Welcome to the Cafe!

Cancer 101: Myths, Truths, and the Future in Cancer Research

Mon, 3 May 2010 16:28:24 -0700

Cancer claims the lives of over half a million Americans every year. There are many misconceptions about this disease and many exciting advances on the horizon. We'll explore some of the facts and fiction from the perspective of a cancer biologist that will provide you with a better foundation for understanding the disease.

Demarcation: Is there a Sharp Line between Science and Pseudoscience

Mon, 5 Apr 2010 00:03:49 -0700

"The aim of science is not to open the door to everlasting wisdom, but to set a limit on everlasting error" wrote the playwright Brecht, capturing an important essence of the scientific enterprise. The ability to demarcate astrology from astronomy seems at first glance an easy challenge. However, a complete algorithmic description of the scientific method has eluded both scientists and philosophers, and to this day there is no consensus on the exact nature of scientific inquiry. So how do we tell science from nonsense without a clear definition of science? I will discuss some the issues that have hampered philosophers in defining science and then explore criteria that have been proposed (and used in important court cases) to demarcate science from nonsense. Bring your favorite pseudoscience and see if we explain exactly why it should not be taught in a science classroom!

HIV: Evolution of the virus; effectiveness and metabolic side effects of treatment

Mon, 1 Mar 2010 22:17:23 -0800

Three topics will be discussed in this talk. We will do a review of the origin of the HIV virus and current models for predicting the long term effectiveness of the anti retroviral therapy. A discussion on the effects of antiretroviral therapy on metabolism through mitochondrial toxicity will be done to understand the methods and implications of the therapy.

The Role of Iron Fertilization and Past Climate Change: Where Does All That Dirt Come From?

Mon, 1 Feb 2010 23:23:00 -0800

Dr. Latimer’s research focuses on the biogeochemistry of nutrients and metals in the environment. In particular, she studies the relationships between phosphorus geochemistry and metal fluxes in the world’s ocean to try to understand the interactions between nutrient burial, detrital fluxes, paleoproductivity, and past climate change.
Dr. Latimer was a Schlanger Ocean Drilling Fellow in 1999, studying the sediment geochemistry of samples recovered during Ocean Drilling Program Leg 177, and she sailed on Ocean Drilling Program Leg 189 as a physical properties specialist.

Epidemiology of Lung Cancer in the Central Valley

Mon, 4 Jan 2010 00:58:53 -0800

Each year 160,000 Americans die from lung cancer and another 220,000 are diagnosed with the disease. About 85-90% of lung cancer is attributable to cigarette smoking and other tobacco related exposures; however, one in five American adults continue to smoke. Although there has been a decline in smoking during the last several decades, recent national data suggest the decline has leveled off, especially among young adults. In this presentation, the worldwide distribution of lung cancer, state and local patterns of lung cancer will be presented, as well as data on smoking habits and other risk factors for this deadly disease.