Announcement: This Saturday at The Science Circle - "CRISPR" and "Science Communication In A Pandemic"

 

"CRISPR Year in Review 2021"

Saturday January 29

10:00 AM - 11:00 AM SL time

Every year there are new advances in genome engineering enabled by CRISPR/Cas editing systems. In this talk, the most important and interesting news in CRISPR-based gene editing from 2021 will be presented. Come learn about Technology Advances, New Tools, Intellectual Property, and Target Genes and Modified Organisms from a practitioner in the field. This year’s emphasis will be on the wide range of uses and modifications in medicine and agriculture.

Presentation by Dr. Stephen Gasior (Xootfly)

Auditorium

For more information, Click Here.

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/The%20Science%20Circle/72/129/30

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"Science Communication In, Or In Preparation For A Pandemic"

Saturday January 29

9:00 PM - 10:00 PM SL time

Mitigating the damage of the COVID-19 pandemic has been hugely dependent on society’s adoption of personal protective measures to curb the spread of the virus. Misinformation has also been cited as a threat to the employment of countermeasures like vaccines. To what extent is the public understanding of the mechanisms by which diseases spread or medical solutions function important in improving survival outcomes during a pandemic? Is it sufficient or perhaps better to be reliant on expert opinions and policies alone?

Fireside

For more information, Click Here.

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/The%20Science%20Circle/161/99/25
 

Announcement: This Saturday at The Science Circle - "The Rest is Silence"

 

"The Rest Is Silence"

Saturday February 6,

10 AM to 11 AM SL time

Silent mutations are changes in the DNA of a protein-coding gene that do not result in a change in the encoded protein.  How can silent mutations occur?  How can you detect a silent mutation?  How frequent are silent mutations relative to mutations that produce an amino acid change? Are silent mutations really silent?  This presentation will address these and other questions about silent mutations.

A presentation by Dr. Mary Anne Clark

Max Chatnoir

M. A. Clark, Professor of Biology, Texas Wesleyan University

For more information, Click Here. 

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/The%20Science%20Circle/67/129/32

Announcement: This Saturday at The Science Circle - "CRISPR 2020: Year in Review"

 

"CRISPR 2020: Year in Review"

Saturday, January 2,

10 AM to 11 AM SL time

Figure NobelPrize.org. Using the genetic scissors, researchers can edit the genome of practically all living things.

 

Every year there are new advances in genome engineering. In this talk, the most important and interesting news in CRISPR-based gene editing from 2020 will be presented. Come learn about Technology Advances, New Tools, Intellectual Property, and Target Genes and Modified Organisms from a former published practitioner in the field. Of special note this year is the awarding of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry to Jennifer Doudna and Emmanuelle Charpentier for their work in CRISPR. Thus, the talk will start with a little deeper history of its discovery and invention. This year CRISPR was used for more than just gene editing, so those will be of particular interest and discussed as well. 

Non-members can register for the free events through SC members.

Presentation by Dr. Stephen Gasior (Xootfly)

For more information, Click Here. 

 https://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/The%20Science%20Circle/114/206/30

 

Announcement: This Saturday at The Science Circle - "Genome Island"

Genome Island

Saturday June 6

10 AM to 11 AM SL time

Tour of Genome Island

Genome Island was constructed by Mary Anne Clark (Max Chatnoir) to serve as a virtual laboratory, and is divided into several regions, each of which focuses on some area of genetics.  Max has used it for teaching both majors and nonmajors, and the island is open for use by other students.

