2002 - TechTalk: Life, Science and Health
A R C H I V E D - Continuing Interest
Lectures are held on Thursday evenings from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the David Axelrod Institute, 120 New Scotland Avenue, Albany, NY.
New Policies - Advance registration only:
- NO WALK-INS
- Photo ID required
- No backpacks
To register:
- provide your name
- mailing address and phone number
- indicate which lectures you wish to attend
- you will be contacted only if the lectures are oversubscribed.
Thank you for your cooperation.
APRIL 18, 2002
NANOBIOTECHNOLOGY: Bioscience on a Small Scale
James Turner, Ph.D.
Miniaturization is big in the integrated circuit industry. Now biologists, chemists and engineers are joining forces with materials scientists to apply ultra-small fabrication technologies to complex biological systems. The outcomes could be faster and cheaper lab tests, biosensors for environmental contaminants, or neurological implants.
APRIL 25, 2002
MOLECULAR IMAGING: Pictures Worth Thousands
Joachim Frank, Ph.D.
Image isn't everything, but it is one way of understanding life's complexity. Modern imaging technologies are illuminating the threedimensional architecture of cells and their components, yielding insights into how molecules interact. A technique pioneered at Wadsworth shows the working of one molecular machine, the cell's protein factory -- the ribosome.
MAY 2, 2002
BIOINFORMATICS: Mining Nuggets of Data
Charles "Chip" Lawrence, Ph.D.
Mountains of data from the Human Genome Project might suffocate scientists in an information avalanche, were it not for bioinformatics. Its practitioners use sophisticated computational and statistical techniques to extract biological meaning from genetic sequences, helping to transform the raw material of genomics into medical breakthroughs.
MAY 9, 2002
MICROBIAL GENOMICS: By Their Genes Ye Shall Know Them
Kathleen McDonough, Ph.D.
The buzz about the Human Genome Project is just part of the story. Understanding how microbes infect people requires getting a handle on the pathogen's entire genetic make-up -- its genome. New genome-based technologies can point scientists to critical genes involved in the disease-causing process, and maybe new treatments.
MAY 16, 2002
PROTEOMICS: Protein-Powered Drug Discovery
Thomas Ryan, Ph.D.
Genes are simply proteins waiting to happen, and an organism's genome just a blueprint for the proteome - its universe of proteins. Modern technologies allow scientists to follow a protein from its initial assembly as a string of amino acids through its assuming a unique molecular structure, one whose function could become a drug target.
MAY 23, 2002
PHARMACOGENOMICS: Case-by-Case Prescriptions
Laurence Kaminsky, Ph.D.
Despite the best intentions of physicians prescribing therapeutic drugs, adverse drug reactions occur. New high-throughput genomic technology holds promise for identifying the genes that metabolize therapeutics and environmental chemicals, enhancing or diminishing their effects. A custom-tailored drug regimen that maximizes dose while minimizing risk is the goal.