On Wednesday, July 22, 2020, at 7pm, the Pemberton and District Public Library, in partnership with the Squamish and Whistler libraries, will host a talk by Quest University faculty member Dr Marina Tourlakis: WHY VIRUSES MAKE US SICK?

Epidemiology 101 is probably a good thing for most of us to develop some basic literacy in… (As a doctor friend recently said to me, “Well, it’s basic microbiology.” To which I replied: huh?)

Location: Online, using Zoom
Link to event:
https://zoom.us/j/93275950246?pwd=RVBGTnlZRFlvYVZwei94bVVzbExFUT09
Password: 330962

Our lives have been turned virtually upside down for months on account of a virus. What constitutes a virus? How can something so small and (arguably) not living, wreak such havoc? In this talk, Dr. Tourlakis will provide a brief overview on what viruses are, why and how they infect cells and why and how this can lead to illness. Viruses have a rich and complicated involvement with humans. They make us ill, they can kill us, but they can also be the instruments of life saving treatments and have contributed considerably to our genome. Join us in an exploration of the intersect of viruses and humans.

Dr Tourlakis is a life sciences tutor in molecular genetics.  She has an honours Science degree and a Masters from York University and a PhD from the University of Toronto. She once worked in the the lab of Dr. J. M. Rommens at the Hospital for Sick Children and the University of Toronto, where she investigated human genetic diseases caused by inherited mutations that impact the ribosome. She learned firsthand about the need for researchers to better communicate their findings, particularly to patients and their advocates, in an accessible, compassionate way.