Science Café Las Vegas, supported by the UNLV College of Sciences, is an organization geared towards bringing fascinating science discussions to the public of Southern Nevada.
We invite scientists to give short (~10-15 minute) presentations to the public at our fantastic venue, McMullan's Irish Pub, and then have roundtable discussions about anything you could possibly wish to know.
Science Café Las Vegas is on the first Wednesday of every month from 6:30-8 p.m.
Come on down to the pub for lively science discussion, delicious brews, fantastic food, and a great time! Family friendly (under age 21 allowed).
Next Science Cafe - December 4, 2024
Mira Han, Ph.D., Associate Professor, School of Life Sciences
"Transposons - parasitic DNA elements within our genomes"
Transposons are genetic elements that have the capacity to jump around in our genome. Since their discovery in corn in the 1940s, we have discovered many fascinating examples of them across diverse species. They are architects of the genome, constantly shifting, reshaping, and expanding the genetic landscape. What might seem like “junk” DNA is, in fact, contributing to life’s complexity and adaptability. Humans have greater than half of their genomes composed of transposons, and while most of them are dead remnants, some are still expressed or actively transposing. We are interested in the expression of these elements, in development and disease. We study how they can contribute to regulation of host genes, and influence genome evolution. We will describe the characters of these interesting elements and introduce some of our work in the analysis of transposons in human genomes.
Venue
McMullan's Irish Pub
4650 W. Tropicana Ave. #110
Las Vegas, NV 89103
702-247-7000