Events
Intro Python Programming for Citizen Scientists
Sunday, December 15, 2019
2:00 pm - 5:00 pm
This workshop will provide an introduction to programming in Python, an accessible and popular programming language used for data analysis. No prior programming experience is necessary, but please read the pre-workshop instructions below. Workshop Instructed By Alex Kramer: Modern science and quantitative research often rely on the complex analysis of large amounts of data that vastly exceeds the possibility of manual computation (or even comprehension) by humans, even with the help of basic computer tools such as spreadsheets and calculators. For such intensive computation, powerful computer systems, tools, and applications have been built that require at least basic computer programming skills to leverage. This course aims to provide an introduction to programming in Python, the most accessible and one of the most popular general-purpose programming languages used for data analysis. By the end of the course, attendees will have a basic understanding of procedural programming and should be able to create . . . More details
Deep Dive: The science journal club for everyone
Wednesday, December 11, 2019
6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
This is an ongoing series of journal club meetings in public places. This week we take a deep dive into a gene therapy approved for human use since 2017.We will discuss the phase 3 trial for this therapy along with a quick primer on clinical trials and adeno-associated virus gene deliveryIf anybody has difficulty finding the paper I will email it to participants 1 week, and 2 days before the event.You can bring snacks to share, but it's not a requirement. Sharing your mind is the tastiest. More details
How To Run Mycelium: A Fungal Tissue Culture Workshop
Sunday, December 8, 2019
2:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Laboratory Workshop by Craig Trester, founder of MYC:Most people usually encounter mushrooms only on the menu of their favorite restaurant or in the produce section of the supermarket, never having to search for and identify these fungal fruiting bodies in their natural habitats. That leaves the question, what techniques allowed humans to go beyond foraging for mushrooms in the woods and cultivate them on demand? This workshop will provide an answer through instruction of the theory and practice of laboratory techniques utilized in mushroom cultivation. Used to isolate pure cultures of fungal species, these methods are also fundamental to propagate mycelium for use in creation of biological based materials, textiles, and artwork. Working with mushrooms from the grocery and wild, you'll learn to: Formulate solid (petri dish) agar media that mycelium will grow out on Use sterile technique to handle fungal specimens and culture mycelium from their tissue Create a personal still air . . . More details
Build a Biosensor with Synthetic Biology
Saturday, December 7, 2019
2:00 pm - 6:00 pm
A 12-hour class in 3 sessions: December 7th, 14th & 21st- 2-6PM Biosensors are living organisms programmed to detect an input and generate a measurable output. In this hands-on lab class you will use synthetic biology techniques to design and build a simple DNA biosensor device and load it into a cell to test. Students will have a choice of several combinations of inputs and outputs. We will also explore the principles of synthetic biology (DNA 'biobricks', databases and SBOL symbols) and its enormous potential to disrupt multiple industries. Is hacking DNA as easy as using Lego bricks? Join us for this one-of-a-kind class and find out! No previous experience necessary but participation in our lab skills series of workshops is recommended. Minimum age is 13, and anyone under 18 must be accompanied by a parent. Instructor Dr. Ellen Jorgensen is Chief Science Officer at the biotech startup Carverr and is . . . More details
Lab Skills: Cutting and Measuring DNA
Thursday, December 5, 2019
6:00 pm - 10:00 pm
About lab skills workshops: In this ongoing series of 1-2 day courses at Biotech without Borders, we’re inviting people of all skill levels together to complete a small teaching exercise in order to learn about laboratory work. We will cover the proper use of equipment and the real world application of the techniques being practiced. Prepare & Analyze a DNA molecular weight ladder How does a scientist know the length of a fragment of DNA? A routine approach is by comparing the fragment to other fragments of known sizes using a technique called gel electrophoresis. In this workshop, you will prepare your own DNA “ruler” by cutting a circular piece of DNA with enzymes called restriction endonucleases that act as tiny molecular scissors. The discovery of these enzymes in the 1970s was key to establishing the field of genetic engineering. Visualizing the resulting fragments of DNA on a gel is . . . More details
Fungi Are The Future: How Mushrooms Will Save Our World
Wednesday, December 4, 2019
7:00 pm - 10:00 pm
Lecture & Workshop by Craig Trester, founder of MYC: Fungi are the keystone species that interconnect every facet of life in our world. This class will highlight the supreme influence these ancient and often overlooked organisms have upon our health, society, environment and also provide a succinct peek into the Fungal Queendom from the perspectives of ecology, anthropology, pharmacology, and bioremediation. The class will also feature a brief workshop component that teaches attendees how to perform low tech and low cost mushroom cultivation techniques that can be replicated at home with upcycled materials. About the Instructor: Craig M. Trester is a citizen scientist that applies biomimicry and permaculture principles through mycology to develop regenerative solutions. By studying Fungi, he believes novel approaches towards alternative agriculture, pharmacology, and bioremediation can be realized. Craig runs MYC, an applied mycology educational resource that teaches the benefits Fungi provide to our health, environment, and . . . More details
PCR + Pizza
Monday, December 2, 2019
6:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Come on down to BwB's regular Open Night! Pizza, beer, and Lab work. Extract DNA from yourself and amplify it using PCR to test yourself for a CCR5 mutation, or just relax and have some great conversations around democratizing science. No charge, but donations for the pizza and beer greatly appreciated! More details
Deep Dive: The science journal club for everyone
Thursday, November 14, 2019
6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
This is an ongoing series of journal club meetings in public places. This week we take a deep dive into what determines human lifespan. To continue our theme of the science of aging, we will tackle the following two articles:The Hallmarks of Aginghttps://www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674%2813%2900645-4Aging Converts Innate B1a Cells into Potent CD8+ T Cell Inducershttps://www.jimmunol.org/content/196/8/3385You can bring snacks to share, but it's not a requirement. Sharing your mind is the tastiest. More details
Intro Python Programming for Citizen Scientists
Saturday, November 9, 2019
2:00 pm - 5:00 pm
This workshop will provide an introduction to programming in Python, an accessible and popular programming language used for data analysis. No prior programming experience is necessary, but please read the pre-workshop instructions below. Workshop Instructed By Alex Kramer: Modern science and quantitative research often rely on the complex analysis of large amounts of data that vastly exceeds the possibility of manual computation (or even comprehension) by humans, even with the help of basic computer tools such as spreadsheets and calculators. For such intensive computation, powerful computer systems, tools, and applications have been built that require at least basic computer programming skills to leverage. This course aims to provide an introduction to programming in Python, the most accessible and one of the most popular general-purpose programming languages used for data analysis. By the end of the course, attendees will have a basic understanding of procedural programming and should be able to create . . . More details
How the Manifestations of Medical Diagnoses Have Shaped the Art World
Wednesday, November 6, 2019
7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Disease changes lives…and art. For centuries, art and music have reflected not only contemporary cultural and political themes but also the lives of the artists themselves. For example, medical diagnoses have shaped the way artists perceive and interact with the world, and are expressed in their art. This talk explores how a pituitary tumor, REM sleep disturbances, prosopagnosia and syphilis have ultimately had profound impacts on art and music, while explaining the science behind these diagnoses along the way. Speaker Bio: Dr Megan McGill, MD, PhD recently joined REGENXBIO, a gene therapy company. She most recently worked for McKinsey & Co. in the firm’s healthcare practice. Prior to McKinsey, she was a resident physician in the Radiology Department at New York University Langone Medical Center. Megan received a BA, magna cum laude, from the University of Pennsylvania in neuroscience, chemistry and music. She completed her MD and PhD degrees at . . . More details
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