Event of the week
A Celebration of the tercentenary of the birth of Carl Linnaeus
ZSL London Zoo, 8 May, 6pm

Pioneering taxonomist Carl Linnaeus was born 300 years ago this year. The Linnean Society of London is marking the anniversary with a year-long programme of events, including this quartet of lectures in collaboration with the Zoological Society of London.

The evening begins with a précis of Linnaeus and his legacy. Other talks will discuss ZooBank (an electronic index of taxonomic names and nomenclature), the impact of molecular techniques on species classification, and taxonomy and the web. A three-course dinner follows the talks for which booking is essential.

Seminars and workshops
On 8 May, Professor Jean-Laurant Casanova from the University of Paris will speak at Imperial College on the human genetics of infectious diseases. On the same day, Steven Minger will deliver the annual Edmond J Safra Memorial Lecture at King’s College, on advances in Parkinson’s disease research. Queen Mary University’s Pankaj Vadgama will give a talk on 10 May about designer interfaces for biosensors and biomaterials. That one will be at the Institute of Materials, Minerals & Mining, 1 Carlton House Terrace.

An all-day workshop on 11 May will be of interest to supervisors of PhD students. UK GRAD hosts a Good Practice Workshop focusing on how to guide students through their transition from the middle to the end stages of PhD work. The course will be held at the School of Oriental and African Studies.

And finally…
For something a little lighter, take a tour of eighteenth century Holborn on 11 May. The route will take in the Hunterian Museum of surgical history, as well as the Sir John Soane’s Museum and Samuel Johnson’s House.