This Years' Lectures

WARNING: Sunday parking at U of T is $7. Any vehicle without a valid parking voucher displayed is subject to a $40 parking fine. Pay and Display parking voucher machines (near entrances to the campus) accept credit cards. TTC is recommended.

Royal Canadian Institute

for the advancement of science

Free Science on Sundays

Macleod Auditorium, Medical Sciences Bldg.

University of Toronto, 1 King's College Circle

(Queen's Park Subway Station)

416 977-2983 royalcanadianinstitute@sympatico.ca http://www.royalcanadianinstitute.org

Multi-media presentations now available for 2005-2006 Lectures

Fall 2006 Lecture Series

Sunday, October 15, 2006 - 3 pm

Stem Cells: The Possibilities for Regenerative Cell Therapy

Ian Rogers, PhD

Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Toronto

Stem Cells: The Possibilities for Regenerative Cell Therapy multimedia presentation (requires recent version of MS Internet Explorer and media player, firewall settings may restrict functionality of video playback)

Alternate version of Stem Cells: The Possibilities for Regenerative Cell Therapy multimedia presentation (only use if above version does not work properly)

Stem cells are good candidates for tissue and cell therapies but a greater understanding of their basic properties is required before they can be developed for use in the clinic. Embryonic stem cells, which have the ability for self-renewal and are able to produce many different cell types, are derived from the early embryo but under normal conditions early embryonic cells are only capable of producing many diverse cell types, but are not capable of unlimited self-renewal. Adult stem cells are capable of self-renewal over a typical human life span but are only capable of giving rise to more blood cells. It is important to understand the characteristics of naturally occurring stem cells and how growing them outside of the body in culture dishes can alter their properties.

Sunday, October 22, 2006 - 3 pm

Science, Technology, Society and the Environment:

Education for the New Millennium

Erminia Pedretti, PhD

Department of Curriculum, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto (OISE/UT)

Science, Technology, Society and the Environment multimedia presentation (requires recent version of MS Internet Explorer and media player, firewall settings may restrict functionality of video playback)

Alternate version of Science, Technology, Society and the Environment multimedia presentation (only use if above version does not work properly)

Daily we are confronted with science-related issues such as air and water quality, power generation, the ubiquitous use of petrochemicals, bioengineering, global warming, pandemic health threats and poverty, to name a few. These issues encompass scientific, technological, societal, environmental, ethical, economic and political dimensions. How do we equip students to deal with such an array of contemporary and pervasive socioscientific issues? How do we move school science beyond teaching students a narrow range of knowledge and skills toward a broader issues-based approach? The speaker will explore the potential role of science education in addressing these questions.

Sunday, October 29, 2006 - 3 pm

*The Curious World of Probabilities

Jeffrey S. Rosenthal, PhD,

Department of Statistics, University of Toronto www.probability.ca

The Curious World of Probabilities multimedia presentation (requires recent version of MS Internet Explorer and media player, firewall settings may restrict functionality of video playback)

Alternate version of The Curious World of Probabilities multimedia presentation (only use if above version does not work properly)

Probabilities and randomness arise whenever we're not sure what will happen next. They apply to everything from lottery jackpots to airplane crashes, casino gambling, homicide rates, medical studies, election polls, avian flu, coincidences, and games of poker. They are also essential for statistical inference and for Monte Carlo computer algorithms. This talk (inspired by the author's recent book, "Struck by Lightning: The Curious World of Probabilities") will explore uncertainty's ubiquity, and discuss how a Probability Perspective can shed new light on familiar situations.

*Co-sponsor Fields Institute for Research in Mathematical Sciences

RCI Foundation lecture

(click on above link for .pdf brochure)

MaRS Collaboration Centre, 101 College St.

(please note venue)

MONDAY, October 30, 2006 - 7:30 p.m.

