Life Sciences and Society ’03 lecture series starts Oct. 20

September 11, 2003
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Ann Arbor, MICH—A series of lectures at the University of Michigan this fall will address the theme “New Infections and Bioterrorism: Can Disaster Be Prevented?”

Madeline Drexler, author of “Secret Agents: The Menace of Emerging Infections,” kicks off the series with an Oct. 20 lecture. Drexler is a science and medical journalist whose articles have appeared in The New York Times and other leading publications. The New York Times called her book, “…an authoritative, well-paced, vividly written book that will scare the pants off you.”

The University’s Life Sciences, Values and Society Program sponsors the Monday evening lectures, in partnership with the Ann Arbor District Library and Ann Arbor Community Television Network. Randolph Nesse, a professor of psychiatry in the U-M Medical School and professor of psychology in the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts, will moderate.

The Life Sciences and Society Lecture Series is free and open to the public. Lectures start at 7 p.m. at the Ann Arbor District Library, 343 S. Fifth Ave., in the multipurpose room. Other lectures include: —Oct. 27: Matthew Boulton: “Counting Crows: West Nile Virus and the Michigan Experience.” This talk will focus on West Nile Virus as a model emerging infectious disease. Michigan had the second-greatest number of human cases in the country in 2002 and research done here has demonstrated transmission through transfusions and breast feeding. The lessons from West Nile apply to other emerging infectious diseases including SARS, monkeypox, and highly resistant staph bacteria. Boulton, Michigan’s state epidemiologist, will discuss the public health challenges associated with detection and control of new and sometimes previously undescribed infectious diseases. Boulton is a clinical associate professor of epidemiology at the U-M School of Public Health.

Nov. 3: Mark Wilson: “Emerging Diseases: Can Forecasting Protect Us?” Many new infectious diseases have recently emerged to threaten not only distant parts of the world, but the US, as well. This presentation will examine the several interacting factors that explain how and where new infectious diseases arise and how they are transmitted. These explanations can offer predictions about when and where such diseases are likely to emerge or reemerge. Strategies for improving links between public health workers and infectious disease researchers are essential if we are to use these predictions to try to prevent worldwide epidemics. Wilson is director of the U-M Global Health Program; associate professor, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, College of Literature, Science, and the Arts; and associate professor, Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health.

Nov. 10: Vaughn Cooper: “Darwin Meets the Hot Zone: Evolution, Ecology, and Emerging Infectious Disease.” Evolutionary ecologists provide a unique understanding of emerging infectious disease. New bacteria and viruses are being generated constantly and spread by changes in human populations, especially by rapid transportation and patients with compromised immune systems. At the same time, certain pathogens appear to be tremendously variable, so they evolve much faster than humans can. The combination of foreign ecosystems and blindingly fast microbial evolution is a challenging one, but case studies show that our knowledge can help protect us. Cooper is a research scientist, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, College of Literature, Science, and the Arts.

Nov. 17: Janet Gilsdorf: “Will Bioterrorists Use Genetic Engineering to Create Unstoppable Epidemics?” Bacteria and viruses constantly have their genomes modified by natural selection, but new tools allow scientists to do it easily. Could bioterrorists use these techniques to create epidemics that we can’t stop? Would they? Should we worry more about rogue nations or unstable individuals? The risks are real and physicians and public health officials need to be aware of the possibility of genetically altered microbes as causes of infectious disease outbreaks. Gilsdorf is a professor of pediatrics and communicable diseases at the U-M Medical School and a professor of epidemiology in the School of Public Health.