Page 10

The Common Roots of Science,

Politics and Philosophy

January 2017Volume 7: Issue 3

What Statistical Mechanics and Chaos Theory Teach

Us about KindnessPage 14

University of Ottawa Student Science Journal

Science of 2016Page 20

The TeamExecutives

Editor-in-Chief Tanya Yeuchyk

Rédacteur-en-chef Setti Belhouari

Production Manager Cassidy Swanston

StaffMedia Manager Saania TariqPromotions Managers Narimane Ait Hamou, Catherine NguyenWebsite Manager Michael Leung

AuthorsNarimane Ait Hamou

Shobhitha BalasubramaniamSetti Belhouari

Sanmeet Chahal Winston Cheung

Nasim Haghandish William Ho

David Huynh Kira Momotova

Hadjar SaidiCassidy Swanston

Tanya YeuchykTina Yuan

EditorsShobhitha Balasubramaniam

Sanmeet ChahalAlex Chen

Alya HammamiAnn Lee

Rebecca XuConnie You

TranslatorsSetti Belhouari

Anastasia TurnerJade Ashley Kaitlin Choo-Foo

Shamei Benoit LeBlancNarimane Ait HamouMihaela Tudoraches

Sanmeet Chahal

January ContentsArticles

8Baby With 3 DNA Sources

9A New Year’s Resolution: Keeping Young Scientists in Science

10 The Common Roots ofScience, Politics and Philosophy

14What Statistical Mechanics and Chaos Theory Teach Us about Kindness

16Science of 2016

20Science Jokes

Professor Interviews3Dr. Alain St-Amant

4 Dr. Robert Smith?

5 Dr. Andrzej Czajkowski

6Dr. Kathy-Sarah Focsaneanu

Winter Writing Contest12The Discovery and Use ofGenetic Engineering

13Nucelar Energy

Cover Image Source: Trisha Thompson Adams

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Dr. Alain St-AmantProfessor, Department of Chemistry

Vice-Dean, Undergraduate StudiesInterviewer: Tanya Yeuchyk2nd Year BIM

Q: What is the path that lead you to where you are today? A: I come from Manitoba, so I chose the University of Winnipeg. My first ever choice was molecular biology- it sounded cool and I knew I wanted to be a scientist. I went into biology and I hated it. It was toomuch memo-rization and not enough logic to me, so I switched over to chemistry after my first year. I always had a fondness for the physical and theoretical, and then what happened was in 1985, I got into what’s called computational chemistry- everything simulated on computers. I didn’t enjoy labs as much as I enjoyed the classes, so for me it was perfect. I also had the equivalent of a minor in mathematics, so computational chemistry allowed me to combine my mathematics with my chemistry. Then I did my grad studies at the Université de Montréal, where I did a Master’s and PhD in computational chemistry. I always wanted to be a professor, so I didmy post-doc at the University of California San Francisco, on computa-tional chemistry on biological mole-cules. Then I applied to the Univer-sity of Ottawa, and it’s the only job I’ve ever interviewed for. I loved it and I took the offer when I got it. I’ve been here ever since.

Q: When did you first realize that you wanted to be a professor?A: I just loved the university life. First year of university, I showed up and I loved the university setting. My mom’s a teacher, I would nev-er want to teach high school, but at university, the students are so good. There are still some disinterested students, but you’re surrounded by pretty smart kids. I loved the university life, every year you get to see students leave on good terms, that’s fun to see. But every year, there’s a new crop of students, and it’s just a pleasure working with them.

Q: Do you prefer your work as a professor or your du-ties as vice-dean? A: I’m lucky, as vice-dean academic I get to combine the two, I get to meet students through scholarships and awards ceremonies. There’s the unpleasant side, academ-ic sanctions and having to withdraw the weaker students from the program. But all in all, it’s wonderful, I’ve been

doing it for seven years. I love teaching, but I also love being vice-dean, so I’m happy every day to come into work. It’s one of the best jobs.

Q: What inspires you? A: I love watching football, things like fantasy football, it’s almost like scientific research. I would analyze the matchups and pick which ones I was more certain about. In the limited number of years I’ve played, I’ve never lost. My hobby was doing the math behind the odds, trying to maximize the chance that I would maximize my points.

Q: Is there a movie that you would recommend to a student? A: I love movies. I challenge any person to sit through Field of Dreams, starring Kevin Costner. It’s about a guy who owns a farm in Iowa, and a ghost comes back and he wants to just play baseball, and hears voices, and he builds a field just so that ghostsfrom the past could come

back and play on a baseball diamond. It’s amazing, it was a great movie.

Q: What advice would you would give to a science student? A: I appreciate that in science, some-times it’s not obvious where you’re going to end up. To all those students who are thinking of applying to med school, it’s great to have those career plans, but since you could do any sci-ence and still apply to medicine, pick the science that interests you. And, if science isn’t for you and you prefer psychology, or engineering, or health science, go for it. Follow your heart and don’t worry too much about the

jobs, because anytime you get a Bachelor’s degree, stud-ies have shown you’ll get a job. Me, I’ve always picked what I wanted. I started in biology, went into chemis-try. Did I know I’d get a job in computational chemistry? No way. I just followed my heart. When I was finishing up my grad school and I applied for a post-doc, I got to choose between Harvard and UC San Francisco, which had a really low profile, but it’s a really good school. I decided on San Francisco, and my mom freaked out, “you’re turning down Harvard?” I was totally happy at San Francisco, it was one of the best decisions I’d ever made. Follow your heart.

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Dr. Robert Smith? is an associate professor in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics at the University of Ot-tawa. His work in applied mathematics, specifically disease modeling, proves, without doubt, the indispensable nature of mathematics when establishing preventative measures. Known for his engaging writing, speaking, and teaching style, Dr. Robert Smith? can convey serious topics to mathematicians and non mathematicians alike, through the use of light-hearted models such as the one studying the chances of humans surviving a zombie apocalypse, and another one studying the relevance of the Bieber Fever. Visit his website to learn more about his work or to have a good laugh reading his funny homepage: http://mysite.science.uottawa.ca/rsmith43/.

Q: Did you know that you wanted to be mathematician as a high school student? A: I was not a particularly a great math student until grade 9 when they gave us calculators. I was freed from the tyr-anny of numbers and I became good at math concepts. Actually, I only learned to be good at numbers once I started teaching. I did my postdoc at Western University. My postdoc advisor said, You can apply this to HIV. He blew my mind. I could use math for something real. That was how I got into disease modeling.

