Johnson County Science Cafe
Johnson County Science Cafe’
What studying little worms can tell us about human diseases: or why NIH spends your tax dollars to learn about a worm’s sex life
Speaker: Dr. Matthew Buechner, Cell Biologist, Dept. of Molecular Biosciences, Univ. of Kansas
Date: May 17, 2011
Time: 6:30 pm
Location: Coaches Bar and Grill, 14893 Metcalf, in private room
The Human Genome Project is finding out the location of thousands of mutations that cause genetic diseases in people. But we don’t know what the “disease genes” normally do until we compare them to similar genes in other organisms, including mice, fruit flies, and roundworms, the topic of tonights’ talk. Some of those diseases include diabetes, muscular dystrophy, and polycystic kidney diseases.
Dr. Buechner uses genetics to study mutations that affect kidney tubules and the nervous system . He has won several teaching awards, including the HOPE Award for outstanding teaching at KU.
For more information: biologycctrack@hotmail.com
I took Microbiology from him while I was at KU. Easily the most rigorous course I took during my undergraduate work (beating OChem, A. Chem, and others). He was both an expert in his field and enthusiastic about sharing it with others. There were hundreds of students in his lecture, and he would still debate answers to every test with any student willing after class. I highly recommend any opportunity to hear from Dr. Buechner.