About LERN

LERN, the London Evolutionary Research Network, is a pan-institutional society that showcases the calibre and breadth of evolutionary research carried out by postgraduates at London institutions.

How we began

Established in 2002 as a forum for London’s early career Evolutionary researchers to meet and discuss their work, LERN is growing an impressive reputation within the academic community. In addition to conference, LERN runs seminar series, debates, workshops, field trips, postgraduate talk sessions and social events including drinks or dinner following every seminar. LERN is a non-profit society run by expert evolutionary biologists who volunteer their time and dedication.

What we do

We aim to provide an informal forum outside the normal lab or research group environment where students and scientists from all stages in their career can meet, promote and ultimately improve their research. If you would like to become involved in LERN, would like to present a talk, or have any suggestions for future events that you would like to see, please get in touch!

Our partners

LERN events have been generously funded by the UCL Graduate School, Queen Mary, the Centre for Ecology and Evolution (CEE), the AHRC Centre for the Evolution of Cultural Diversity (CECD), UCL Anthropology, UCL Archaeology, the UCL Biosciences, and the UCL Genetics Evolution and Environment Department. Norton Publishers, Robert and Company Publishers, and Sinauer Publishers provided conference prizes in past years.

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The Committee

Carina is currently a Post Doc at the Institute of Healthy Ageing, UCL and is working on understanding ageing disease mechanisms through genetics and evolutionary biology.

Carina Kern

President

Gino is studying for a London NERC DTP funded PhD in the department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment at UCL and ZSL Institute of Zoology.

Gino Brignoli

Events Officer

Miranda is studying for a PhD at the VIB in Leuven, Belgium developing novel ways to detect programmed cell death in neurodegenerative diseases in the fruit fly.

Miranda Dyson

Vice President

Sam is a BBSRC funded PhD student at the UCL Genetics Institute. Hie is developing and applying new methods to analyse ancient DNA from humans and other species.

Sam Morris

Publicity Officer

Neina is studying for a Master’s in the department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, UCL. She is currently working on lateral sclerosis and dementia.

Neina Motoki

Secretary

Join the LERN committee

LERN is a volunteer run organisation and if you would like to get involved, please get in touch. We are always looking for more committee members to join the team.

Get in touch via email or our social channels

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Past Committee Members

Carina Kern

President

Carina is currently a Post Doc at the Institute of Healthy Ageing, UCL and is working on understanding ageing disease mechanisms through genetics and evolutionary biology.

Gino Brignoli

Events Officer

Gino is studying for a London NERC DTP funded PhD in the department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment at UCL and ZSL Institute of Zoology.

Miranda Dyson

Vice President

Miranda is studying for a PhD at the VIB in Leuven, Belgium developing novel ways to detect programmed cell death in neurodegenerative diseases in the fruit fly.

Sam Morris

Publicity Officer

Sam is a BBSRC funded PhD student at the UCL Genetics Institute. Hie is developing and applying new methods to analyse ancient DNA from humans and other species.

Neina Motoki

Secretary

Neina is studying for a Master’s in the department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, UCL. She is currently working on lateral sclerosis and dementia.