Q: Did you always compete with someone in math class? A:Yes. His name is Sam Williams. He is a genius. He was clearly number one. I rose to number two, but there was no way to rise to number one. Sam started his PhD in Ox-ford and finished it in Harvard. Then, he hated math. He quit and became a film director. That was weird because he was the math star, and I was the working mathemati-cian. Suddenly, I was the mathematician and he was not.

Q:Why did you choose Canada?A: The guy that I was competing wanted to get out of Australia and go overseas to Oxford or Harvard. I did his plan because I did not have one. I wrote to the [Ca-nadian] universities individually. One place, McMaster, had an email address. It took twenty four hours to get a response which was like lightening speed back then. Sud-denly, I was going to Canada. I then did a postdoc at the University of Colorado, Los Angeles, and then moved to Champagne, Illinois to do another postdoc. I largely pre-ferred Canada to the US. I applied for professorship in Canada. When I got a reply from the University of Otta-wa, I returned immediately.

Q: What got you into zombies?A: I was running a course on disease modeling and said to my students, You can do any disease you want. One group said, We want to do zombies. Because I had my science fiction background, I was really into it. I thought it would be very amusing to publish that. It became this

massive media story and was in fact the number one story in the world for 24 hours. Collectively, the students and I won a Guinness World Record of the first mathematical model of a zombie invasion. I won the Mathematics Am-bassador Award for the ability to communicate math to the outside world. Finally, the world knew that what we do is important. Math can be accessible. You can engage in math without having to do all the details. Someone else can do those.

Q: Do you have any final words of wisdom? A: Something that I had a lot of success with was doing what I was interested in, rather than doing what I thought would get me a job. I remember at the start of the nine-ties, if you went in computer science, then you had a great future. I am so glad I did not have to do that. I don’t like programming, but I learned to do that back then. If you want useful skills, you should probably learn computer skills, learn how to program, or you should learn statistics because everyone wants to hire statisticians. But if you want to have a good life, you need to mix what you are passionate about. I have had a mad success in life, largely because I am doing my passion.

Dr. Robert Smith? An Interview By Setti Belhouari 2nd Year BCH and MAT

Image Source: Dr. Robert Smith?

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Q: What is the path that lead you to where you are to-day? A: Back in Poland, years and years ago, I did my phys-ics undergrad. The school I went to offered a concurrent education program, so we all were trained to be teach-ers. Prior to this I was in a very competitive high school, with students who were laureates of provincial-level math games. My story is not typical because I was actually very bad in physics. In grade 11, I had a lot of things going on in my life and maybe school was not the most important one, but physics hit me very hard. I barely passed, by the skin of your teeth. From that point, I kept up with the new material, there was no more risk of failing it, and I was doing quite well. At the end of [high school], I want-ed to go into history actually. But then I thought, where do you find truth? Well, math and physics. And then I became top of my class at university. When I came to Canada, I started my PhD program at the University of Windsor. I had some really amazing teachers there. My research was in Atomic and Molecular Physics, we did laser spectroscopy of molecules. Right after [my PhD],

I got hired at the National Research Council in Ottawa with an NSERC fellowship to work at a time and frequen-cy group. The scientists there develop a new generation of atomic clocks. I was finishing up [the project] when I was already here, teaching. Where I come from as a teacher, I actually am realistic about how little my students can possibly know. Nothing was really trivial or natural to me.

Q: When did you first realize that you wanted to be a professor? A: When you go into physics and you get your PhD, this is sort of your dream career. Industry in Canada is not hiring physicists in large numbers. All my life I was sur-rounded by professors. My uncle was a professor in as-tronomy, my father was a professor in physics, and lots of my neighbours were university professors. I always felt that they were the most clever people around me, because they were so interesting and they always had stuff to say. To me it was a thing to aspire to.

Q: What made you decide to move to Canada? A: It was personal reasons. I moved to Canada in 1993, so it was five years after the collapse of communism. I had a father who left us and lived in Canada since 1968, so I could become landed immigrant. He was living in

Windsor, that’s why I went there. I pretty much started taking my courses right away, and a year and a half later, I brought my financé, my current wife, with me. We’ve been here ever since. Three more years, and it will be the placeI call home for the longest time.

Q: Is there a movie or book that you might recommend to science students? A: There is a goldmine of interesting literature that is completely unknown to the Western world. I’m not toot-ing my horn, because I’m not going to recommend Polish writers, but I would say Mikhail Bulgakov’s Master and Margarita. It’s magical book on so many levels. It’s a book written in secrecy, set in the reality of the Soviet Union in the1930’s, a time of great purges. But the whole book is actually quite uplifting. From what I’ve read recently, it’s a bunch of essays on contemporary issues by Thomas Sowell, called Black Rednecks and White Liberals. It was very interesting.

Q: What advice would you give to a science student? A: I think you made the right choice coming to science. Overall it’s a pleasure to work with you guys.I’ve noticed that a lot of [students] think life is over when they can’t get into med school. Well, every time one door of oppor-tunity closes, something else opens up. It might be this other path that will get you where you want to be, some-times where you didn’t plan to be but it will be equally interesting. Another thing is not to think that you don’t stand a chance for an interesting career, simply because you’re not getting A’s across the board. I’ve met many very interestingstudents whose their marks are not stel-lar, but they bring some passion to the table, which is fre-quently what’s lacking when you’re dealing with across the board A+ students simply because it took them so much time to maintain this average. At some point you want to delve into something and make it your life, and it will go beyond just scoring high on a test. You want to in-vest time that can’t be justified by academic success alone, and that’s what can make you a great scientist. Unfortu-nately, the system we have of support and scholarships is based on numbers, so I wouldn’t say forget the grades, but do not despair if you suffer some setbacks. It doesn’t have to destroy your prospects of your career.

