November Science Cafe: Dr. Jack Werren (UofR): "Influential Passengers: Bacterial Symbionts That Manipulate Their Hosts"

On November 25, the Rochester Science Cafe is extremely pleased to present:

Influential Passengers: Bacterial Symbionts That Manipulate Their Hosts

Dr. John (Jack) Werren, Ph.D.

Nathaniel & Helen Wisch Professor of Biology

University of Rochester

We are not alone. All animals and plants live with countless bacteria—our “microbiomes”. Some of these bacteria are just transient vagabonds, or unwelcome guests that cause disease and discomfort. Others maintain long-term associations with their “hosts” and can be beneficial….at least some of time. These influential passengers have been around for a long time and have shaped the very origins and evolution of animals and plants. They continue to do so, influencing everything from nutrition to sex in their hosts. Among them are “the coolest microbes on the planet”, a bacterial group call Wolbachia that play sex games with their insect hosts, and are now being recruited in our battles with insect vectored diseases such as dengue and malaria. In this café we will explore the lives of symbiotic bacteria and their hosts, how and why these microbes manipulate their hosts, and what hosts have to say about it. ​

As always, Cafes will be at 7pm in the Community room of the Pittsford Plaza Barnes and Noble.  As a reminder, we will be off in December, and our January Cafe will be:

January 27: "Conversing with computers to improve social skills"
Dr. M. Ehsan Hoque, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of Computer Science
University of Rochester

October Science Cafe: Dr. Vera Gorbunova (UofR): “Aging research: The search for the fountain of youth”

On October 28, the Rochester Science Cafe is extremely pleased to present:

 “Aging research: The search for the fountain of youth”
 Dr. Vera Gorbunova, Ph.D.
Professor of Biology
University of Rochester

Everybody wants to live a long and healthy life. Understanding the molecular mechanisms of longevity is of utmost importance because if we learn how to slow down aging we will be able to delay the onset of multiple age-related diseases. Cancer, heart disease, Alzheimer disease are all the symptoms of aging; by delaying aging it will be possible to prevent or delay all of them by treating the cause rather than a symptom. Animal species differ dramatically in their longevity and resistance to cancer. For example, mice live 3 years and often develop tumors while similarly sized naked mole rats live over 30 years and are virtually cancer proof. Our goal is to identify mechanisms that allow such exceptionally long-lived animals to live long and healthy lives and then use these mechanisms to benefit human health. I will describe one success story in which we identified a single molecule in the longest-lived rodent the naked mole rat, which is responsible for remarkable cancer resistance of this species, and could be applied to benefit human health.​

As always, Cafes will be at 7pm in the Community room of the Pittsford Plaza Barnes and Noble.

For those who are interested, here is a writeup in the NY Times of her work with her lab on naked mole rats and aging, and also a description of the $9.5 million award her lab recently recieved to study longevity.

Future cafe topics and speakers:

• November 25: “Influential Passengers: Bacterial Symbionts That Manipulate Their Hosts”
  Dr. John (Jack) Werren, Ph.D.
  Nathaniel & Helen Wisch Professor of Biology
  University of Rochester 


• January 27: "Conversing with computers to improve social skills"
  Dr. M. Ehsan Hoque, Ph.D.
  Assistant Professor
  Department of Computer Science
  University of Rochester

September Cafe Abstract: Dr Duncan Moore (UofR): Mirages, Malaysia Air Flight 370 and Other Interesting Optical Phenomena

September 23: Dr. Duncan Moore, Ph.D.
Rudolf and Hilda Kingslake Professor of Optical Engineering
Vice Provost for Center for Entrepreneurship
University of Rochester

Mirages, Malaysia Air Flight 370 and Other Interesting Optical Phenomena

What do ocean waves, optical waves, seismic waves, and acoustic waves have in common?  In most materials the composition varies as a function of x, y, and z.  This talk will tie together these four phenomena and describe one of the difficulties of locating Malaysia Air Flight 370 while the pingers were still active.​

It is my pleasure to announce the full Fall 2014 schedule for the Rochester Science cafe, now entering its sixth year (!!!). We have an exciting run of speakers ready for the fall and into the spring, and hope to see everyone there starting in a couple weeks. As always, Cafes will be held on the fourth Tuesday of each month, in the Community Room of the Pittsford Plaza Barnes and Noble, starting at 7pm, with refreshments provided. Here is the lineup for the fall and beyond:

• September 23: “Mirages, Malaysia Air Flight and other interesting Optical Phenomena”
  Dr. Duncan Moore, Ph.D.
  Rudolf and Hilda Kingslake Professor of Optical Engineering
  Vice Provost for Center for Entrepreneurship
  University of Rochester 
  
  
  

  Dr. Moore is the Rudolf and Hilda Kingslake Professor of Optical Engineering and Professor of Biomedical Engineering, as well as Professor of Business Administration in the William E. Simon Graduate School of Business Administration, all at the University of Rochester. In 2006, he was also appointed Director for Entrepreneurship at the University and in 2007, he became the Vice Provost for Entrepreneurship. Dr. Moore was president of the Optical Society of America in 1996 and was awarded the Edwin H. Land Medal in 2009.
  
