Come learn about the wild animals that live among us at an interactive research expo followed by a talk by Lincoln Park Zoo’s Dr. Seth Magle!

Cities are built for people, but increasingly house many species of wildlife. These species can range from the familiar, like squirrels and pigeons, to the unusual, like hawks and coyotes. To learn to live with these animals, a scientific approach is needed. In Chicago, Illinois, the third largest city in the United States, Dr. Seth Magle, of the Lincoln Park Zoo, and his team have conducted research for ten years on urban mammals using a unique long-term approach. He will describe their work and some of its findings. Their ultimate goal, though, is to learn about urban wildlife species not just in Chicago, but worldwide. For that reason, they have also designed a pioneering research network, the Urban Wildlife Information Network, where partners all across North America collaborate to collect long-term data on many different species in their cities. This network is used to connect the public to local nature and help people learn about wildlife in urban regions. The hope is that this network will increase awareness of the importance of urban nature, and provide information critical to creating greener, wilder cities, in which humans and wildlife can co-exist.

This event is a part of the Animal Behavior Society’s Annual Conference, Behaviour 2019, and will feature a public outreach fair prior to the program. Stop by between 9 am and 1 pm to take a look at exciting animal behavior research happening across the country!

Register now to attend “Harnessing the body’s immune system to fight cancer and autoimmune diseases” with the renowned 2018 FNIH Lurie Prize in Biomedical Sciences Winner, Dr. Zhijian ‘James’ Chen!

A recent breakthrough in our war against cancer is the development of therapies that harness our body’s immune system to seek out and destroy tumor cells. While such immunotherapies have significantly prolonged the life of some patients who had previously exhausted all treatment options, the majority of cancer patients still do not benefit from existing immunotherapies. Thus, there is an urgent need to devise new therapies that can benefit a larger population of cancer patients. Read more…

Renowned Northwestern University molecular bioscientist Neil Kelleher, who stands 5’0” tall in his socks, and his good friend Luka Mircovic, 6’11”, a former power forward for the 2012 Northwestern Wildcats, will discuss the role of proteins in human health, disease, and how they can shape the diagnostics of the future. Read more…

Did you know there may be quantum calculators in your eyes? The bizarre properties of quantum mechanics are now helping neuroscientists more precisely understand how brains and other living things work. Read more…

Resilience, empathy, and plasticity are important parts of the human experience, but how do these traits actually emerge biologically? Read more…

This event is a screening of the award-winning documentary Rise of the Warrior Apes, featuring a question and answer session with collaborating scientist Dr. John Mitani.

“Filmed over 23 years, Rise of the Warrior Apes tells the epic story of an extraordinary troop of chimpanzees in Ngogo, Uganda – featuring four mighty warriors who rule through moral ambiguity, questionable politics, strategic alliances, and destroyed trust. Read more…