June 10, 2006:
The Buck Institute

Tucked away in the hills of Novato is the Buck Institute -- the only freestanding institute in the United States that is devoted solely to basic research on the process of aging and age-associated disease.

On June 10, the Institute is opening its doors to NCSWA members for a day of scientific lectures, laboratory demonstrations, and a picnic lunch with its scientists. Participants will hear top scientists give talks on research aimed at new ways of detecting, preventing and treating conditions such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease, cancer, stroke and arthritis, and for other research dedicated to extending the "healthspan," the healthy years of each individual's life.  Tours of the facility will feature demonstrations of live tissue imaging, worm models of aging, and proteomics.  There will be  ample opportunity for participants to meet the scientists individually and for Q&A.

The cost of the event is $13, and will include coffee and muffins, a box lunch, and soft drinks. Don't delay --  the event is limited to 40 attendees.  Make your check payable to NCSWA and mail them no later than June 1 to:

Natalie DeWitt
Nature Publishing
225 Bush Street Suite 1453
San Francisco, CA 94087

There are beautiful trails nearby for hiking after the program ends, and Kris Rebillot (of the Buck Institute and NCSWA, who has kindly organized the program) will be happy to provide information.

PROGRAM DETAILS

• 10 a.m:  coffee and muffins
• 10:15:  Dale Bredeson (director):overview and video on Buck Institute
• 10:30-10:50  Gordon Lithgow: overview on aging program
• 10:50-11:00 Q&A
• 11:00-12:30:  Tours of institute including demonstrations at  a) microscopy core facility (live tissue scanning); b) mass spectrometry lab (peptides and protein sequencing, and "proteomics"); and c) Lithgow lab (worms used in aging research).
  Groups will rotate to each tour guided by docents and with scientists at each station to explain demonstration.
• 12:30-1:30  Box lunches with faculty al fresco
• 1:30-1:45  Julie Anderson: overview of diseases of aging such as Parkinson's
• 1:45-2:15:  David Greenberg: neurodegeneration
• 2:15-2:45  Q&A

For additional information, contact Natalie DeWitt at n.dewitt@naturesf.com.  For more about the Buck Institute, see their website.