Name: Tails, Tools, and Tiny Cells: Uncovering the secrets of our bodies
Start: 2025-05-21T19:00:00
End: 2025-05-21T21:30:00
Location: Slattery's Midtown Pub

Our bodies are dynamic, shaped by the past and constantly evolving. Join us for three talks on fascinating, often overlooked topics: how evolution removed our tail, how viruses aid the medical field, and how the brain's key players aren’t the most well-known cells. Uncover the hidden science behind our bodies’ stories!

A “tale of tails”, or how did we lose our tails?

Itai Yanai (Full Professor)

One of the most notable changes along the evolutionary lineage to apes and humans is the loss of the tail. I will talk about how an insertion of a small genetic element into a gene important for tail development, may explain how our ancestors lost their tails 25 millions years ago.

Of Mice and Men and Viral Vectors

Alex Michels (Postdoctoral reseacher)

Viruses aren’t just agents of disease—they’re powerful molecular innovators. Discover how virus-derived tools are shaping breakthroughs in diagnostics, cancer treatment, and more. Join Alex for a look into the future of medicine, and the surprising role HIV could play in curing blood cancer.

Eating only half a pie

Shane Liddelow (Associate Professor)

Even though neurons are the most well-known brain cells, astrocytes—star-shaped support cells—outnumber them in some brain regions and play crucial roles in brain function. From maintaining homeostasis to supporting neurons, astrocytes are key players in brain health. However, disruptions in astrocyte function are linked to various diseases. Join our expert speaker as he explores the vital functions of astrocytes in both health and disease, shedding light on this often-overlooked but essential cell type.

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Tickets	Price	Qty
Standard	$2.00
Donation		Keep Pint of Science going