The Life and Science of Dr Paul Kent 1923 – 2017: 50 years and more of biochemistry at Christ Church

A Symposium to honour the life of Dr Paul Kent will be held in Christ Church on Saturday 1st September 2018. This event is being organised by the Christ Church Chemists’ Affinity Group with the support of the Governing Body. The Symposium will consist of lectures reflecting Paul’s scientific and other interests, and in particular will show how the subject of biochemistry has evolved from early scientific scholarship and massively expanded over the past half century.

In the 1950s in Oxford, biochemistry was emerging as a subject in its own right, and Paul was its promoter in Christ Church, where he was tutor in organic chemistry and biochemistry. A great number of Paul’s students passed through the Biochemistry Department and several went on to important positions in universities around the world. As well as being a distinguished biochemist himself and a mentor for many young chemists and biochemists, Paul was involved with all aspects of academic life, here at The House, in Durham, where he was Master of St Mildert’s College, and through his close involvement with the establishment and success of Oxford Brookes University.

Programme

We are delighted to announce a preliminary programme of distinguished speakers including former colleagues and research collaborators of Dr Kent.

13.30-14.00 Registration

14.00-14.05 Welcome: Very Revd Professor Martyn Percy (Dean of Christ Church)

Session 1 Chairman: Dr Martin Grossel (Christ Church)

14.05-14.35 Professor Raymond Dwek (Department of Biochemistry, Oxford): “The changing face of biochemistry from the 1950s to the present”

14.35- 14.55 Professor Emeritus A David Buckingham (Department of Chemistry, Cambridge): “1955-1965, ten years of the County Pair at Christ Church, Kent and Buckingham”

14.55-15.20 Dr Allan Chapman (Wadham): “The emergence of biochemistry as a subject from the natural sciences of the 18th and 19th centuries”

15.20-15.40 Professor Mishtooni Bose (Christ Church): “Paul Kent at Christ Church, the Graduate Common Room”

15.40-16.10 Tea

Session 2 Chairman: Professor David Dunmur (Christ Church)

16.10-16.40 Professor David Smith (Department of Pharmacology, Oxford): “Homocysteine, B Vitamins and the prevention of Alzheimer’s disease”

16.40-17.00 Judith Curthoys (Christ Church): “Christ Church Archives and scientists at Christ Church”

17.00-17.30 Professor Mark Sansom (Department of Biochemistry, Oxford): “Modern images of biochemistry”

17.30-18.00 Professor Freda Stevenson (Department of Immunology, Southampton): “Glycoproteins, carbohydrates and cancer treatment”

18.00- 18.15 Concluding Remarks : Professor Simon Newstead (Christ Church): “The future for biochemistry at Christ Church”

18.15-19.00 Reception Blue Boar Quad

Memorial Symposium Booklet – invitation to contribute

It is intended to publish a Memorial Booklet, which will be available at the symposium. This publication will include short accounts of the lectures, together with contributed articles on various aspects of Paul’s life and achievements. We are pleased to announce that Professor David Smith FMedSci, Emeritus Professor of Pharmacology at Oxford, has agreed to act as Scientific Editor for the booklet. In addition to scientific contributions, we invite articles or short reminiscences on all aspects of the life of Paul Kent.

Contributions to the Memorial Symposium Booklet are invited from participants at the symposium and former colleagues, students and friends of Paul Kent. Please submit your article or item for inclusion to David Dunmur, Treasurer of the Christ Church Chemists’ Affinity Group and Coordinator for the Paul Kent Memorial Symposium: d.dunmur@tiscali.co.uk. There is no prescribed length for contributions, and if contributors have photographs or illustrations relevant to the articles on Paul, then we will do our best to publish them.

We intend to have the booklet available at the Symposium, and so contributions must be submitted by the end of June 2018.

Dress code

Smart

Parking

Parking in the Meadows will be available from 12.30pm.

Accommodation

Accommodation is limited and available on a first-come first-served basis. Guests can book rooms via the Christ Church website: http://www.chch.ox.ac.uk/conferences/accommodation.

Please use the promotional code: KENT18.

Should you have any problems with, or questions about, accommodation please contact: emma.timms@chch.ox.ac.uk.