**Werewolves, Vampires and New Treatments of Disease

David Dolphin, PhD, FRSC, FRS, OC

CEO, BC Innovation Council, 2006 NSERC Herzberg Award Recipient

The porphyrias are a class of genetic diseases which are associated with the malfunctioning of heme, the red pigment of blood. Heme uses eight separate enzymatic steps in its biosynthesis and various porphyrias are known to arise from the improper functioning of one or more of the enzymatic steps. When porphyins, the precursors of heme, are combined with light, they can cause terrible devastation to the skin; these diseases are thought to account for the legends of werewolves and vampires in the Middle Ages. But harnessing the destructive power of porphyrins and light allows for the treatment of several human diseases -- including cancer and age related macular degeneration -- using a new medical modality know as photodynamic therapy.

Free public lecture followed by question period and refreshments at MaRS Collaboration Centre, 101 College Street

**co-sponsors NSERC and MaRS Discovery District

Sunday, November 5, 2006 - 3 pm

Music and the Patterns of the Mind and World

Jordan B. Peterson, PhD,

Department of Psychology University of Toronto

www.mapsofmeaning.com

www.psych.utoronto.ca/~peterson/welcome.htm

Music and the Patterns of the Mind and World multimedia presentation (requires recent version of MS Internet Explorer and media player, firewall settings may restrict functionality of video playback)

Alternate version of Music and the Patterns of the Mind and World multimedia presentation (only use if above version does not work properly)

The fact that music produces a deep sense of meaning is subjectively undeniable, at least for those to whom music naturally speaks. The reason for this meaning, however, is difficult to understand. Is this experience merely an illusion? We normally conceive of the environment as a place of segregated objects, and such a conceptual perspective has proved extremely useful, pragmatically. However, the environment can also be construed as a complexly patterned array of relationships. We are biologically hardwired to respond to information about the structure of the environment with emotion and motivation and music activates these motivational systems.

RCI MEMBERS ONLY:

EARN AN RCI CERTIFICATE OF SCIENTIFIC LITERACY certain rules apply

Sunday, November 12, 2006 - 3 pm

Merging the Nature/Nurture Dichotomy

Susannah Varmuza, PhD

Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto

Merging the Nature/Nurture Dichotomy multimedia presentation (requires recent version of MS Internet Explorer and media player, firewall settings may restrict functionality of video playback)

Alternate version of Merging the Nature/Nurture Dichotomy multimedia presentation (only use if above version does not work properly)

Since the rediscovery of genetics at the turn of the last century, biologists have debated the impact of nature and nurture on the development, viability and behaviour of living organisms. Many studies of twins have suggested that both play a major role in the final outcome, but little is known about how these two forces affect us. Recent studies in the emerging field of epigenetics have provided concrete evidence of the interplay between nature (genetics) and nurture (the environment), and have directed our attention to the place they intersect the genome. Examples will illustrate a growing understanding of how nature and nurture mold us.

Sunday, November 19, 2006

Earthquake Hazards and their Mitigation

Shamim A. Sheikh, PhD, P.Eng

Department of Civil Engineering, University of Toronto

Earthquake Hazards and their Mitigation multimedia presentation (requires recent version of MS Internet Explorer and media player, firewall settings may restrict functionality of video playback)

Alternate version of Earthquake Hazards and their Mitigation multimedia presentation (only use if above version does not work properly)

The Kashmir earthquake of October 8, 2005 was the latest of major earthquakes that have caused devastation around the world. In addition to more than 76,000 deaths and 80,000 injured, the earthquake made over 3 million people homeless. Most of the loss of life and damage was due to the destruction of housing and other structures. Structures built before 1971 even in the developed countries were not adequately designed for earthquake resistance. In the developing world, a large part of construction still lacks the minimum seismic standards. Recent developments in earthquake engineering research provided guidelines for the design of new structures and retrofitting of old ones for safe earthquake resistance.

