Welcome to Protistology UK!

Our Learned Society (formerly the British Society for Protist Biology) is a membership organisation for scientists and amateurs interested in all areas of protistology; from ecological to medical and from sub-cellular to population studies. The Society primarily exists to support and promote protistan research and teaching in the UK but a key aim is to encourage the development of young scientists. We host two scientific meetings a year and provide bursaries for student attendance together with prizes for student presentations.

This is the website of the Protistology-UK, formerly known as the British Society for Protist Biology.

P-UK exists:

• To promote the study, teaching and dissemination of all aspects of protistology.

• To provide a forum for the presentation and discussion of results obtained from original research and for an exchange of information on experimental design and techniques.

• To encourage developing and novel aspects of protistology.

• To represent the interests of protistology on other professional bodies.

• To assist young scientists researching in protistology to attend professional meetings.

Join P-UK!

Past & Related Meetings

​​

DATES UPDATED From parasites to plankton and back: comparative biology and ecology of apicomplexans and dinoflagellates. 13-17 September 2021. Roscoff, France.​ Details here.​

​

• Protistology-UK's session Exploring the Eukaryotic Tree of Life - 28th April 2021 during the Annual Conference of the Microbiology Society (online). Details here.

• P-UK Winter meeting 2021: Protist parasites of freshwater microalgae - within the British Phycological Society (BPS) Annual Conference- 8th January 2021 T. Details here.

• Microbial Symbiosis Meeting - December 16-17, 2019. London, UK. Details here.

• Wondering about the role of protists in a changing environment? Check out P-UK's collaboration The increase in global aquaculture and the associated protists: opportunities and threats in the latest Microbiology Today issue Life on a changing Planet.

• Protistology-UK is saddened to hear from Tom Cavalier-Smith passing on the 19th March 2021. A beautiful tribute to his life and work can be read here.

• The Journal of Marine Science and Engineering is launching a Special Issue entitled "Molecularly Characterizing the Diversity of Marine Microbial Eukaryotes".

This Special Issue calls for original research studies and invites reviews on the taxonomy and phylogeny of microbial eukaryotes, particularly those that molecularly characterize the diversity, activity, ecological function, community organization, and spatial and temporal variations (biogeography) of planktonic and sedimentary microbial eukaryotes, as well as their interactions with organisms at various trophic levels and their physiological and ecological adaptations to specialized niches in natural, artificial, coastal, and marine habitats and systems.

For further information visit the dedicated website here.

• P-UK has partially funded "The hidden world of Testate Amoeba", a beautifully illustrated children's book about the wonderful world of microorganisms and testate amoeba in particular!             https://thehiddenworld.co.uk/the-hidden-world-of-testate-amoebae/

• 2 positions - 1 Postdoc and 1 RA - available to work on the Paramecium-Chlorella symbiosis system looking at the evolution of this symbiosis and the underlying molecular mechanisms at the University of Manchester, in the group of Prof Brockhurst.

Application deadline: 18th of March 2021.

Position descriptions and application details can be found here (PD) and here (RA).