Fed up with pompous academic speeches ? If you love beer and science, Pint of Science was made for you ! For the first time in Bordeaux, experience science at the forefront with international experts in your favourite pub ! The event is organized by the NBA in association with TMB Doc and AquiDoc. For this 2014 edition the audience was delighted by numerous speakers from three huge scientific areas. May 19-21th 2014
Monday, 19th May 2014 : Biophysics Theme
« Brain-Cumputer-Mathematics Interaction » – Dr. Thomas Boraud
Computational neuroscience is a search field, which wants to understand brain mechanisms, using mathematics. Thomas Boraud (doctor and research director at INSERM) presented us how informatics and mathematic models uses help to understand complex brain functions such as decision making. Conversely, brain studies have made important progress in computer functioning possible. This talk highlighted close link between brain and mathematics.
« How the molecules enter our cells : the use of light energy » – Dr. Sophie Lecomte
The integrity of the cell relies on its membrane. Toxic molecules attack this barrier, thus leading to cell death. Therapeutic molecules need to get through without damaging the cell. The energy coming from light allows us to look at their interaction with the cell membrane. For example, these techniques enable to understand the toxicity of Alzheimer’s Disease or to determine the appropriate molecule for drug delivery.
« Microscopy of individual molecules to understand life » – Dr. Laurent Cognet
Nowadays, detecting biomolecules individually in biological samples is essential for biological research and medical diagnostic. However, this task is difficult because of the need to extract signal of a single molecule in the middle of other millions. To do so, strategies coming from physics, chemistry and biology must be combined. Some of these strategies based on nano-optic were illustrated with examples.
Tuesday, 20th May 2014 : Body Theme
« HIV, is it over ? » – Dr. Sandrine Reigadas
HIV infection is currently considered as a chronic but « manageable » disease. Despite prevention campaigns, 7,000 to 8,000 new cases are identified each year in France. The use of drug therapies has declined and side effects ameliorated with the introduction of new generation compounds. However, the battle against HIV is far from being over. The HIV integrates itself inside the patient body, and can stay latent for a while. It can start to replicate as soon as antiviral drugs are not well taken. Under efficient treatment, low grade infection still goes on in some compartments such as the brain. The scientific challenge remains to cure and eradicate the disease. What strategies do we have ?
« Liver cancer » – Dr. Jean Rosenbaum & Dr. Fred Saltel
Primitive cancers or more frequently secondary cancer known as metastases can develop in the liver. Hepatocellular carcinoma is one of the most frequent and most lethal liver cancer in the world. In France, its prevalence is about 80% in people with chronic liver diseases such as cirrhosis due to chronic viral hepatitis, excessive alcohol consumption, or less usual causes. Our laboratory works to identify mechanisms underlying liver cancer progression and metastases rise. One of our strategies is to analyze patient liver samples and find gene or proteins with abnormal rate. Then, using cellular and animal model in laboratory, we examine the function of this molecules in order to find a way to block them in cancer.
« How are blood vessels built and repared (or not)? » – Dr. Etienne Roux et Guillaume Rucher
Blood vessels provide blood to the whole body. When they are obstructed, serious damage is imposed to the tissues, leading to severe invalidating pathologies (stroke, myocardal infarction…). But how is this complex network (100,000 km in humans) being set up during development ? And how does it repair itself? Etienne Roux, physiologist, and Guillaume Rucher, master student in health biology, exposed their research to address this question.
Wednesday, 21th May 2014 : Neurosciences Theme
« Motivation : Run or not run? » – Dr. Francis Chaouloff
In actual industrial world, our way of living limits physical activity and is a real problem of public health. More than societal origin, biological bases such as pleasure absence are responsible of physical inactivity. What mechanisms controlled by our brain motivate us to run a marathon? Our rodent laboratory experiments highlighted a key role of our biological system activated by THC, major active substance of cannabis. Thus, we could hypothesize that physical exercises and cannabis share common recompense and pleasure circuits.
« Your brain on food » – Dr. Agnès Nadjar
Can food influence our brain performance ? Can the eating habits of a pregnant woman impact the memory of her child ? Can we fight against inflammation by choosing the right nutrients ? The neuroscientist Agnès Nadjar tells us about the latest discoveries in the field of brain and nutrition.
« Sugar Addiction : information or speculation ? » – Dr. Serge Ahmed
In 2007, our team found surprisingly that sugar and sugar taste have a stronger attractive power over rodent than cocaine. Since then, these results have been confirmed all around the world for cocaine and other drugs. How can we interpret this imperceptible finding? What does it reveal on brain and motivational neural circuits? Is it the same in humans? Is sugar addiction stronger than drug addiction in humans? Sugar Addiction… information or speculation?