Tuesday, Dec. 11th at 7pm
When: 7:00 pm, Tuesday, December 11, 2012
Where: Room 110, Harned Hall, Saint Martin’s University, 5300 Pacific Avenue SE, Lacey, Washington
- Please note that a class is in session in Room 110 until 6:50 p.m., so we ask that you remain in the lobby until the class is dismissed.
- There is no charge to park on campus after 5:00 p.m. We suggest parking lots M and N for proximity to Harned Hall. (See attached map.)
- Driving directions and campus map:http://www.stmartin.edu/about/DrivingHere.aspx#Saint_Martins_Universitys_address http://www.stmartin.edu/about/SMUCampusMap.pdf
December’s topic is Protection Against Protein Unfolding in Diseases of Ageing.
Cellular degeneration during ageing is often characterized by the slow progressive destabilization and unfolding of proteins that proceed to form filaments, fibrils and aggregates in cells and tissues. Well known examples of degenerative diseases involving protein destabilization and unfolding are Alzheimer’s disease, cataract, and retinal degeneration. In response to the stress of destabilization and unfolding, cells can produce protective proteins called stress response proteins that delay the progression of cell and tissue degeneration in the eye and brain during ageing. Stress response proteins that protect against protein destabilization and unfolding are being considered for therapeutic use in the inhibition of the rate of cellular degeneration. Therapeutic use of stress response proteins has the potential to protect against cellular degeneration to improve visual function and quality of life in our ageing population.
Our speaker this month is Professor John Clark, Chairman of Biological Structures, University of Washington, Seattle.