Dr. Andrzej CzajkowskiProfessor

Department of Physics An Interview By Tanya Yeuchyk2nd Year BIM

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Q: What is the path that lead you to where you are today? A: I did not expect to get here. The one unifying characteristic of all scientists is that we never seem to end up where we predicted when we started. I wanted to be an as-tronomer ever since the age of six. When I applied to the University of Ottawa, my original intention was to go into physics/mathemat-ics. I had two pivotal points in my career. The first was winning the [Undergraduate Research] Schol-arship the year that it started, and that gave me the opportunity to work in a lab. That’s when I chose the photochemistry field, and I fell in love. I switched gears and went

into chemistry, and eventually did my PhD in photochemistry. My second career-defining moment was during my PhD when I real-ized I enjoyed teaching. I became a TA and I enjoyed teaching in front of a classroom more than I en-joyed standing in front of my fume hood. That’s when I knew that I really wanted to focus on a career in chemistry education rather than lab-based research. That was sort of my forked path in science.

Q: What was it like to apply to be a professor right out of graduate studies? A: I have an unusual position, my technical job description is

“science lecturer”. The way I was hired is not the typical way a pro-fessor is hired. My CV was more focused on teaching experience rather than research experience, although I had both. A few days before my interview, I was sent a topic, and they said, we’d like you to give a pretend, 40-minute lecture on this topic. I also did a modest research proposal, [about] other sorts of ideas [I had] for the scholarship of teaching and learn-ing in chemistry. And that’s how I got this job! Now I tell all my friends and everyone I meet that I have my dream job, this is exactly where I want to be.

Image Source: Dr. Kathy-Sarah Focsaneanu

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Dr. Kathy-Sarah FocsaneanuProfessor

Department of Chemistry Interview by: Tanya Yeuchyk2nd Year BIM

Q: What kind of research do you do now? A: I don’t do traditional lab-based research, it’s in chemistry educa-tion. I work on improving curriculum, bringing in novel tech-nologies into the class-room, testing them out, de-veloping best practices, and working with TAs to improve their teaching. Some-times I perform experiments with teaching methods. My background in research is in photochemistry, doing chemical reactions with light. The reaction is chemistry, but the light is physics, so I think it appealed to both parts of why I loved chemistry and physics so much. I worked in Tito Scaiano’s lab for many years, and I did my PhD there. It was love at first sight when I joined the photochem lab, and then I did three summers in that lab, my honour’s project, and stuck around and did my PhD as well.

Q: What inspires you? A: Definitely travel and scuba div-ing. That’s my other passion in life, and I really look forward to travel-

ling around and seeing as much of the world as I can, and spending a good amount of time under water. I think anyone who’s taken a class

with me knows quite well what my number one hobby is.

Q: Is there a movie or book that you might rec-ommend to science stu-dents? A: I’m definitely a pop culture junkie, so I read

lots and watch lots. When it comes to books, I love the Harry Potter series. I think from an artistic point of view, one of my favourites that I read over and over again is a graph-ic novel called Sandman, by Neil Gaiman. It’s really thought-pro-voking. As for sci-ence books, The Elegant Universe by Brain Greene, I read that when I was sixteen, and it was the first time where a general theory of relativ-ity was explained in a way that I could fully grasp. I’m also desperately waiting for the next Song of Ice and Fire book.

Q: What advice would you give to a science student? A: If you want to become a scien-tist, you can’t simply learn science, you have to do science. There’s a common saying that says, science is not a spectator sport. My piece of advice is to participate, get in-volved in the process of discovery, of seeing what the actual scientif-ic method is like. The URS and UROP are fantastic ways to get involved sooner than your fourth-year honours project. Try to dip your toe in as soon as you can. When I talk to students and they ask, how do I get involved, I say, ask every single professor you meet, do you know of any research oppor-tunity out there? Because if you’re going to be a scientist, you have to

do it, you can’t just learn it from a book. Everything that you are learning was dis-covered by a scien-tist. Now, once you become a scientist it’s your job to make your own discoveries and make your own

contribution to the knowledge base of humanity. Every little bit pushes the boundaries of what we know just a little bit further.

“It’s your job to make your own dis-coveries and make your own contribu-tion.”

“If you want to be-come a scientist, you can’t simply learn science, you have to do science.”

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Genetic mutations in mitochondrial DNA can cause the dysfunction of the organelle, which can ultimate-ly lead to metabolic irregularities. Mitochondria are cellular compartments which contain their own DNA and whose function is to provide energy for the organism. Leigh syndrome is an example of a mitochondrial disease, and although rare, its repercussions are se-vere. Symptoms of this condition emerge in infancy and include inability to suck during breastfeeding, loss of coordination of the head, and a decrease in mobility. The symptoms worsen with time and in-clude general weakness and respiratory problems, resulting in death within a few years after birth.

Nuclear DNA in children is inherited from both bio-logical parents. However, mitochondrial DNA (mtD-NA) is only inherited from the mother. Consequently, if a healthy mother carries a mitochondrial mutation,

the muta-tion will be t r a n s m i t -ted to all of her descen-dants, as is the case with Leigh Syndrome. The ma-ternal gene T A C O 1 , which codes for a trans-

lational activator necessary for the adequate pro-duction of a protein named COX1, is muted. Until now, no treatment has been discovered for this dis-ease. Nevertheless, techniques of in vitro fertlization (IVF) have recently allowed mothers carrying the

genetical mutation to give birth to healthy children, free from the syndrome. A child born using this technique possesses DNA

of three different origins. Last April, at a Mexican clin-ic, the world’s first child possessing both of his par-ents’ DNA and the mitochondrial DNA of a female donor, was born.

Researchers have accomplished this by removing the nucleus from the oocyte of the biological mother whose mtDNA contained the mutation and insert-ing it the enucleated oocyte of the donor. The new oocyte, which contained the DNA of the biological mother, was fertilized in vitro using the biological father’s sperm. This has allowed the formation of a baby with DNA from three different sources who, today, is not affected by the illness.

This method seems very promising for couples who carry genetical diseases and who wish to have chil-dren. However, complications exist which can im-pede this dream.

The technique is illegal in certain countries, such as the United States, due to the fact that significant risks are associated with this method of procreation. A study on mice issued from 3 parents demonstrat-ed that they presented progressive alterations to mi-tochondrial function which significantly reduced their lifespan. This technique of procreation using three DNA sources is very promising for the years to come. New in-depth studies, however, are necessary to reduce clinical risks and improve the manipula-tion of the nucleus transfer.

