Nerd Nite #26 – SOLD OUT

Nerd Nite Calgary event #25 happens on Thursday, May 18 at Wild Rose Brewery:

When: Thursday, May 18, 2017 (Doors open at 6:30pm)
Where: Wild Rose Brewery
Tickets: $10 online + fees (SOLD OUT)
This is an 18+ event.

SPEAKERS

Milk of the Poppy and the New Breaking Bad
Dr. Peter J. Facchini, Professor and Canada Research Chair, University of Calgary

Opium poppy has long been a subject for elegant scientific enquiry, including a quarter-century of groundbreaking research at the University of Calgary. Recently, genes encoding all known pathway enzymes involved in the formation of the narcotic analgesic morphine and the cough suppressant and potential anticancer drug noscapine have been isolated. The availability of these genes has led to well-publicized efforts at leading universities to reconstitute morphine and noscapine biosynthetic pathways in yeast. However, the standard approaches used to engineer microorganisms, sometimes called synthetic biology, have resulted in low product yields far inferior to the remarkable metabolic capacity of the plant. The detection of metabolic bottlenecks suggests that additional parts and an understanding of unknown biological processes are still required to establish fermentation as a viable alternative to the agricultural cultivation of opium poppy as a source of legal opiates and other pharmaceuticals. Dr. Facchini will present a snapshot of his 25-year odyssey as one of the world’s foremost opium poppy researchers and discuss the prospects for home-brewed pain relief.

Human-wildlife collisions:
What happens when people and wildlife share the same landscape?
Dr. Michael S. Quinn, Associate VP Research, Scholarship and Community Engagement, Mount Royal University

In a rapidly changing environment like the Calgary region, new roads and trails intersect with wildlife corridors and pathways for a wide variety of animals.  The presentation will provide some insight into the challenges and opportunities for managing to keep people and wildlife moving on the landscape.  Images from remote cameras provide a look into a world we seldom see.

Cancer vs the Nanobots…
Dr. David Cramb, Professor, University of Calgary

Regular cancer treatment focuses on killing the cancer cells through large doses of medicine, but it also kills other cells in the body and causes significant side-effects and potential long-term effects. We are developing nanoparticles to deliver the drugs and diagnostic agents solely to the tumor in much smaller, more effective quantities, leading to more targeted treatments that are easier on the body.