ESBOC Meeting in Wales

During May 19th-21st, I attended the ESBOC (European Symposium on Biological and Organic Chemistry) meeting, in Gregynog, Wales, organised by Dek Woolfson of University of Bristol.

There were many excellent talks and science on the topic of Chemical Synthetic Biology: Self-assembly, Encapsulation and Delivery; the plenary lecture by Don Hilvert (ETHZ) on supercharged protein containers and the Cedric Hassall lecture by Cheryl Kerfeld (Michigan State) on bacterial microcompartments, to name a few. The meeting was held in the historical venue of Gregynog Hall, which was originally built in the 1840s. On the second night of the meeting, we were treated to live singing from a Welsh musician who sang together with the piano, and the harp. Her songs gave us a moment to switch off from the lecture-filled days and enjoy some Welsh music.

The lunches and dinners were served on a slate plate, which is a regional product of Wales. Slates are famous for their flatness, and nature did not design a rim. The sparkling wine sorbet which we were served daily had the propensity of gliding off the plate because it was made of micro-bubbles.