Baby With 3 DNA SourcesA New Hope for Leigh Syndrome

Hadjar Saidi, 3rd Year HSS

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Most onlookers glance at pure science with eyes full of admiration. However, under the glorious and triumphant façade of any acclaimed research insti-tute stands a heavily burdened foundation: graduate students, mainly postdoctoral researchers, who bear the seemingly unbearable task of producing the nu-merous and much-sought after research papers. To these students, the scientific institute could just as well be another factory seeking to increase profit through the means of questionable shortcuts.

In many fields of study at most institutions, a PhD laureate must hold a postdoctoral po-sition before ob-taining a faculty position. To com-plicate matters further, the hiring process for any faculty position depends large-ly on the recom-mendations of the postdoctoral advi-sor, so, the post-doctoral research-er’s boss. Aspiring postdoctoral students are thus obliged to work an average of 12 hours daily with a yearly salary of approximately $45,000 (The Cana-dian Association of Postdoctoral Scholars, 2013) - $11,000 less than the salary of the average librarian.

Most postdoctoral positions are contractual. Post-doctoral students benefit neither from the work-place protection of their permanent faculty homo-logues, nor from the health care services offered to students. They find themselves in a frustrating grey-

zone, moving from one postdoctoral position to the other, either because they are clinging to the dream of obtaining a faculty position, or because they do not have the proper training for a non-academic ca-reer.

A study conducted at the University of California has found that 47% of the PhD students surveyed could be considered depressed. Unsurprisingly, most postdoctoral students, young and at the be-ginning of their careers, are overwhelmed by the pressure to publish frequently in renowned journals

leaving little-to-no time (or money) to engage in long-term relationships and start families, for instance. Such diffi-cult circumstances, in addition to the uncertainty of find-ing a permanent po-sition, are reasons enough for intelli-gent and promising young scientists to quit science.

There is no single solution that can reform the oper-ation of the modern science institute. Simple mea-sures to improve the morale of graduate students, such as offering them generous family leave policies, health care, and child care, depend on increasing funding. Until then, 68,000 postdoctoral students will compete for only 16,000 professorship position openings in the US alone.

A New Year’s Resolution: Keeping Young Scientists in Science

An Editorial Reflection on the Modern Academic WorldSetti Belhouari, 2nd Year BCH and MAT

Image Source: Stockphoto

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In light of recent political events in the world, a re-examination of the political landscape is needed to both make sense of things as they are (i.e. what are the facts), as well as to give a normative direction for things to flow (where should we go?). I argue that an em-phasis on the shared origins of science and political philosophy is the most relevant avenue to reach these goals. Science is the best method we have to discover facts about the world; the related philosophies may provide a common direction for us to work towards.

Geopolitical instability in the Middle East gives strength to in-surgent groups as well as tremen-dous outpouring of refugees. Rising nationalisms and finan-cial crises in Asia, Europe, and North America further fuel anger and hatred, which are oftentimes misplaced. The mainstream news organizations sometimes appear more like entertainment than actual objective news. Ev-eryone seems to have different values about what is right and wrong. With all these events oc-curring simultaneously, it might seem as though the world is amidst chaos. As science and engineering students, we are subject to an engrained objectivity that perhaps the “everyday person on the street” is not privy to; this is a great strength that should not be exclusive to “designing better mousetraps”. Per-haps the next great North American political lead-

ers could not only have a charismatic background, but also precise technical knowledge tempered by shared human values such as life and liberty.

Science Science, in this context the scientific method, is an empirical method of building knowledge. It rests on certain assumptions, namely that there is an objec-tive “world” outside our minds which operates more or less by laws which are unchanging or that change

in a predictable manner. So far, science has brought us fantastic things such as laptops, vaccines, space exploration, magnetic trains, and an overabundance of food as well as not-so-amaz-ing things such as poison gas and nuclear weapons. Science can be considered a tool which can be used for good as well as bad. Science constantly seeks to falsify itself, and the strongest ideas which pass test after test, replication after replication, sur-vive only until the next pieces of

evidence de-throne those previous assumptions. For example Newton’s Classical Physics was upended by Einstein’s General Relativity, which itself is now grappling with Quantum Physics. It doesn’t always operate in a perfect way as many studies are not replicable; but, it’s the best we have so far. I ar-gue we should work with the best we have. far. I argue we should work with the best we have.

The Common Roots ofScience, Politics and Philosophy

William Ho, Graduate Studies in Biomedical EngineeringPresident of the Science and Politics Society

For information on upcoming events, visit the Science and Politics Society Facebook page.

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PoliticsPolitics deals with attaining positions of organized control over a region, and the usage of the power and resources that are within. Lawmaking can be construed as the power to ban or permit actions that people take. In regards to resource distribution; de-cisions regarding which agencies receive funding, ownership of property, and the tax rate are all under the jurisdiction of federal or municipal governments. Additionally, a government usually has a monopoly on force; the police and army are generally agreed as necessary for public protection and enforcement of property rights and laws. An efficient state is capable of organizing and mobilizing enormous amounts of resources as well as accelerating technological devel-opment. Politics is firmly intertwined with power, again with potential to do great good or great harm.

The Common OriginThis story actually starts in ancient Greece (and per-haps China) thousands of years ago, however it only really picks up great speed right after the Renais-sance, roughly 500 years ago. The philosophers I will mention were Enlightenment-peri-od academics who applied reason to many areas of learning, laying the groundwork for not only mod-ern political systems but science as well. Hobbes reasoned that the natural state of things was one of chaos without consequence. As a result, an informal social contract was attained by some communi-ty and a power broker (sovereign/king) who promised to keep them safe from harm – by force if necessary – and thus the first states were formed. Locke said that the state should exist not to serve the king, but to serve the people, through enforcing laws regarding life, liberty and property. Hume talks about empiricism which is the basis of scientific discovery, and also puts forth notable critiques of the scientific method including the inductionandis-oughtproblems.Kant shifted phi-losophy towards epistemology (how do we know what we know?) and talks about ethics. Are things goodbecause of the motives behind, or the conse-

quences ahead, or some combination of both? Both Bentham and Mill focused on utility-based notions of ethics and political economy.

