Pacific Science Center - Nov. 8-11, 2007
Explore how virtual snow can help burn patients, discover how a "simulated man" is helping doctors cure disease, and take a trip into a human brain during Life Sciences Research Weekend, Thursday through Sunday, Nov. 8-11, at Pacific Science Center.
For the first time, the →Washington Biotechnology & Biomedical Association and the →Northwest Association for Biomedical Research have teamed up with Pacific Science Center to create four days of demonstrations, interactive exhibits and talks for school children, families and citizen scientists interested in learning more about the crucial role of life science research and its benefits. Sponsors for this event are UW Medicine and Seattle Children's Hospital Research Institute.
Guests will have a rare opportunity to meet leading edge researchers and some of the nation's top research scientists from companies and research institutions across the state including special guest Dr. Yoky Matsuoka, from UW Computer Science & Engineering, a recent recipient of the MacArthur Fellowship Genius Award. Dr. Matsuoka will speak on Sunday, Nov. 11 at 2 p.m. and will discuss "Using Robots to Improve Human Quality of Life." Robots are starting to play a role at homes and hospitals to assist doctors/nurses/therapists. This presentation will provide a short overview of these robots, with a special focus on prosthetics that will be controlled by the brain signals.
The event will showcase a variety of career opportunities in the life sciences. While the event opens at 10 a.m. daily, research scientists will be available to interact with the public from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day of the event. A schedule of events is available at →nwabr.org.
"Every day I have the privilege to know the men and women scientists throughout our state whose passion to their life's work is infectious," said Susan Adler, Executive Director of the Northwest Association for Biomedical Research. "We encourage everyone who has the chance to become Washington State's future scientists and citizens to meet our researchers. Come to listen, learn, ask questions and most importantly come to dream about the next generation of medical discoveries and cures and the role you can play."
The hands-on discovery exhibits will include "SimMan," a high tech, anatomically correct mannequin that can mimic many diseases and respond realistically to drugs (presented by Renton Technical College). Guests will also have a chance to find out if they have a gene that affects their sense of taste (presented by Amgen).
Other highlights (and their presenters) include:
- See how virtual snow can relieve pain (UW Mechanical Engineering, Human Interface Technology Laboratory)
- Hear how DNA can save elephants (UW Biology, Center for Conservation Biology)
- Learn what makes a heart healthy (Youth Take Heart; The Hope Heart Institute; UW Engineered Biomaterials)
- Take a trip into a human brain (UW Neurobiology and Behavior Community Outreach Program)
- Unlock the secrets of surgery with a skeleton (UW Biomedical Engineering Society)
- Explore what a mouse wants in a house (VA Puget Sound Health Care Systems)
- Compare your genetics to that of a fruit fly (UW Genome Sciences, Education Outreach)
- Meet and talk to scientists working for better health for people everywhere (Northwest Association for Biomedical Research (NWABR) and Washington Biotechnology & Biomedical Association (WBBA)
- Learn about great careers in the life sciences
Entry to Life Sciences Research Weekend is included with the price of general admission. It's free for Pacific Science Center members.