute, and Roslin Institute. Policy engagement aligns with efforts by Nuffield Council on Bioethics, King's Fund, and Institute for Government, while public events have featured partnerships with Natural History Museum, Science Museum, British Library, and festivals such as Cheltenham Science Festival and Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
Publications and Communications
Publishing activity continues traditions similar to Nature Publishing Group, Cell Press, Oxford University Press, Cambridge University Press, and society journals like Proceedings of the Royal Society B, Journal of Experimental Biology, and Biochemical Journal. Newsletters and policy briefings echo communications from The Lancet, New Scientist, Scientific American, and collaboration with media outlets including BBC, The Guardian, The Times, and Financial Times. Digital platforms have interoperability with repositories like PubMed Central, arXiv, Europe PMC, and indexing by services such as Web of Science and Scopus.
Awards, Recognition, and Outreach
The successor administers awards inspired by precedents like the Darwin Medal, Royal Medal, Copley Medal, Felix Mouy, and honors paralleling those of Royal Society of Chemistry and Royal Geographical Society. Outreach schemes echo programmes by Royal Commonwealth Society, Prince's Trust, Nesta, and philanthropic partners such as Wellcome Trust, Gates Foundation, and Leverhulme Trust. Public engagement campaigns have coordinated with BBC Proms, London Science Festival, Natural Environment Research Council, and citizen science platforms linked to Zooniverse.
International Relations and Partnerships
International collaboration continues with networks including European Bioinformatics Institute, International Union for Conservation of Nature, Convention on Biological Diversity, World Wildlife Fund, Greenpeace International, and multilateral agencies like United Nations Environment Programme. Strategic partnerships involve research hubs such as National University of Singapore, Peking University, Tsinghua University, University of Tokyo, Seoul National University, Australian National University, University of Toronto, McGill University, University of Cape Town, Universidade de São Paulo, and CSIR.