Our genes influence almost every aspect of our lives, including how we think, act, and make decisions. Scientists Abraham Palmer and Jonathan Sebat will explain how these tiny DNA strands make us who we are.
All ages welcome!
Food and drinks will be available from the main bar
Abraham Palmer
Genetics of delay discounting: why do some people want a small reward now while others choose wait for a bigger one later?
We are working with 23andMe, Genes for Good, DNA.LAND and others to study genetic influences decision making. The preference for smaller current versus larger delayed rewards (called "delay discounting") influences numerous health and economic outcomes including risk for addiction, development of ADHD and body weight. We have used crowd sourcing to obtain large data sets in which we know both delay discounting and genotype.
Jonathan Sebat
DNA, Sex and the Brain
DNA has a profound influence on the function and dysfunction of the brain. New DNA technologies have allowed us to identify genetic causes of brain disorders such as autism. These discoveries have revealed important differences between mothers, fathers, sons and daughters, which help to explain the genetic basis of autism and could provide clues as to how sex influences the development of the human brain.