The 80th Biological Society Meeting was held on Friday, 25 January in the Albert Lecture Theatre at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI). The Biological Society is the oldest student society in RCSI and this annual event was organised by the Biological Society Committee with assistance from the Student Services team.

The keynote speaker at the event was RTE's The Restaurant resident critic, Tom Doorley. Doorley, also a columnist with the Irish Daily Mail, marketing consultant and copywriter, addressed the audience with a talk entitled ‘Balance' in which he spoke about the importance of balance in lifestyle and diet.

In the absence of outgoing President of the Biological Society, Harold Browne, Professor Mary Leader, Department of Pathology, RCSI stood in to give the opening address in which she highlighted Browne's contribution to the Biological Society over the past year, and his contribution to the college over the last sixty years.

Incoming President of the Biological Society, Professor Clive Lee spoke on The Art of Anatomy. In this humorous talk, Professor Lee spoke on the history of art in anatomy which ranged from the Ancient Green Bronzes to the artistic achievements of some of RCSI's current Council Members currently on display in the Royal Hibernian Academy. Professor Lee said, "I am very honoured to have been invited by the students of the Biological Society to be their President and I look forward to working with Correspondence Secretary, Kieran Lohan, and his committee on their case competitions and quizzes over the coming year. I was delighted to welcome our guest speaker, Mr Tom Doorley who spoke on food, wine and a balanced life. Tom's talk was seasoned with humorous anecdotes from his career as a journalist and broadcaster and he encouraged his audience in the Albert Theatre to always question received wisdom. Evidence-based diet is the essential first step in evidence-based healthcare."

Professor Hannah McGee, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Science, took the opportunity to commend the Biological Society on their continued activity in college life at RCSI. This was echoed by Kieran Lohan, Honorary Correspondence Secretary, who thanked the participants at all biological society events throughout the year.

Professor Leader presented awards to a number of students at the meeting. These included Zaid Almarzouq (RCPI Council Medal); Constantin Bartels (Alan Browne Medal in Obstetrics and Gynaecology); Jennifer Billington (Denis Gill Medal in Paediatrics); and David Hakim (Dr Arthur Stephen ffrench-O'Carroll Medal).

Professor Cathal Kelly, CEO/Register of RCSI, closed the event and expressed his thanks to those who made the evening possible. The 80th Biological Society Meeting concluded with a reception in the Board Room.