Frontiers in BiologyFrontiers in Biology

Rapid Fire 1

Spring 2008

Today's Agenda

• Gene Therapy

• Sleep

• Aging

• Life

• Epigenetics

• The Killer Flu

For Each Topic…

• 10-15 minute video

• Answer 3 questions

• Q & A session

Gene Therapy

In practice

IOO

• What does IOO mean to you?

• Institute of Ophthalmology

• University College London

• University of London

• My old lab….

• Centre of Research Excellence

Prof. Robin Ali

Seeking a cure for blindness…

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QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

News coverage….

• NBC Evening News

Sleep

• What happened to the flies that were deprived of sleep?

• Why is sleep necessary?

• Which animals need sleep?

Aging

• What is the average current age span of Americans?

• What is the correlation between diet and aging?

• What chemical in red wine good for you?

Life

• What is easier, to build a bomb or to make life?

• What is fascinating about a meteorite?

• What did they do at MIT with artificial life?

Epigenetics

• What does epigenetics mean?

• How does older twins’ DNA compare to that of younger twins?

• How important is epigenetics to who you are?

The Flu

• Where do all flu viruses start?

• Can the bird flu pass between humans easily?

• H5N1 mean?