Edinburgh Infectious Diseases
EID logo 2019

Gordon Lawson Memorial Symposium

The Roslin Institute and Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies are organising the first International conference on Lawsonia intracellularis in association with Boehringer Ingelheim. The conference is in memory of Dr Gordon Lawson to honour his pioneering work on the important pig pathogen that bears his name.

Dr Gordon Lawson 

DR Gordon Lawson

Gordon was a brilliant microbiologist and a modest man. He had a distinguished professional life in veterinary research and teaching, culminating in recognition of his scientific excellence through his appointment as head of veterinary pathology and ‘reader’ at the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies (RDSVS). Gordon conducted pioneering research on the bacterial pathogen which now bears his name. Gordon sadly passed away in 2018 and colleagues at the University of Edinburgh consider it fitting that we commemorate his contribution by hosting this first international symposium on Lawsonia intracellularis covering the biology of this important, complex and fastidious pathogen. 

Lawsonia intracellularis

Lawsonia intracellularis

L. intracellularis is associated with enteric disease in different animal species but has the greatest economic impact in the pig industry.  In 1931, enteric disease with weight loss, diarrhoea and in some cases sudden death, was described for the first time. The disease was called proliferative enteropathy (PE) to reflect the main macroscopic changes, hyperproliferation of enterocytes and loss of the normal intestinal structure in certain areas of the small intestine, mostly affecting the ileum. During the early 1970s, a previously unrecognized bacterium was associated with PE in pigs. However, due to difficulties culturing the newly identified bacterium in vitro, it was not until the early 1990s when it was properly characterised.  The curved bacilli were demonstrated to be inside gut enterocytes, in particular the apical cytoplasm of crypt epithelial cells. It is an obligate intracellular Gram negative bacterium that is very difficult to culture in vitro The bacterium was eventually named Lawsonia intracellularis in recognition of G. H. K. Lawson, the discover of the bacterium.

Registration

Please register at: https://www.efdelegates.ed.ac.uk/glms

Contact: Professor David Gally

Abstract submission

Abstracts can be emailed to Professor David Gally by 13 September.

Programme & further information

The symposium will be held over two days at the Edinburgh University Veterinary School (Easter Bush) campus, mainly within the Roslin Institute.  We have leading international experts giving talks on the epidemiology, molecular basis of pathogenesis, diagnostics and interventions.

Further information regarding Boehringer Ingelheim’s Swine health programme can be found at https://www.preventionworks.info/en. Enquiries can be directed to preventionworks@boehringer-ingelheim.com.

If you'd like to tweet about the event or would like to follow the conversation about it, please use #Lawsonia2019 .

 

Lecture at Roslin Institute
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Gordon Lawson Memorial Symposium

The Roslin Institute and Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies are organising the first International conference on Lawsonia intracellularis.

The Roslin Institute and The Royal (Dick) Veterinary School