These philosophers applied reason to the most crucial problems of their day and the foundations of formal logic, science and political philosophy all draw their roots from this primordium. However, catastrophic events such as the World Wars, the Cold War and more recent wars and revolutions have drawn the popular focus away for over a century. Moreover, as a result of coping with these tragedies, people have been firmly categorized in opposing or sepa-rate camps. Capitalist- communist, religious- atheist, democrat- republican...we should all remember that the area of facts has no distinction. We are all people, and perhaps there are a set of “human facts”which may be a foundation for a set of values that can be agreed upon by all. Critically-reasoned analysis with regard to facts, perhaps combined with impassioned rhetoric may be a possible solution to many of the global issues we face today. It is also important to note that we should have healthy skepticism of not only the facts but also their use, as facts can all too easily be co-opted to serve malicious agendas.

We are at a crucial point in history: the technical prowess which gave rise to so much prosperity has left many indifferent to the logical, liberal and empirical foundations that created this world of abundance, peaceful co-existence and decreasing poverty. That same indif-ference threatens to spill

over to leaders of the next generation. Perhaps this is best exemplified in anti-vaccination movements, climate change denial, mass surveillance, wanton toppling of foreign governments, and uninformed consumerism emergent in the last decades. It is my strong opinion that if we equip scientists and engi-neers with the frameworks and skills to successfully navigate the political landscape, we will guarantee a better future for us and our children.

“We are at a crucial point in history: the technical prowess which gave rise to so much prosperity has left many indif-ferent to the logical, liberal and empirical foundations that cre-ated this world of abundance”

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Every prospective parent wonders what their child will inherit from them, whether it’s a physical trait or the unfortunate aspect of a genetic disease. However, there may be a time when such questions will become superfluous; this will be possible through the use of CRISPR, which can make specific chang-es in any strain of DNA. This genetic engineering may be a breakthrough discovery, but also raises questions about manipu-lating nature.

CRISPR is an organization of repeated DNA sequences found in genomes, import-ant to immune systems due to its’ destruction of virus-es (3). When replicating, foreign DNA is incorporated into CRISPR sequences, serving as spacers, which are regions of non-coding DNA (3). Both CRISPR and the foreign DNA undergo transcription to become RNA (3). The CRISPR RNA guides molecular machinery to destroy the viral material: it is able to do this since it is copied from the viral DNA segments and is therefore matched up to it (3). Cas9, an associated protein of CRIS-PR, is also important in this function, as it checks and cleaves foreign DNA (4).

Genetic engineering can be made pos-sible by utilizing CRISPR techno logy to ‘delete’ any given organism’s genes, modifying genetic sequences. This can be used to target genetic mutations, as well as inherited diseases. Different variants of the Cas9 nuclease have been adopted to target genome DNA, and it reportedly has a high efficiency rating of targeting the desired gene. This means that it has the potential to eliminate diseases such as cystic fibrosis and sickle cell anemia and it would

therefore be possible to cure defects, even in fetuses. This gene modification might also be used for creating break-throughs in food production – through removing certain

genes, it is possible to give plants longer shelf lives even under ex-treme conditions and serve to make plants drought-resistant.

However, the scientific breakthrough is shad-owed by ethical con-cerns. There is still the possibility of mistakes in the modification

process leading to per-manent gene mutation and harming the individuals being tested on. It raises moral questions about how far this modification can be taken – for example, whether it would be exploited in order for parents to ‘construct’ their ideal child by not just preventing non-fatal disor-ders, but by controlling genes in order to change physical appearance. Genetic modification could also lead to no genetic variability, which could result in rapid overpopu-

lation. Using CRISPR is also not yet a fool-proof method, as an attempt to use it to destroy HIV genes result-ed in the virus evolving and the technology being unsuccessful. If more severe viruses pose a threat, lack of diversity may actually lead to severe outbreaks.

Genetic engineering is certainly an exciting prospect for the future of science; however, it should be used with caution. Using the modifica-

tion technique to solve food shortage problems and eliminating deadly diseases would benefit the global pop-ulation, but such an important scientific tool should not be used for superficial aspects, and instead only for bet-tering the lives of others.

The Discovery and Use ofGenetic Engineering

Kira Momotova, 2nd Year BIO

1st Place, Winter Writing Contest

“It raises moral ques-tions about how far this modification can be taken – for example, whether it would be ex-ploited in order for par-ents to ‘construct’ their ideal child.”

Image Source: Columbia Science Review

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Sixteen of Canada’s eighteen commercial reactors have a home in Ontario. While hugely controversial in the 1970s, today, nuclear energy generation is viewed as fa-vorable by 56% of Canadians. The favorability is not sur-prising - nuclear energy has many benefits. It has a low operating cost, is a 24/7 source of energy, is greenhouse gas-friendly, and produces a vast quantity of electrical energy. In Ontario, nuclear power meets more than 50% of Ontario’s electricity needs.

Perhaps, over the short-term, the benefits of nuclear en-ergy are insurmountable to any downside. Yet, if we look beyond a generation, nuclear energy becomes less of an investment in energy, and more of an investment in uncertainty. The accumulation of radioac-tive wastes requires expensive, careful management for centu-ries. These costs are not factored into taxpayer’s dollars today, but into the taxpayer’s pockets of tomorrow – dumping our ener-gy burden on the generations af-ter us. Sound familiar? Perhaps, incidents like the Three Mile Island Accident or the Chernobyl disaster might also ring a bell. While there are minimal dangers in the normal operation of nuclear fission pow-er reactors, accidents, meltdown, and natural hazards cause reactor accidents that can have catastrophic re-sults. As Fukushima showed us, these incidents are not always predictable with the science of today.

Often disregarded is the simple fact that nuclear energy

has become popular in a time of relative peace in North America and central Europe. However, it should not be forgotten that there are huge dangers in having reactors on land. Reactors are easy criminal or terrorist targets for land attacks. If a bomb damages the cooling infra-structure of a power plant, catastrophic damage can be done when the nuclear fission chain reaction runs awry. The resulting ionizing radiation can damage humans for generations in an incurable DNA-damaging process. The misuse of the plutonium that powers nuclear reac-tors by unstable foreign governments may also result in the beginnings of nuclear warfare.

Finally, nuclear energy provides long-term environmental haz-ards that generations will need to resolve when we are long gone. Currently, there is no long-term storage plan for used plutoni-um after decommissioning – yet, plutonium will be radioactive and dangerous for longer than humans have inhabited North America. We have not had a sin-gle man-made structure survive

through the ages for the duration of Plutonium-239 which has a half-life of 24,100 years. Can we be so certain that we will be able to create one?