  Professor Moore's major areas of research are in gradient-index materials, computer-aided design (including design for manufacturing methods), the manufacture of optical systems, medical optics (especially optics for minimally invasive surgery), and optical instrumentation. His most recent Ph.D. thesis student topics have been: very high efficiency solar cells; polymer gradient index optics; built-in accommodation system for the eye; terahertz imaging; generalized three-dimensional index gradients; single-point diamond turning of glass; design methods for gradient-index imaging systems; effect of diffusion chemistry on gradient-index profiles formed via sol-gel; quantitative phase imaging in scanning optical microscopy; integration of the design and manufacture of gradient-index optical systems; and interferometric characterization of the chromatic dispersion of gradient-index glasses.
  
  For those interested in more on this topic, he discussed the search for the missing Malaysia Air plane on WXXI's Connections in April.



• October 28: “Aging research: The search for the fountain of youth”
  Dr. Vera Gorbunova, Ph.D.
  Professor of Biology
  University of Rochester
  


• November 25: “Influential Passengers: Bacterial Symbionts That Manipulate Their Hosts”
  Dr. John (Jack) Werren, Ph.D.
  Nathaniel & Helen Wisch Professor of Biology
  University of Rochester
  


• January 27: "Conversing with computers to improve social skills"
  Dr. M. Ehsan Hoque, Ph.D.
  Assistant Professor
  Department of Computer Science
  University of Rochester


• February and beyond: TBA later this fall

March 25 Science Cafe: "Visual perception as a window to brain function” by Dr. Duje Tadin

Hi everyone,
    For our March Cafe, 7:00pm on March 25 at the Pittsford Plaza Barnes and Noble's Community Room, the speaker and topic will be:


Dr. Duje Tadin, Ph.D.
Associate Professor Brain and Cognitive Sciences and Opthalmology
Center for Visual Science
University of Rochester

To which task is the biggest part of your brain devoted? It is not memory, nor is it reasoning. It is actually visual perception. About a half of the human cortex is involved in processing visual stimuli. This helps explain why even though humans lag far behind machines in memory and computing power, our vision is far superior to even the most advanced computer vision. Understanding vision gives us insights into a wide range of brain functions. My own research has revealed that a simple visual task can strongly predict IQ scores, that as we enter old age some aspects of our vision become enhanced, and that visual tasks where individuals with autism show superior performance may reveal important cues about autism. Join me for a discussion about visual perception as well as questions you may have about the brain and vision.

April's Talk (on the 22nd) will be by Dr. Eric Hittinger of RIT, on "Everything You Wanted to Know About Renewable Energy".

We hope to see everyone there!

More information on hyperspectral imaging

Hi everyone, in response to some requests for links to online information about hyperspectral imaging, last night's speaker, Dr. David Messinger, forwarded along the following:

• US Geological Survey information page: http://speclab.cr.usgs.gov/index.html 

• NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory page on Imaging Spectroscopy: http://aviris.jpl.nasa.gov/aviris/imaging_spectroscopy.html 

• An information page by a commercial hyperspectral imaging company, SpecTIR: http://www.spectir.com/technology/hyperspectral-imaging/

On Tuesday, February 25, the Rochester Science Cafe will begin the Spring 2014 series with:

Hyperspectral Imaging: Observing the World in Hundreds of Colors

Dr. David Messinger 
Associate Research Professor
Director, Digital Imaging and Remote Sensing Laboratory
Chester F. Carlson Center for Imaging Science
Rochester Institute of Technology

Abstract: The color of materials derives from how they absorb and reflect different wavelengths of light. Color can be used to sensitively distinguish among objects of differing materials based on this selective reflectance. In hyperspectral imaging, fine material differentiation is achieved through the use of a dispersive element (such as a prism) to separate out images into hundreds of colors. Applications of airborne hyperspectral imaging include vegetation analysis to detect diseased vegetation and infestations, etc. It is also used widely in geology to map surface mineral deposits. I will talk both about the technology and applications of hyperspectral imaging, along with the challenges of working with this novel form of imaging.

As always, the talk will be at 7pm at the Pittsford Plaza Barnes and Noble in the Community Room. Coffee and cookies will be provided.

Our March and April talks are scheduled as well:

March 25: Dr. Duje Tadin (UofR): "What visual perception can tell us about the brain"

April 22: Dr. Eric Hittinger (RIT): "Everything You Wanted to Know About Renewable Energy"

We hope to see everyone there.

Rochester Science Cafe announcing Spring 2014 lineup

The Rochester Science cafe will be returning for a full Spring lineup in February. The spring cafes will feature more exciting topics, great discussion, and of course, coffee and cookies, all in our normal time and place, the 4th Tuesday of the Month, 7:00pm, at the Pittsford Plaza Barnes and Noble. The next three talks will be:

February 25: Dr. David Messinger (RIT): "Hyperspectral imaging: Observing the World in Hundreds of Colors"

March 25: Dr. Duje Tadin (UofR): "What visual perception can tell us about the brain"

April 22: Dr. Eric Hittinger (RIT): "Everything You Wanted to Know About Renewable Energy"


More information about each will follow in the next few weeks. We hope to see everyone there!