Pint of Science Amsterdam event 2022, let us hear your verdict!

Book your agenda because Pint of Science 2022 is coming soon! This years festival is scheduled from May 9th to May 11th and we are working very hard to make it a live event. This means that this year, you get to enjoy interesting scientific talks with a beer in your hand at your local bar. We are very excited about hosting a live event and volunteers across the world are working hard to bring a fun and interesting range of talks to you. And you can be a part of this years festival by voting in your favourite topic for one of the Amsterdam event nights!

This year, the Amsterdam team of Pint of Science wants you to pick a subject for one of the events! Our volunteers came up with three topics and would love to hear your verdict.

1. In January of 2022 a revolutionary scientific breakthrough was reported: the first person to receive a transplanted heart from a genetically modified pig survived the surgery and was recovering surprisingly well. This successful operation will hopefully kick-start clinical xenotransplantation and be a possible solution for the shortage on transplant material for all patients in need. But how exactly is this possible? And what does this mean for the medical field and patients who need a transplant now or in the future?

For more information see article from Nature: https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-022-00111-9

2. Is the future of meat production finally here? Some scientists believe so, with cell-based meat. This artificial meat is grown from animal cells in a laboratory. Not only does this process save a lot of animal harm, considering that only a small sample of the animal is needed, it also seems to be way better for the climate and the agricultural industry. But how does this process work? Can it taste the same? And is it really the best option?

For more information see article from The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/food/2021/jun/17/lab-grown-meat-no-kill-food

3. Dementia is one of the most common disorders among older people. It is associated with the aging of the brain. Besides the strong impact on the social life of the patients, there is still a lot unknown and ongoing research is essential. One question that remains in the field is: why do some centenarians (people 100+ years old) not get dementia symptoms at all and still are very cognitively functional at an old age? This question is being researched by several groups that have been looking at the genetic material from mentally healthy people over a 100 years old. Will there be a genetic explanation for this phenomenon? Are there familial factors? And can we avoid it?

For more information see website from Alzheimer Centrum: https://www.alzheimercentrum.nl/

Fill in the poll using the button below! And feel free to leave any comments or suggestions. The poll will be open until March 13th.

Click here to vote for your favourite subject!

So let your voice be heard and we hope to see you soon at the Pint of Science festival!

Britt Windhouwer

Pint of Science Amsterdam team