Sunday, November 26, 2006 - 3 pm

Special free event for kids ages 7-12

Flying, flinging, flapping, floating and falling an introduction to Physics. Exercise your mind and body in the name of science with Russell Zeid. An hour of fun for kids followed by complimentary refreshments. No reservations.

Sunday December 3, 2006 - no lecture scheduled

Sunday, December 10, 2006 - 3 pm

***Holiday Season Stoicheff Lecture

Everyone welcome, especially ages 13-18

A Little Light Relief: Science of Photo Medicine

(please click on above title for Adobe Acrobat poster)

Science of Photo Medicine multimedia presentation (requires recent version of MS Internet Explorer and media player, firewall settings may restrict functionality of video playback)

Alternate version of Science of Photo Medicine multimedia presentation (only use if above version does not work properly)

David Phillips, BSc., PhD

Hofmann Professor of Chemistry;

Senior Dean, Imperial College London , UK

Light, particularly sunlight, has always had a mystical power and is commonly held to bestow good health upon recipients of its rays. That there is both truth and fallacy in such beliefs will be demonstrated in this lecture, which deals with the science of photo-medicine.

***RCI in partnership with the Institute for Optical Sciences, University of Toronto

Parking on Campus: pay and display vouchers $7. Some free spaces for authorized disabled parking at 1 Kings Circle . Please allow for traffic delays due to MARATHON OCTOBER 15 and SANTA CLAUS PARADE NOVEMBER 19. TTC and Subway to Queens Park Station is recommended.

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The H5N1 strain of avian influenza virus first erupted in its highly pathogenic form in 1997, but then did not appear until 2003 when it began spreading among poultry flocks in Southeast Asia, eventually affecting more than 52 countries and causing more than 200 cases in humans with a 50% mortality rate. This unprecedented outbreak among poultry flocks and successful transmission to humans creates a scenario where pandemic influenza in humans is possible. The H5N1 disease seen in humans has a number of characteristics in common with the H1N1 that caused the 1918 Spanish flu. If it successfully adapts so that it can transmit from person to person, it could not only have severe human health consequences, but also could have a major impact on the world economy.

1. Luke, CJ, Subbarao, K. Vaccines for pandemic influenza. Emerg. Infect. Dis. 12(1) : 66-72, 2006

2. Hayden FG. Respiratory viral threats. Curr. Opin. Infect. Dis. 19(2) : 169-78, 2006

3. Fauci AS. Pandemic influenza threat and preparedness. Emer. Infect. Dis. 12(1) : 73-7, 2006

4. The Writing Committee of the World Health Organization (WHO) Consultation on Human Influenza A/H5. Avian influenza A (H5N1) infection in humans. NEJM 353: 1374-86, 2005.

Robert L. Jefferies, PhD, Professor Emeritus, Department of Botany, University of Toronto

Many arctic goose populations that winter in farmland in Europe and North America have shown, in recent decades, a geometric increase in numbers, primarily the result of an agricultural food subsidy and the presence of nearby reserves where the birds are protected. Hunting is either restricted or has little effect on population sizes. Increased numbers of birds return to the Arctic in early spring where they forage on wetland vegetation, which has been damaged or lost in coastal areas of Hudson Bay and elsewhere as a result of this feeding. In sharp contrast to geese, some populations of shore birds that breed in polar regions are declining, possibly because of loss of habitat and food supplies along migration routes and on wintering grounds. This difference in response to changes in land use indicates the complexity involved in attempting to conserve wildlife populations.

Martin Golubitsky, AB, AM, PhD, M.I.T. Cullen Distinguished Professor of Mathematics, University of Houston, Texas

Regular patterns appear all around us: from vast geological formations to the ripples in a vibrating coffee cup, from the gaits of trotting horses to tongues of flames, and even in visual hallucinations. The mathematical notion of symmetry is a key to understanding how and why these patterns form. The lecturer will show some of these fascinating patterns and explain how mathematical symmetry enters the picture.