Like fossil fuels, nuclear energy is another method of meeting our energy needs today by passing the inevita-ble burden to future generations. It is not a clean fuel, and it should not be the solution Ontario turns to in fulfilling our expanding energy needs.

Nuclear Energy

Tina Yuan, 4th Year BIO

Runner Up, Winter Writing Contest

Submissions for the illustration contest are due February 20th at 11:59 PM!

Check out the Catalyst website for more information.

Image Source: Modern Survival Blog

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What Statistical Mechanics and Chaos Theory Teach Us about Kindness

Sanmeet Chahal, 4th Year PHY

Making the Puzzle

continued from November issueIf we focus on the basic pre-cept of Statistical Mechanics we find the following: “The val-ue of a property such as pressure or temperature is equivalent to the average of the sum of the property corresponding to the microscopic constituents of the system.” If we suppose this to be true for other at-tributes and supposed that kindness or goodness is also determined by this same fundamental principle then we find something remarkably similar to the quotation by Gandhi, “Be the change you wish to see in the world”.

If we substitute kindness for the word property in our definition of the fundamental principle of Statistical Mechanics then we obtain the fundamental precept of “Moral Statistical Mechanics”: “The observable kindness or good-ness of society is equivalent to the average of the sum of the observ-able kindness or goodness of the citizens in the society.”Here the global society is representative of a macrocosm which is composed of citizens who are the microcosm. The precept of Moral Statistical Mechanics is exactly what Gand-hi meant when we uttered his famous quotation, namely that if we wish to effect a global change in the moral or ethical standards of society then it is sufficient and necessary to improve our own

behaviours.

When the gas particle hits the boundary of its container with some momentum, it affects the measured pressure of the gas by a very minute amount, but that particle is required to maintain a given pressure. If the particle in ques-tion were not to make that colli-sion then the pressure inside the box would drop by a calculable amount. Similarly when one acts with kindness to-wards another or devotes himself to a moral act then they too are like the gas par-ticle hitting the boundary of a gas container. Although the moral act may not completely alter the moral stan-dard or degree of kindness in the world by a massive amount, they are necessary to keep it where it is and were they not to act in a kind way, then the degree of kindness in the world decrease by an observable amount.

I hope by now you see that just as a collection of gas particles in a container can create high pressures and perform useful work, by act-ing individually, we citizens of the world can likewise learn from the fundamentals of Statistical Mechanics that our actions are not

pointless and they do contribute to changing the world towards a better version of itself.

Now we shift our focus on Cha-os Theory and the lessons it can teach us about acting kindly. Chaos Theory states that many complex systems, society being one such system, are highly dependent on their initial conditions. If a chaot-ic system is set in motion, its future action would very quickly deviate

from the future it would have un-dergone had the initial conditions been only slightly different. Edward Lorenz said it best, “The present de-termines the fu-

ture, but the approximate present does not approximately determine the fu-ture.” If this principle is applied to ethics then one can conclude that although our small and individu-al acts of kindness may be small, they are like the fluttering of a butterfly’s wings that could cause unidentifiable global change like a hurricane. The teaching is simply that small actions can have large effects that we may never realize, therefore, one should never pass an opportunity to act kindly be-cause one never knows to what it could lead.

“Our actions are not pointless and they do contribute to changing the world towards a bet-ter version of itself.”

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The second characteristic of a chaotic system is that it is im-possible to know all the initial conditions of the system to make accurate predictions of the long term future. Therefore one should never allow oneself to fall prey to the illusion that our actions will never lead to any contribution on the large scale, because such pre-dictions are scien-tifically false. We can never know how the world would turn out if you defend a helpless person or show kindness where others show apathy.

The third characteristic of a chaotic system is that they of-ten have positive feedback mech-anisms. This point provides even greater reason for us to act with kindness and strengthens the belief that our actions can create a ripple effect that is felt on large scales. By simply doing one good act, we can inspire others to follow our ex-ample and spread the value of a kind action to unknow-ably large scales. For example, if you are at the drive-through and find the custom-er ahead of you paid for your cof-fee, then you are highly motivated to do the same for the person behind you. The positive feelings induced by that simple act will likely in-duce you to act more kindly for the rest of your day, compared to an alternate history in which that

initial kind act never happened. In turn as you continue through-out your day and go out of your way to help others, other people will also become inspired to do the same themselves and the cy-cle will continue. It is astonishing yet delightful to imagine that such a simple act can produce such vast consequences.

The last char-acteristic of a chaotic system that we will con-sider is that of the fractal nature of a chaotic sys-tem. Often, com-

plex shapes in nature are created by self-repeating patterns called fractals. The same is true for soci-ety. Many of the issues that we face as a society, such as global warm-ing and war, have analogues in the small scale structures that compose society, such as personal wasteful-ness and aggression, respectively. If one slowly magnifies the faults

in society, then we find that they are rooted in the faults of every level of the hierarchy in a society: from the global, national, and local to in-dividual. The problems of war,

suffering, pain, and environmental damage is caused by each level that can be examined. Howev-er, if each level contributes to the faults, each level can contribute to their resolution. If we improve our actions so that as individuals we are acting towards the resolution of our social issues, then slowly this change will be reflected in the actions at the local, national, and subsequently, global levels of hi-erarchy.

In conclusion, whether we consider Chaos Theory or Statistical Me-chanics, it is evident that science can teach us not only about the physical world but also the social one. From each of the principles of Chaos Theory and Statistical Mechanics we can draw lessons that encourage and implore us to act kindly so that one day we may live in a world that lives up to our ideals. There are many issues that plague our society but the lessons derived from Statistical Mechanics and Chaos Theory suggest that they

can be overcome and that chang-es must first be instituted in the actions of us citizens and we should not wait or depend on someone else to do it for us.

“One should never pass an opportunity to act kindly because one never knows to what it could lead.”

Image Source: Wallgot

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JanuaryNanoparticles vs. Superbugs

Setti Belhouari, 2nd Year BCHPrashant Nagpal, an assistant professor in the Depart-ment of Chemical and Biological Engineering at the Uni-versity of Colorado Boulder, and his team of researchers have made a profound discovery this year. They have suc-cessfully eradicated 92% of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in a lab-grown culture using a new therapeutic technology termed “quantum dots”. Quantum dots are light-activat-ed nanoparticles resembling tiny semiconductors that can specifically target the infection. Previous metal nanopar-ticles have been capable of fighting superbugs at the ex-pense of the surrounding harmless environment. Howev-er, quantum dots can be activated by specific and variable wavelengths of light that only target infected cells. In ad-dition, quantum dots are adaptable and can be tailored to fight new varieties of drug resistant bacteria. Quantum dots seem to be a promising treatment for HIV and can-cer.

