© Pint of Science, 2026. All rights reserved.
At the heart of cellular process lies the complex world of molecular machinery. Join us to understand the fundamental building blocks of the cell and its processes: proteins. We explore how we analyze these intricate structures to understand how our bodies function (and why they sometimes fail).
We will then shift from observation to intervention. You’ll discover how we are "hacking" the biology of viruses, turning ancient foes into specialized delivery vehicles for gene therapy. By combining our ability to map protein patterns with the precision of viral engineering, we are entering a new er…
We will then shift from observation to intervention. You’ll discover how we are "hacking" the biology of viruses, turning ancient foes into specialized delivery vehicles for gene therapy. By combining our ability to map protein patterns with the precision of viral engineering, we are entering a new er…
Understanding Cells: How We Reverse-Engineered a Living Thing
Dr. David Gershlick
(Department of Clinical Biochemistry)
A cell is a box that does extraordinary things. It builds proteins, burns fuel, sends signals, copies itself. For most of history, we had no idea how. So how do you understand something you can't see? Borrowing an analogy from a famous essay, I'll compare the cell to a broken radio and walk through the four approaches biologists use to figure it out: looking at it, breaking it, taking it apart, and rebuilding it from scratch. Expect electron micrographs, CRISPR, AI, and synthetic cells.
Gene doping - an emerging threat in human and animal sports
Edward Ryder
(Principal Scientist, LGC group)
Doping in sports traditionally uses banned substances such as anabolic steroids or growth factors to improve performance. A new threat, gene doping, including the abuse of gene therapy agents, is now emerging with biological material available on the dark web. But what are the dangers surrounding gene doping, especially in horseracing where the animals cannot refuse treatment or advocate for themselves? And what we are doing to detect such prohibited practices?
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Other The Cambridge Brew House events
2026-05-18
All Molecules Great and Small: Life at the Molecular Level
The Cambridge Brew House
1 King Street, Cambridge, CB1 1LH, United Kingdom
2026-05-19
Instructions for Life: How DNA Insights and Peptides better lives
The Cambridge Brew House
1 King Street, Cambridge, CB1 1LH, United Kingdom