The Hat Club continues coming Thursday (21st November 8pm at the Pavilion Room) with a Double Bill. Wine (and non-alcoholic alternatives) will be served as usual, but please note that the evening is BYOCAEM (“bring your own chillies and English mustard”).
Nick Cooper (Cambridge Institute of Medical Research) – The immune system, friend or foe?
It is important to have a strong immune system, right? A weak immune system can certainly lead to problems. However, disorders where the body’s immune system attacks itself, are becoming increasingly common, with roughly 3% of the UK population diagnosed with an autoimmune disease. Autoimmune diseases you may know of include: type 1 diabetes, celiac disease, Crohn’s Disease, MS, arthritis, thyroid disease, lupus and perhaps even asthma. This talk aims to give an overview of the immune system for non-scientists, from what happens when you get a cold, to autoimmunity, to your relationship with your gut flora. Squeamish people be warned!
Jessica Luise Sorge (Department of Pharmacology) – Pain caused by chilli, English mustard and even temperature
We all know how hot chillies can be… The tongue starts burning, then the whole mouth gets hot, some even start getting warm and we just want a drink to quench that “bonfire” in our mouth. If we belong to the very unfortunate people, our face might even turn bright red! English mustard is somehow different: not the same burning sensation, rather a tickle in nose if not too much is eaten. In this talk, I will try to explain how and why we experience these two ingredients in a completely different way.
Poster here.