History Of The Society
Aims Of The Society
The aim of the Society is "to promote and encourage, for the benefit of the public, the study of and research into diseases of the pancreas and to disseminate knowledge and hold discussions on the results of such study and research."
Background
The first meeting of the Pancreatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland was held on 16 June 1975 at the Royal College of Surgeons of England. Sir Rodney Smith was elected as the first president of the Society and Mr Michael Knight as Secretary and Treasurer. Other officers elected at the meeting included Professor Henry Howat, Professor Patrick Collins, Mr Peter Bevan, Dr Martin Sarner and Mr John Trapnell. The first presentation was given by Mr C W Imrie. At the first meeting there were sixty-eight participants. Since then the Society has held an annual meeting hosted by the President and regularly attended by over a hundred delegates.
The Lord Smith Medal
The Lord Smith Medal is awarded annually to the trainee who, in the
opinion of the committee, gives the best presentation. The society also awards an annual travel fellowship to enable a young researcher to visit a pancreatic centre overseas to gain clinical or research experience. In addition travel bursaries are given to enable trainees to present their work at international meetings.
Amelie Waring Research Fellowship
In 1982 a bequest was given for the establishment of the Amelie Waring Research Fellowship. The fund was given by Mr Waring "for research and teaching in the field of pancreatic disease". At present the fund, which is administered by CORE ( formerly the Digestive Disorders Foundation) , supports two pancreatic research fellows.
Close Links
The Pancreatic Society has close links with the British Society of Gastroenterology, the European Pancreatic Club and the International Association of Pancreatology. The abstracts of the annual meeting of the Society are published in the journal "Pancreatology".