Starts in
May 19, 2026
7:00pm – 9:00pm
Venue
Shim Sham, 3123 Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90057, USA
The tug-of-war to make mRNA
Isaac Fianu (Assistant professor, Caltech)
The recent pandemic made mRNA a household name, but the story of how it’s actually made inside our bodies is even more captivating! Our DNA holds life’s instruction manual, yet deciding which parts to read isn’t a simple flick of a switch. Imagine a constant, microscopic ‘tug-of-war’ in which powerful molecular machines and tiny regulators are locked in a struggle for control over our genes. Join us to pullback the curtain on this intricate molecular drama, discovering how thesehidden battles dictate which vital mRNA messages get created, ultimately shaping everything from individual cell behavior to our complete health.
Not your typical “detox” – Metabolic adaptations helping bacteria clean up heavy metal contamination
Brianna Bibel (Assistantprofessor, Loyola Marymount)
High levels of Cr(VI) are incompatible with most life. However, some bacteria are able to not only survive in its presence, but also reduce it to a much less hazardous form, Cr(III). A sort of biological “detox” if you will. Learn how we are unraveling the metabolic enzyme adaptations enabling this in order to help advance the use of these microbes for environmental clean-up and/or sustainable biotechnology.
Website: https://pintofscience.us/event/invisible-forces-the-molecular-drama-of-life/