FebruaryBack To The Future

Narimane Ait Harmou, 2nd Year BIMFor a long time now, scientists have tried to prove Albert Einstein’s claim of the existence of gravitation-al waves. The theory is based on the distortion of space-time, our universe, due to a heavy or highly energetic mass. This mass would deform its environment by forming a slight slope around it. Surrounding objects start to orbit the mass in a circular motion, following the trajectory of the deformation. Two objects with high masses would therefore orbit each other, faster and closer, until they fuse. An event like this would emit waves, described as gravitational since they would distort space-time, hence gravity. For these waves to be felt how-

ever, the event would have to be big enough, such as the fusion of black holes or the Big Bang. The discovery of gravitational waves by LIGO (a laboratory focused on detecting such waves with laser-light technology) at the start of February has proven the prediction of the general theory of relativity. We are now closer to understanding the nature of black holes.

MarchOrganic Nanowires Synthesized from

BacteriaShobhitha Balasubramaniam, 2nd Year BIM

A Michigan State University scientist discovered protein fibers, produced from Geobacter bacteria, which may have applications in nanotechnology. These hair-like fibers are called pili, and are composed of a peptide subunit. They are noted to resemble “paower lines at the nanoscale”, capable of transferring charges at approximately one bil-lion electrons per second. This study is marked as the first to demonstrate that electrons can travel a thousand times the distance along proteins previously thought possible.Geobacter synthesize these fibers in order to breathe min-erals containing metals such as iron oxides and uranium. Among several advantages to this profound discovery, the protein fibers are biodegradable and biocompatible. Thus, they can be used in medical sensors and devices that are incorporated in human tissues. Furthermore, traps have been identified on the surface of the fibers that may bind metals, signalling their potential application to mining gold and other metals. Moreover, they can be used to eliminate the presence of toxic metals. These protein fi-bers are in fact more efficient than synthetic nanowires, because they do not require high temperatures and toxic solvents and can be produced at a cheaper price.The pro-tein fibers produced from Geobacter bacteria hold prom-ising innovations for the world of nanotechnology.

Science of 2016

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AprilCure to Paralysis?

Nasim Haghandish, PhD in Cellular and Molecular Medicine

The disruption of the signals between the nervous sys-tem and muscles leads to paralysis. This can be caused by either illness or injury, leaving the patient helpless and ultimately dependent on others for daily routines. As neu-rogenesis is believed to cease in adulthood, the body is incapable of regenerating healthy neurons to transmit the neuromuscular signals. Now, imagine a paralysed patient being able to once again perform complex movements. By decoding intra-cortically recorded signals into re-al-time muscle activation, a group in the Ohio State Uni-versity successfully restored movement in a quadriplegic patient (Bouton et al., 2016). This was done by chron-ically implanting an intra-cortical microelectrode array in the patient’s left primary motor cortex, specifically in the hand area of the cortex. The patient was trained to use his motor cortical neuronal activity to control a neuromuscular electrical stimulator capable of decoding the neuronal signals using machine-learning algorithms. By converting the neuronal signals into electrical stimuli, the stimulator delivered the signals to the muscles of the right forearm using 130 electrodes embedded in a flexible sleeve wrapped around the patient’s arm. The system al-lowed the patient to perform six different wrist and hand motions as well as isolated finger movements to success-fully grasp, manipulate, and release objects. Additionally, the ability to regain the sense of touch is another possible feat. In fact, this was later demonstrated in prosthetics by a group at the University of Pittsburgh (Flesher et al., 2016). Thus, the ultimate goal is to develop a wireless and readily available system to improve the lives of many par-alyzed patients at the comfort of their own home.

MayEuropean Commission Approves First

Ex-vivo Gene Therapy Setti Belhouari, 2nd Year BCH

In May 2016, the European Commission approved the commercialization of Strimvelis, the first ex-vivo stem cell gene therapy. Strimvelis is used to treat Severe Com-bined Immunodeficiency due to Adenosine Deaminase Deficiency (ADA-SCID) which is a rare genetic disease caused by the inheritance of a faulty gene copy from each parent. This gene impedes the production of an important protein, adenosine deaminase, which in turn prevents the production of lymphocytes, an important class of cells in the human immune system. The lack of lymphocytes renders the individual extremely vulnerable to common infections. The therapy consists of ex-vivo insertion of a vector containing the functional ADA into the patient’s bone marrow cells. The “corrected”cells are reintroduced to the patient via intravenous infusion through which they will find their way back to the bone marrow. All 18 children on whom the Strimvelis has been tested, the old-est study dating back 13 years, are alive and well today.

JuneResearchers Sustainably Trap Carbon

Dioxide Within 2 YearsCassidy Swanston, 2nd Year BIO

One proposed method of combatting climate change is CCS (carbon capture and storage), which involves trap-ping atmospheric carbon dioxide and storing it under-ground. However, storing it in places such as abandoned oil and gas reserves can lead to leakage, so researchers have turned to mineralizing it - trapping it within rock. It was previously thought impractical because it would take thousands of years, however, an international team work-ing in Iceland has successfully completed mineralization within two years. The carbon dioxide was pumped under-ground within basalt rocks, which are rich in magnesium, calcium and iron. The solution reacted with the elements and formed carbonate minerals, trapping the greenhouse gas underground. Conveniently, basalt is one of the most common types of rock on Earth, meaning that this meth-od has the potential to be widespread, sustainable and en-vironmentally friendly.

Science of 2016

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JulyNew Gene Causing ALS Identified

Tanya Yeuchyk, 2nd Year BIM Materials engineers at the University of Wisconsin-Madi-son have developed the first nanotube transistors that out-perform silicon and gallium arsenide transistors. These one atom thick transistors can pass a current that is 1.9 times larger than in silicon transistors. According to ex-trapolations from single nanotube measurements, carbon nanotube transistors perform five times faster, and thus require five times less energy, than silicon transistors. Car-bon nanotubes have the potential of improving communi-cations and electric devices. Difficulty in creating carbon nanotubes arises in removing impurities, as they reduce the nanotube’s semiconducting properties.