To read more, Click Here. 

 http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Genome/119/145/53

Announcement: This Saturday at The Science Circle - Genomic Parasites Nibbling Away at Us"

"Genomic Parasites Nibbling Away at Us: Why I should win the Nobel Prize"

Saturday, May 16 at 10 AM PDT
  
By Stephen Gasior, PhD





Aging, infertility, neural degeneration, cancer, genetic variability. What could they all have in common? An underappreciated source of their cause in little genomic parasites known as retrotransposons. Retrotransposon exist in our genomes and live a life of copying and pasting into new locations to reproduce themselves. Unfortunately, this involves making breaks in DNA to insert themselves. This DNA breaking is, well, bad for genomes to stay intact. While long thought to be dormant in most cells, they were found to actually be actively expressed. To be discussed will be the speaker’s seminal work on demonstrating the DNA breaking activity of retrotransposons in human cells and the potential impact they have on human health. The case will be made for this body of work to be in the running for Nobel Prize recognition.
  
To read more, Click Here. 

https://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/The%20Science%20Circle/67/129/32

Announcement: This Saturday at The Science Circle - "2019 CRISPR Year in Review"

"2019 CRISPR Year in Review"

Saturday January 4
10 AM to 11 AM SL time

Every year there are new advances in genome engineering. In this talk, the most important and interesting news in CRISPR-based gene editing from 2019 will be presented. Come learn about Technology Advances, New Tools, Intellectual Property, and Target Genes and Modified Organisms from a practitioner in the field.

Dr. Stephen L. Gasior

For more information, Click Here

https://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/The%20Science%20Circle/67/129/32

Announcement: This Week At The Science Circle: “Updating Darwinian Evolution Part I"

“Updating Darwinian Evolution Part I: Insights from Genes and Genomes”
By Dr. Stephen L. Gasior
Sunday, April 22 at 8AM - 9AM PDT     

Darwin’s Theory of Evolution was a landmark event in science, providing an explanation for the origin of the diverse lifeforms on the Earth. Notably, it was largely a construct of deduction from observations. In the over 150 years of the existence of this theory, scientists have provided the nuts and bolts of how evolution works. Notable discoveries include DNA and how it encodes genes, how genes lead to characteristics, the ability to compare genomes, and experimentally measure population dynamics. What Darwin Never Knew (PBS 2009) covers some of the molecular examples of how evolution works. This presentation will summarize the key examples from the documentary. You are welcome to watch the documentary in advance and ask specific questions; however, the talk is designed for those unfamiliar with the documentary topics.

The first talk will be based on “What Darwin Never Knew”.
Watching before hand will be good but not necessary.

For more information: Click Here.  

The Science Circle (61/127/32) 

Announcement: This Week at the Science Circle

Saturday, June 17th at 10 AM PDT

“May the Gravitational Force Be With You”
by Paul Doherty aka Patio Plasma, USA

In this lecture, travel from Galileo’s dropped balls, through Newton’s apple-moon, to Einstein’s warped spacetime. Discover that gravity warps the GPS system, that satellites use gravity to “see” underground and measure California’s groundwater, and that gravitational waves can be used to watch black holes collide and merge.

More information about Paul's presentation at https://sciencecircle.org/upcoming-saturday/ 

The Science Circle (61/126/32)

Announcement: This Week at the Science Circle

Saturday, June 10th at 10 AM PDT

“Planets and perception”
By Professor Giuseppe Longo, Italy

The talk focuses on some aspects of the history of astronomy which deal with the complex interaction between simple optical systems, human vision and atmospheric effects.

The talk will cover many interesting anecdotes: from the man on the Moon and the color of our satellite,to the color of Sirius, to the phases of Venus and the channels on Mars.

Behind each of these phenomena there are both interesting physics and an even more interesting social background.

More information about Giuseppe's presentation at https://sciencecircle.org/upcoming-saturday/

The Science Circle (61/126/32)

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Sunday, June 11th at 10 AM PDT

“New Genes from Old”
By Dr. Mary Anne Clarke, USA (SL Max Chatnoir)

Where do new genes come from?  The origins of genes probably  lie with events in RNA world, but since DNA became the primary genomic material, new genes seem to be derived from old genes — both transferring them from species to species and modifying gene copies within and between species.  We’ll look some examples of gene origins:  the production of simple alleles, the modification of gene copies, and the acquisition of genes from other species, and the construction of new genes from old DNA sequences.

