UNM | FrogHeart

You have approximately two months to prepare yourself for the March 28 – 29, 2014 “Art of Systems Biology and Nanoscience” event in Santa Fe, New Mexico according to a Jan. 29, 2014 news item on Azonano,

Santa Fe is renowned for its culture and art; this March it will host an art show based on science. The fifth annual “Art of Systems Biology and Nanoscience,” is a two-day public event celebrating new and fascinating ideas and images from the emerging fields of systems biology and nanoscience. The images on display demonstrate the beauty of life at a molecular level.

The event will include presentations by notable scientists Sandra Schmid, PhD, Chair of the Department of Cell Biology at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center and Diane Lidke, PhD, Associate Professor in the Department of Pathology at the University of New Mexico School of Medicine.

The Jan. 27, 2014 University of New Mexico (UNM) Cancer Center news release, which originated the news item, describes the art show,

The art show will feature an exhibit of original watercolors and scientific illustrations by award-winning artist and author David Goodsell, PhD, Associate Professor of Molecular Biology in the Department of Molecular Biology at The Scripps Research Institute. Dr. Goodsell is the author and illustrator of The Protein Data Bank “Molecule of the Month” feature. The Protein Data Bank is an archive of structural information about biological molecules; its “Molecule of the Month” feature highlights the importance of a selected biological macromolecule. Systems biologists and nanoscientists from UNM and from Los Alamos National Laboratories will provide additional images showing that life at any size can be breathtakingly beautiful.

The New Mexico Spatiotemporal Modeling Center (STMC) hosts the Art of Systems Biology and Nanoscience website where more information about the 5th annual event (2014) and previous annual events (2011 – 2013; 2010 is not included there) can be found. Here’s more about the 5th annual event from the STMC 2014 webpage,

The scientific speakers for the 5th annual event will be Cell Biologist Dr. Sandra Schmid from University of Texas Southwestern Medical School in Dallas (“Coats, Collars and Accessories: the elegance of the cell’s endocytic machinery”) and biophysicist Diane Lidke from UNM (“The Protein Dance: nanoscale views of molecular dynamics on cell membranes”). Dr. Lidke is a pioneer in imaging the nanoscale movements and interactions of single molecules on the outer membranes of cells that activate transmembrane signaling responses. Dr. Schmid is renowned for studies on clathrin-mediated endocytosis, the process that redistributes molecules from the cell surface into intracellular vesicles, sometimes ending signaling and sometimes switching the cell to a new set of signaling responses.

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A “National Nanodays” program for kids from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM on Saturday will be led by graduate students from the UNM Nanoscience and Microsystems degree program and will feature hands-on nanotechnology activities along with interactive visualization tools to share developments and discoveries in the materials and biomedical sciences. Dr. Stephen Jett, Explora Portal to the Public Scientist, will show kids how Atomic Force Microscopy allows us to “see” structures with nanometer (or better) resolution using needles and mirrors.

For the first time, music will be part of the event. Christina Termini, UNM graduate student in Biomedical Sciences and Music, will perform Density 21.5 by Edgar Varese: a flute solo accompanied by super-resolution microscopy images. The UNM art will include a video of axonal transport by UNM neuroscientist and composer, Dr. Elaine Bearer, set to her own music.

The Art of Systems Biology and Nanoscience is an annual event in Santa Fe sponsored by: The New Mexico Spatiotemporal Modeling Center, a NIH-funded National Center for Systems Biology promoting applications of the physical sciences and mathematics to solve complex problems in human biology; the New Mexico Cancer Nanotechnology Training Center, a NCI-funded Center promoting applications of nanomaterials to prevent and treat cancer; and our host gallery, 333 Montezuma Arts, supporting initiatives in art that cross between categories and disciplines. Other important sponsors are the UNM Cancer Center; the interdisciplinary UNM Nanoscience and Microsystems Engineering Graduate program, and The Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies, a DOE-funded Center dedicated to exploring the path from scientific discovery to the integration of nanostructures into the micro and macro worlds.

There is some sort of registration requirement but I believe that is for the receptions only, although you may want to contact the organizers to confirm.

Sharp-eyed and long-time readers of this blog may have noticed that the children’s activities are part of the annual NanoDays 2014 celebrations sponsored by NISENet (Nanoscale Information Science Education Network); an organization and annual celebration mentioned here many, many times.

Sadly, nobody thought to offer pictures of the two new 70th anniversary exhibits at Los Alamos National Laboratory’s (LANL) Bradbury Science Museum. The exhibits opened on July 26, 2013 according to the July 22, 2013 news item on HispanicBusiness.com,

Los Alamos National Laboratory’s Bradbury Science Museum is opening two new exhibits July 26 as part of the Laboratory’s 70th Anniversary celebration. One is a nanotechnology exhibit featuring the Laboratory’s Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies (CINT) and the other is an algae biofuel exhibit from the Laboratory and the New Mexico Consortium. …

“We’re pleased to open two new exhibits, on some of the Laboratory’s latest research, as part of our 70th anniversary year. I’m sure these exhibits will broaden the public’s knowledge and appreciation of Los Alamos National Laboratory,” Bradbury Science Museum Director Linda Deck said.

“Nanotechnology–The Science of the Small,” demonstrates the importance of understanding how nanoparticles work, while “Algae to Biofuels: Squeezing Power from Pond Scum,” gives visitors an overview of algae biofuels.

The July 22, 2013 Los Alamos National Laboratory news release, which originated the news item, explains about the algae biofuels exhibit,

“We developed this exhibit with the New Mexico Consortium (NMC) and the Bradbury Science Museum to highlight our work in bioenergy,” Jose Olivares of Los Alamos’ Bioscience Division said. Olivares will introduce the exhibit; to complement the algae biofuel exhibit, the Laboratory also will be releasing a video on biofuels.”The Algae to Biofuels exhibit highlights the work of the NMC and algae researchers at the Laboratory, the University of New Mexico [UNM] and New Mexico State University [NMSU] to create an informative, educational and interactive exhibit,” said Shannan Yeager of the NMC. The consortium, she said, plans to develop the exhibit for a broad audience and take it on the road as part of NMC’s educational outreach program. The New Mexico Consortium is a non-profit corporation formed by the three New Mexico research universities: NMSU, the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology and UNM.

The news release also offers some tidbits about the nanotechnology exhibit,

“Nanoscience and nanotechnology are exciting new branches of science that have gained an enormous emphasis in our country since the National Nanotechnology Initiative of 2000,” said David Morris, director of Los Alamos’ CINT. “The nanotechnology exhibit at the Bradbury Museum is focused on CINT with the goal of introducing the public to our mission as a Department of Energy facility and to the many exciting discoveries and challenges of working at the nanoscale.”

Visitors will be able to see just how small a nanometer actually is, why research at the nanoscale is important and why nanoparticles behave differently. Laboratory researchers at CINT are exploring all aspects of this new science.

CINT is a United States Department of Energy nanoscale science research center operated by Los Alamos and Sandia National Laboratories.

I did check the Bradbury Science Museum website and couldn’t find anything more about these special exhibits. Admission to the museum is free.

FrogHeart

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Tag Archives: UNM

Fifth annual “Art of Systems Biology and Nanoscience” in Santa Fe, New Mexico (US) in March 2014

Los Alamos National Laboratory (New Mexico, US) celebrates its 70th anniversary with two exhibits (nanotechnology and algae biofuels)