About the BSP
Today many researchers and students are very passionate about the fascinating world of infectious diseases, parasites, their complex lifestyles and their associated impact on people and livelihoods.
To draw attention to the unique importance of parasitology as a distinct discipline within biology, The British Society for Parasitology was formed in 1962 from the Parasitological Section of the Institute of Biology. Today the Society is the central networking and meeting point for many professional and amateur parasitologists throughout the UK and across the world.
Did you know that the UK leads Europe – and Europe leads the world – in parasitology research? No European country publishes more parasitology research than the UK, and UK papers were cited more than those from any other country in the past 5 years (2011-2016, data from Elsevier SciVal.)
As the leading academic society for a country preeminent in parasitology, the remit of the BSP is broad. It promotes and supports the academic study of parasitology in all its many guises. This can be from experimental to theoretical approaches as applied to infection biology and disease research, or from ecological to medical and veterinary studies in global health and international aid. Each year students are given financial support to attend BSP meetings and scholarship schemes are in place to support fieldwork and training events.
The membership of the BSP stands at around 800 in number. Approximately a third of members are from overseas locations. Highlights of the annual BSP calendar include the annual residential meetings in spring and autumn which are focused upon general and specialist aspects of parasitology. Written academic outputs include special issues or supplements in a variety of scientific journals and books.
The BSP Society is a charitable company and managed by the BSP Council. This comprises a President, Honorary Officers and ordinary Council Members, who together act as Company Trustees. Co-opted members of Council also include representation from the student membership and other learned societies where clear synergies are apparent.
Membership
Joining the BSP gives parasitologists a number of important benefits:
- Discounted registration fees at all BSP events
- Networking and support from other parasitologists
- Eligibility for travel grants and other awards
- Regular e-communications highlighting parasitology news, events, job opportunities, etc.
- Discounts on personal subscriptions to specific scientific journals and books
The BSP Spring Meeting is one of the biggest events in our calendar. Over a three-day period, a diverse range of speakers from all around the world both educate and entertain in over 100 talks and workshops.