kNOW-SCIENCE Seminar Series at GENSPACE

As part of our efforts make science engaging and accessible to all, Dr. Simona Giunta, founder of kNOW-SCIENCE will be giving the opening talk of the kNOW-SCIENCE Summer Lecture Series at Genspace, a community laboratory in Brooklyn.

Genspace Talk: Cells, DNA and the Whole truth about Cancer
7:00 PM to 8:00 PM on Thursday, May 29

Location: Genspace HQ Organizers: Ellen D. Jorgensen, Ph.D.

Talk description: "This is the first in a series of talks by Rockefeller University scientists as part of the kNOW-SCIENCE public outreach program, which presents lectures covering various areas in biology at a level suitable for a general audience. Dr. Giunta is a postdoctoral fellow in the laboratory of Chromosomes and Cell Biology. Her work centers around DNA damage in mitotic cells, but she is very active in the University's programming for the general public".

Join us at GENSPACE for the kNOW-SCIENCE monthly seminar series commencing on 

May 29th 2014 @ the Genspace Community Lab 

33 Flatbush Avenue, 7th floor

Brooklyn, NY 11217

kNOW-SCIENCE connects with Art Studios in Brooklyn

kNOW-SCIENCE connects with Art Studios across the City to bring science to artists and art to science, and to encourage multidisciplinary projects and idea sharing.

Watch this space to know more about our events...

kNOW-SCIENCE participates in the Rockefeller University Science Saturday

The Rockefeller University's Parents & Science initiative hosts numerous events throughout the academic year. kNOW-SCIENCE participated with its own booth to the Science Saturday Open Day in May 2014, sharing the excitement of science with children and adults alike!

 

Cancer. What is it, where does it come from and can you increase your chances of avoiding it?

Cancer, a word that has more than 700 million hits on Google, that features in 100 million news articles and affects, directly or indirectly, the majority of the world population, still remains a mystery to us. So, what is cancer and where does it come from?

Our very own Simona Giunta, from the kNOW SCIENCE team, explains the basics of cancer. To read the full article, click here.

kNOW-SCIENCE launches new website

Scientists from the Rockefeller University launch a new online interface for the kNOW-SCIENCE.org initiative, educating non-scientists and the public about the latest research topics and scientific information. Our in-house web-developer, Alistair Field is re-shaping the kNOW-SCIENCE website and building some cool animations to make science more accessible to the public. Want to book one of our amazing presentation? Click on the Presentations tab above! If you have any issues using our new website or spot any mistakes, please let us know @ info@know-science.org

kNOW-SCIENCE partners with Genspace for community science outreach

kNOW-SCIENCE and Genspace join forces in tackling science literacy in the general public. The collaboration will feature a series of monthly lectures at the Genspace community laboratory delivered by kNOW-SCIENCE's scientists on a variety of topics. Want to attend the lectures and/or to know more? Watch this space or subscribe to our email list by emailing us @ info@know-science.org

What is a Cell?

Trees in a forest, fish in a river, horseflies on a farm, lemurs in the jungle, reeds in a pond, worms in the soil — all these plants and animals are made of the building blocks we call cells. Like these examples, many living things consist of vast numbers of cells working in concert with one another. Other forms of life, however, are made of only a single cell, such as the many species of bacteria and protozoa. Cells, whether living on their own or as part of a multicellular organism, are usually too small to be seen without a light microscope. 

Cells share many common features, yet they can look wildly different. In fact, cells have adapted over billions of years to a wide array of environments and functional roles. Nerve cells, for example, have long, thin extensions that can reach for meters and serve to transmit signals rapidly. Closely fitting, brick-shaped plant cells have a rigid outer layer that helps provide the structural support that trees and other plants require. Long, tapered muscle cells have an intrinsic stretchiness that allows them to change length within contracting and relaxing biceps. 

Still, as different as these cells are, they all rely on the same basic strategies to keep the outside out, allow necessary substances in and permit others to leave, maintain their health, and replicate themselves. In fact, these traits are precisely what make a cell a cell.[cit. Nature.com]