City College of San Francisco
Biology Seminar Series
Fall 2010
Seminars are held at the Ocean campus and are co-sponsored by the City
College Concert and Lecture Series. The lectures are free and open to the
public. Seating is limited. For this reason we recommend contacting the seminar
organizers listed below to check on seating.
Confessions of a Cuttlefish Breeder.
Speaker: Richard Ross, Aquatic Biologist, Steinhart Aquarium
California Academy of Sciences
Date: Friday, September 10th
Location: S300
Time: Noon-1 p.m.
Synopsis:
Cuttlefish are one of the most amazing cephalopods. Related to their
more famous cousins octopus, squid and clams (really, clams),
cuttlefish maneuver around like hummingbirds, vertically, horizontally,
their fins appearing blurred like wings. As they fly about they flash
amazing color changes, creating patterns that pulse and shift and
shimmer on the canvas of their skin. They are master predators,
stalking their prey with cunning and attacking with accuracy, speed,
camouflage and skill. I am fortunate to see this wonder of evolution
every day at the CAS. This talk will include discussion of cuttle
physiology, behavior and husbandry as well as some details of the
CAS cuttle breeding efforts (including some exciting new
breakthroughs) through photos and video. I will also discuss how and
why I am in involved with these animals, and my not so traditional
career path.
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Some Observations on Immunizations for VaccinePreventable Diseases:
Speaker: Clark D. Hinderleider, M.D., Ph.D. Treasurer, Marin
Immunization Coalition Chair, Health Care Legislation and
Comparative Effectiveness Research Task Force; Health Council of
Marin. Member, Advocacy Committee; California Immunization
Coalition
Date: Friday, September 17th
Location: S300
Time: Noon-1 p.m.
Synopsis:
Dr Hinderleider shall speak about the need for immunizations for
Vaccine Preventable Diseases (VPD) and the concept of herd
immunity. The talk will include discussion of the pertussis outbreak in
Marin and the rise of “personal-belief exemptions” for vaccines. The
history of the antivaccine movement will be addressed, including the
Wakefield story, the "celebrity" and public story, the vast amount of
misinformation, the science denialists, and the special masters'
ruling. The talk will cover some of the more common myths regarding
vaccines and their safety such as autism, preservatives and
thimerosal.
The Owls of California
Speaker: Craig Nikitas; is an urban planner who has a life-long
fascination with birds including a particular interest in raptors, or birds
of prey. He has been an animal care volunteer at the Randall
Museum, working with captive hawks, owls and ravens, and at
Steinhart Aquarium, He has banded birds of prey with the Golden
Gate Raptor Observatory. He has lectured about hawks, owls, and
corvids at many venues in an around San Francisco.
Date: Friday, October 15th
Location: S300
Time: Noon-1 p.m.
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Synopsis:
We will discuss the natural history of owls, including amazing
adaptations which enable them to be silent, effective, and frequently
nocturnal hunters. An overview of 16 species, with a particular focus
on eight whose range includes the Bay Area, plus one recent invader,
will be provided. The presentation will examine where these birds
live, what they eat, how to identify them, and what they sound like.
Deep Water Horizon Oil Spill - Intrinsic Bioremediaiton
or Mother Natures's Abilities to Cleanup Our Messes.
Speaker, Terry C. Hazen, Ph. D. DOE BER Distinguished,
Scientist Head, Ecology Department.Head, Center for Environmental
Biotechnology, Director, Microbial Communities, Joint BioEnergy
Institute, Co-Director, Virtual Institute Microbial Stress and
Survival,Earth Sciences Division, UC Lawrence Berkeley National
Laboratory
Date: Friday October 22nd
Location: S300
Time: Noon-1 p.m.
Synopsis:
The biological effects and expected fate of the vast amount of oil in
the Gulf of Mexico from the Deepwater Horizon blowout are unknown
due to the extreme depth and magnitude of this event, but also the
unprecedented quantity of oil dispersant released and injected
directly at the wellhead (1,544 m). We found that the dispersed
hydrocarbon plume stimulated deep-sea indigenous bacteria that are
closely related to known petroleum-degraders. Hydrocarbondegrading genes coincided with the concentration of various oil
contaminants. Changes in hydrocarbon composition with distance
from the source, environmental isolates, and microcosms
demonstrate faster then expected hydrocarbon biodegradation rates
even at 5°C. This explains why intrinsic bioremediation of the oil
plume in the deep-water column without substantial oxygen
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drawdown occurred after only 2-3 weeks of capping the leak.
Antibodies: An important new class of therapeutics;
From discovery to development
Speaker: James D. Marks, M.D., Ph.D. Professor of Anesthesia and
Pharmaceutical Chemistry. Chief of Anesthesia, San Francisco
General Hospital, Vice Chairman, Dept. of Anesthesia and
Perioperative Care UCSF.
Date: Friday, October 29th
Location: S300
Time: Noon-1 p.m.
Synopsis:
Antibody-based therapeutics currently enjoy unprecedented success,
growth in research and revenues, and recognition of their therapeutic
potential. There are currently more than 20 monoclonal antibodies
(mAbs) approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration
(FDA) for clinical use and many more are in clinical trials for
treatment of various diseases including cancers, immune disorders
and infections. These therapeutic successes reflect the major
advances in antibody engineering which have resulted in the
generation of safe, specific, high affinity, and non-immunogenic
antibodies during the last three decades. In this seminar we will
review how mAbs became an important therapeutic class, the
developments in antibody engineering that made this possible, and
speculate on where the antibody therapeutic field is heading.
Information about the seminars is available at:
http://www.ccsf.edu/Departments/Biology
Contact the seminar coordinators:
Carole Toebe, PhD
Biology Department, CCSF
Tel: 415-239-3475
email: ctoebe@ccsf.edu
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Stephanie Lyons
Coordinator: CCSF Concert Lecture Series
Tel: 415-239-3580
email: slyons@ccsf.edu
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