Fungal conference will grow a £2.1m windfall for Capital

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Fungal conference will grow a £2.1m windfall for Capital

JIM STANTON

DEPUTY BUSINESS EDITOR (jstanton@...)

http://business.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=898972006

Scotsman - United Kingdom

EDINBURGH'S economy will get a £2.1 million shot in the arm after it

landed a prestigious quadrennial fungal biology conference.

The Edinburgh Convention Bureau (ECB) scooped the 2010 event - one

of the biggest it has ever landed for the Capital - as it celebrated

moving to its new offices in Drumsheugh Gardens.

The International Mycological Congress (IMC) is expected to bring

around 2500 scientists involved in the study of mushrooms, moulds,

yeasts and fungal diseases of humans and crops from around the world

to the Capital. Held over six days, between August 1-6, 2010 at the

Edinburgh International Conference Centre (EICC), the IMC, held

every four years, is regarded as the most important scientific

gathering of minds of its type in the world.

Fungal infections are among the major causes of crop failure, often

causing devastating wipeouts.

Experts also say that incidences of life-threatening human fungal

infections were on the increase, particularly among those with

weakened immune systems, such as Aids and HIV sufferers.

Sue Stuart, chief executive of ECB, which promotes Edinburgh as a

conference and business tourism destination, said: " Hosting this

conference is a major coup. It underlines our international pre-

eminence in the field of science and confirms our standing as a

world class conference destination. "

The IMC is the latest in a string of conferences the ECB has brought

to the Capital. Last year it brought a total of 208 conferences to

the city worth £38.5m to the local economy.

Helping co-ordinate the drive to bring the IMC to Edinburgh was

Professor Nick Read, professor of fungal cell biology at the

University of Edinburgh. Prof Read said it took several months of

tough negotiations to land the IMC.

" Scotland, has a long tradition of being at the forefront of

international fungal biology, a subject which has never been as

important as it is today, " he said.

" We now have a tremendously exciting opportunity to raise the

profile of the fungal biology in Scotland and the UK even further by

organising what will undoubtedly be a tremendously stimulating and

inspiring meeting that should have a profound impact

internationally. "

Hans Rissmann, chief executive at the EICC, said: " We would

particularly like to thank Professor Nick Read for his motivation in

bidding to bring this event to the city and we look forward

welcoming his delegates to Edinburgh. "