Are there mutants among us?

Multidrug-resistant bacteria are an increasing worldwide public health problem which is now recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a life threating issue. The ability of bacteria to overcome the effect of antibiotics has forced us to find new and innovative ways to fight back. CRISPR, a novel genome-editing technique, will allow us to further comprehend not only the molecular biology mechanisms but also different environmental factors that strongly contribute to the development of resistance.

Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are the subject of continuous debate; are they safe for human consumption? This talk will address some of the commonly argued concerns and evaluate the science behind the claims. Why is there a need for GMOs, what is the reality behind those that are currently being produced around the globe? What are the common concerns with GMOs and how does it affect humans? What does the future hold for human food production? With our population growing at an exponential rate, we need to double our food production in the next 50 years, but are GMOs the answer?

Epigenetics is one of the fastest moving fields in life science. It helps us investigate how actions and events can have long lasting effects on our health. It can fill in gaps in our understanding of human health. Which means it has enormous potential in public health. However, scientists are still unlocking this potential. We need to know what these markers are telling us, before we can speculate on fixes. One specific measure is the epigenetic clock, which estimates someone's age with good accuracy. People whose epigenetic age is older than their actual age often have poorer health.