AugustLife on Proxima B?

Narmane Ait Hamou, 2nd Year BIMOn the 24th of August 2016, a planet has been discovered orbiting near the Proxima Centauri star, the closest star to the sun. Found 4.22 light-years away from Earth, this exoplanet, called Proxima B, could potentially be similar to our habitable sphere. Situated at an ideal distance from its star, Proxima B could have characteristics that could favor life on its surface. While this is just a hypothe-sis, scientists think that a part of it could be covered by a deep ocean which would indicate the presence of water.

Proxima Centauri is a red dwarf type of star, meaning it is much cooler than the sun we know. Proxima B is closer to its sun than we are to our sun. This means that the sun would be much more visible and the sunset is surely an appreciated phenomenon by the inhabitants of Prox-ima B. This also means the planet’s climate is very livable and somewhat similar to ours. The trip to get there would however take 70 000 years, hence, we can-not currently confirm the existence of extraterrestrials.

SeptemberCarbon nanotube transistors surpass

silicon transistorsSetti Belhouari, 2nd Year BCH

Materials engineers at the University of Wisconsin-Madi-son have developed the first nanotube transistors that out-perform silicon and gallium arsenide transistors. These one atom thick transistors can pass a current that is 1.9 times larger than in silicon transistors. According to ex-trapolations from single nanotube measurements, carbon nanotube transistors perform five times faster, and thus require five times less energy, than silicon transistors. Car-bon nanotubes have the potential of improving communi-cations and electric devices. Difficulty in creating carbon nanotubes arises in removing impurities, as they reduce the nanotube’s semiconducting properties.

Science of 2016

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OctoberMC4R Mutation Linked With Obesity

Tanya Yeuchyk, 2nd Year BIM A receptor whose mutation can lead to obesity has been identified by a group at the University of Cambridge. Melanocortin-4-receptor (MC4R) is found in neurons of the brain stem that participate in regulating nutrition and appetite. Based on a mouse-model study, the researchers were able to conclude that a mutation of MC4R causes an increase in appetite, particularly for high-fat foods. At the same time, it remarkably leads to a decreased inter-est in high-sugar foods. This phenomenon was confirmed in a human study that looked for a relationship between food preference and an MC4R mutation, and found that indeed, people with a mutation of this receptor ate more fatty foods, and less sweet ones. This effect is explained by the fact that the MC4R pathway is stimulated during starvation, causing this change in food preference to promote survival. The defect in the receptor triggers the famine response in the absence of the correct stimulus. In fact, 1-5% of obese individuals have mutated MC4R neu-rons, and experienced rapid weight gain early in life. The results of this study prove once more that overeating can-not be explained by simply a lack of self-control. MC4R will be an important target for weight-loss therapies.

NovemberCreation of first carbon-silicon bonds in

living cellsSanmeet Chahal, 4th Year PHY

Silicon is one of the most abundant elements on Earth, accounting for 30% of the mass of the Earth’s crust and widely used in semiconductors such as in computers, solar cells etc. [1, 2]. However, silicon is completely absent from the biological world with no known organo-silicon compounds. The broad range applications of C-Si bonds led a group of scientists from the California Institute of Technology to ex-

plore the possibility of developing a biological cata-lyst for them [2, 3]. They realized that although no natural enzyme catalyzes C-Si bonds, proteins often have catalytic capabilities distinct from their biological function [1]. After extensive screening, they decided to use cytochrome c, one of the proteins in the electron transport chain, as the basis of their study [1-3]. It was shown to possess C-Si bond formation activity when Si containing substrates were provided. However, the cata-lytic efficiency was relatively low so the group used the technique of directed evolution to vastly improve the catalytic rate [3]. The development of the first enzyme catalyzing organo-silicon bonds is an important mile-stone in several scientific fields. It provides a new avenue in pharmaceutical research consisting of Si as well as a more efficient way to construct C-Si bonds in materials science.

DecemberDinosaur Tail in Amber

Tanya Yeuchyk, 2nd Year BIM For the first time in history, a dinosaur tail was found completely preserved in a piece of amber such that details including its feathering were observable. Lida Xing of the China University of Geosciences found this specimen at an amber market in Myanmar, and published a study on her findings in Current Biology. In essence, amber orig-inates as a tree resin, which can fossilize over millions of years into a reddish stone. Animals and insects can become trapped in the hardening resin, which was exactly the case with this dinosaur tail, estimated to be 99 million years old. CT scans and microscopic detailing suggest that the tail belonged to a non-avialan theropod, and consists of eight vertebrae. Ryan McKellar of the Royal Saskatch-ewan Museum explains that because the vertebrae are not fused, we can determine that the tail does not come from a prehistoric bird, which is an important evolutionary dis-tinction. The researchers conclude that they are “eager to see how additional finds from this region will reshape our understanding of plumage and soft tissues in dinosaurs and other vertebrates.”

Science of 2016

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Science Jokes

Winston Cheung, 5th year BIMWhy do chemists panic when they get KOH under their NaCl?

Because their base is under assault.

What do fridge owners and plant scientists have in common? They use crispr to improve vegetable shelf life.

Why was a gold rod the maestro of the orchestra?It was a good conductor.

David Huynh, 4th year Health Science, minor in Life Sciences Hey baby, don’t you think we complement each other so well?

We’re like the template and coding strands of DNA!

Strand #1: I’m sorry babe, I’m leaving you. Strand #2: What? Why?

Strand #1: It’s not you, it’s helicase. Strand #2: Nooo! Will I ever see you again?

Strand #1: I’m afraid not. Strand #2: Why not? We complemented each other so well!

Strand #1: Helicase has a way of breaking apart the hydrogen bonds between us and unzipping genes. She wants to introduce me to a friend of hers.

Strand #2: What? Who? Strand #1: DNA polymerase.

Person #1: Can I get your number? Person #2: Sure, it’s 602-1023.

Person #1: I asked for your number, not Avogadro’s number! Person #2: But I am Amedeo Avogadro!

Submissions for the next edition are due February 6th at 11:59 PM.Soumettez vos articles, dessins, photographies et blagues avant le 6 février

2016 à 23:59 pour le prochain numéro de mars.

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and provide you with free tools to help you move for-wards to the next step.

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