More information about Mary Anne's presentation at https://sciencecircle.org/upcoming-sunday/ 

The Science Circle (61/126/32)

Genome Island : Learning all about our own DNA !

By Wesley Regenbogen

Genome Island is an island in Second Life that handles about genomes and our human DNA.

Max Chatnoir, AKA Dr. Mary Anne Clark, Professor of Biology for Texas Wesleyan University in real life, created the island herself in another location other than today's in 2004. In 2007 the island moved to its present location in the SciLands region of Second Life, where all the science related themes are located today.

Max Chatnoir also made the design of the island, but most of the scenery was purchased from other content creators in Second Life.

Although there are no events taking place at Genome Island, they do offer science classes in the Spring and in the Fall. The classes taught at Genome Island include : "Cats, Codons and Chromosomes, a science class for nonmajors." They are going to be taught again this Fall. This place is especially made for genetics students, for which she made a special path. Other college or university students are welcome to join in as well.

When you enter the Genome Island sim, you are offered a Genome Island T-shirt as a gift, free to accept or discard it. Later on, you can get a T-shirt with your favorite chromosome and you can wear it.

In my personal opinion, this place is worth exploring. You don’t need to be scientist to understand what it’s about. Since I have beta thalassemia minor ( or trait ) in real life, it’s nice to learn more about the human DNA and stuff like that.
 

I created my group about real life blood disorders recently, so I find this place very interesting.

I will end this article with a science quote from Dr. Norval Kneten, Dean of Science and Humanities at Texas Wesleyan (Now President of Barton College) who used to say "Science is the next best thing to recess!" 

More information about Genome Island can be found at following link :

https://www.dropbox.com/home/Public/Genome/Guide?preview=Genome+Island.docx

 

You can find Genome Island in-world at this location :

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Genome/117/146/53

Wesley Regenbogen

Jamm for Genes

From Friday August 6PM SL time to Midnight on Saturday, “The Pocket” club hosted the “Jamm for Jeans” marathon live music event. “Jamm for Genes 2010 at The Pocket!” Delinda Dyrssen, the owner of the Australian club advertised, “Come on down for 30 hours of SL's best musicians and singers all performing for a common cause, Genes! here at The Pocket! ”

"’Jamm for Genes’ is part of the annual ‘Jeans for Genes’ fundraiser for the Children's Medical Research Institute, an Australian charity with global benefits," singer Cellandra Zon explained, “ ‘Jamm for Genes’ is all about live music raising money, for research into cell biology that helps with both prevention and cure of childhood, congenital and genetic diseases.”

The day and a quarter event offered a variety of singers in Second Life. Besides Cellandra Zon, there were Truelie Telling, Lyn Carlberg, OhMy Kidd, and many more. There was also a wide variety of styles. At one point, OhMy played as part of a pop music band, The Kidds. ZeroOne Paz offered more relaxing, ambient, music with his xylophone. Alienspeaking, whom spoke in a voice that sounded like “Alvin and the Chipmunks,” had a strange series of odd tunes that one might describe as an acquired taste. Delinda commented, “Someone in Second Life once told me that a venue cant mix rock and roll next to ambiant or country or whatever ... but you know what, music is music. It’s all good!

On Saturday at 9PM SL time, “Jamm” finally reached the 200,000 Linden mark. The final tally at the end was 241,399 Lindens, with a last second 1000 L donation arriving just in time. Delinda felt the event had the potential to be higher, “definately see the economic impact. Three years ago I did a 36-hour non-stop and by now we had 400,000. That was Unday for thrombosis research. And AngelAid we did two 8 hour days. We hit over 1 million in 16 hours. That was three years ago, though. And this event always falls shortly after Relay for Life, and people are burned out.”

Still, a quarter million Lindens had been raised for genetic research. Another example of Second Life aiding people in real life.

Source: Afk - But Not For Long

Bixyl Shuftan