Mon. 24.09.2018 (16:30) in TOP at Schillerpromenade 4, 12049 Berlin
LECTURE, WORKSHOP
Today, diagnosis requires patients to see a doctor to provide samples, which are then sent to a wetlab. The lab conducts tests on the samples and reports back to the doctor, who ultimately reports back to the patient. This process tends to take days or even weeks – valuable time during which patients live in uncertainty and disease is allowed to spread. What if instead doctors could perform the tests while the patient waits? Or, what if we could empower patients to perform selected tests at home, as part of their decision whether to see a doctor in the first place?
The lecture introduces several technologies that can ubiquitize healthcare by moving the process of diagnosis closer to the patient.
During the follow-up workshop you will learn how to create cyber-physical systems based on small electronic devices called biochips. Biochips manipulate droplets of fluids by executing “bio-protocols” – simple programs that move, split, and mix droplets with chemical compounds (“reagents”). Biochips thereby automate processes traditionally performed manually in wet labs. The key advantage of biochips is that they are adaptable, thus capable of running different bio-protocols. Instead of going to a specialist, a patient can download a bio protocol. This transforms diagnosis into a software problem that has the potential to scale the way software scales.
Practically, each participants will extract their DNA and then manipulate it on a biochip.
No prior registration required.
// LECTURE, WORKSHOP // 10€
=== Mirela Alistar
Working at the intersection of science and art, Mirela is passionate about re-connecting with the micro-world: the micro-organisms part of our being and our environment. To engage the society in a critical discourse of technology, Mirela has led and founded community wetlabs in Copenhagen and Berlin, where she organizes frequent workshops with people of diverse backgrounds (read more on www.personallab.org).
=== What to expect at >top:
We value high quality content, thus all lectures and talks are given by expert scientists or established artists. All workshops are hands-on, i.e., you will have the occasion to do scientific procedures. We provide all materials, as well as the necessary instructions. Our workshops are open to anyone, regardless of their educational background. We welcome participants under 18 yrs old, but we prefer to be informed ahead and have an adult that accompanies them. The entry fee covers part of the workshop materials and costs of maintaining >top space. Our fees may vary over time, reflecting the current financial needs. We welcome any donations at any time, as well as collaborations. We always have tea and snacks (free), beer (2€) and a great community to connect to.