Viruses, regardless of the disease they cause or the type of organism they infect, are essentially composed of the virus genome dressed in a protein coat. Their mission is to invade a host cell, quickly synthesize their viral proteins and replicate their genetic material, at the expense of the host's own machinery. These new viral components are then packaged into virus particles for release from the host cell, to allow subsequent infection of other cells. This typical virus "life cycle" has been the target of numerous strategies to control the rate of infection. This talk will describe the current approaches used to limit virus proliferation and will introduce research into novel antiviral compounds extracted from plants.

Automotive Engineering, University of Windsor; Scientific Director and CEO - AUTO21 Network of Centres of Excellence

The automotive industry is Canada's largest single business sector, employing more than 500,000 people across the country. Automotive manufacturing is one of the largest consumers of materials in our economy and present and future automobiles are extremely high technology articles. The North American automotive sector is under significant competitive pressures and so must innovate. The presentation will describe the present status of automotive related research in Canada and will illustrate, with examples, how it is a critical asset to Canada's largest manufacturing sector. In addition, the whole notion of academic applied research will be examined to show how Canada can benefit from more academic work in key areas of the economic and social fabric of our country.

Department of Neurosurgery, Krembil Chair in Neural Repair and Regeneration, University of Toronto; Medical Director Krembil Neuroscience Centre Toronto Western Hospital.

The human spinal cord is exquisitely vulnerable to injury and displays very limited capacity for self repair or regeneration. The past 15 years have seen dramatic advances in our knowledge of the molecular mechanisms underlying the progressive cell death and failed regeneration following spinal cord trauma. The promise of regenerative medicine for spinal cord injury is now beginning to be realized.

1. Sekhon, L.J.; Fehlings M.G.; Epidemiology, Demographics and Pathophysiology of Acute Spinal Cord Injury. 26: S2-S12; 2001.

2. Jacobs WB, Fehlings MG: The Molecular Basis of Neural Regeneration. Neurosurgery 53: 943-948; 2003

3. Karimi-Abdolrezaee; S., Eftekharpor E.; Wang, J.; Morshead CM; Fehlings, MG; Delayed Transplantation of Adult Neural Precursor Cells Promotes Remyelation and Functional Neurological Recovery After Spinal Cord Injury, Journal of Neuroscience; 26:3377-89; 2006

Cultural Acceleration of the Biological Evolution of Behaviour: a Population Genetic Model

R. Paul Thompson, BA, MA, PhD Departments Philosophy and Zoology; Director, Institute for History and Philosophy of Science and Technology, University of Toronto

Some important behavioural propensities have a genetic basis, usually mediated by the hormonal, circadian, or neural systems. Many such propensities can be overridden by cognitive agents. This ability to override behavioural propensities, combined with the human capacity for cultural transmission of newly discovered and fitness enhancing behaviours, makes possible rapid evolutionary change in a behavioural propensity. In this lecture, a population genetic mechanism for accelerated evolution driven by human cognition and culture is developed.

1. Weber, Bruce H. and Depew, David J. (eds.) (2003) Evolution and Learning. Cambridge, MA.: MIT Press

4. Richards, Robert J. (1987) Darwin and the Emergence of Evolutionary Theories of Mind and Behaviour. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, chapter 10

6. Waddington, C.H. (1953) "Genetic Assimilation of an Acquired Character," Evolution 7:118-126

7. Hall, Brian K. et al (eds.) ( 2004) Environment, Development, and Evolution: Towards a Synthesis. Cambridge, MA.: MIT Press.

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PLEASE NOTE: TTC is recommended. Sunday parking is limited on the University of Toronto campus and the cost is $7. Any vehicle without a valid parking voucher displayed is subject to a $40 parking fine. Several free parking spaces for the handicapped near 1 King's College Circle.

Free Sunday Science Lectures

Royal Canadian Institute

Free Science on Sundays

Fall 2006 Lecture Series