Environments have a large impact on our everyday lives, even if we don't realize it. We also shape the environments around us, be it locally or globally, or on a macro or micro level. For our opening night, scientists will discuss research on changing water patterns in Mongolia, how infectious diseases spread, body odor as a meter to detect idenity and health, and the microbiome! Come out and learn about these diverse enviroments!
Meet the Speakers
Dr Clyde Goulden
Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University
Climate Change: When it rains it pours
Interviews with nomadic herders of Mongolia indicates that in addition to warming during the last 40 years, rains have changed from light gentle warm rains of 1-3 days, to short 30 minutes to 1 hour intense/heavy rainstorms. The rains are cold and can kill grazing animals and even herders unprepared for the cold intense rainstorm.
Dr Neal D Goldstein
Epidemiology and Biostatistics
Drexel University
How your healthcare provider influences risk for disease
Infection control programs are a mainstay of disease prevention among hospitalized patients. Even with an effective program, viruses and bacteria can readily be passed around in these congregant settings, often via the healthcare provider as an intermediary. In this talk, I will discuss how the patient-provider care team can inadvertently spread disease among the most vulnerable patients in the hospital: infants.
Dr Stephanie Gervasi
Postdoctoral Fellow
Monell Chemical Senses Center
The Scent of Disease
Body odors convey a vast amount of information about our identity and health status. I will discuss how we can use body odors to detect and diagnose disease, and maybe even to predict how pathogens spread through populations.
Dr Joel Wilmore
Postdoctoral Fellow
University of Pennsylvania
Fighting Sepsis: Help from an unlikely source
Sepsis occurs when bacteria infect the bloodstream resulting in massive inflammation and sometimes death. The response of the immune system during sepsis often exacerbates disease. I will discuss how an unlikely helper in the fight against sepsis — bacteria in your gut — can lead to a boost in protective antibodies.