Science & Cocktails: The Power of Marine Viruses

Monday 3 October 2022

In Tolhuistuin - Club

Doors: 19:30, Doors close: 23:00, Support: 19:45, Main programme: 20:30

Please note: This is the postponed event of 10 November 2021 and 30 November 2021. Previous bought tickets remain valid for the new date, you don't have to do anything.

Program is seated only

Science & Cocktails is a series of public talks by scientists with live music and smoky dry-ice chilled cocktails in your hand.

19:30 doors open for cocktails
19:45 De Toegift (live music)
20:30 Corina Brussaard (talk)
Event in English, semi-seated.

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Contagious Waves: The Power of Marine Viruses
Did you know that a glass of seawater contains 100 million viruses? Who will these viruses infect? Are these tiny parasites alive? Can viruses be infected by viruses? But more importantly, how important are they and what are the ecological consequences for seas and oceans? Now and in the future?

Viruses are the most abundant life form in our oceans and seas. Viruses need a host to multiply and remarkably, many are available in the sea. Apparently simple, the absolute variety in viral shape, size and action make them complex to study. Most interesting, their collective ecological significance goes far beyond their local destructive parasitic action. For one, viruses are drivers of biodiversity; the variety and variability of life on Earth. Moreover, viral action results in the release of new viruses together with the content of the single-celled host, and recycling of this organic material is shown to stimulate the growth of other organisms. Marine Biologist Corina Brussaard and her team at NIOZ discovered that death due to viral infection is just as important as a predator killing its prey. At the same time, their impact on the flow of energy and matter differs strongly. The effects of viral activity on marine ecosystem functioning is still largely understudied. The devastating effects of global climate change on ocean life make it even more urgent to understand how environmental factors affect virus production. In her talk, Corina will take you along her exploration of the exciting world of marine viral ecology, from our coast to Arctic and Antarctic waters, and will reveal how these tiny entities can have such an impressive influence.

This event is an initiative by the Dutch Institute for Emergent Phenomena (DIEP) with the support of NWA Route2.

Science & Cocktails Amsterdam is presented in cooperation with Paradiso Amsterdam and acknowledges the support of New Scientist NL.

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Line-up

Club

De Toegift

Corina Brussaard

Professor Dr. Corina Brussaard is senior team leader at the NIOZ - Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, and holds a special chair in Viral Ecology at the University of Amsterdam. Her research focusses largely on the ecological impact viruses have on host population dynamics and biogeochemical cycling in the seas and oceans. Brussaard has developed several key methodologies, amongst which rapid detection and enumeration of aquatic viruses. Her research demonstrates quantitative importance of viruses as mortality agents for algae, and contributes crucial understanding of the effects of global climate change on algal host-virus interactions. As such, her work has made key improvements to our understanding of how globally important viruses are as drivers of succession, biodiversity and overall ecosystem productivity. Brussaard is a Fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology, president of the International Society for Viruses of Microorganisms (ISVM), editor of FEMS Microbiology Reviews, editorial board member for the Phycological Society of America (PSA), and member of the advisory committee (round table) of Earth Sciences of NWO Domain Science.

De Toegift

Earlier this year, a new sound suddenly emerged from Zeeland; De Toegift made their debut with the EP 'En Ik Kon Alles Zien', in which the song Nollestrand - a compelling ode to this specific part of the coast - caught the attention of fans of the Dutch indie. De Toegift combines the worlds of native poetry and contemporary indie music into what they prefer to make themselves: Dutch-language indie with influences from jazz. Always looking for experiment, authenticity and the perfect song, the band plays with themes about time and nostalgia.

How to get to Tolhuistuin

Tolhuistuin (formerly Paradiso Noord) is located at IJpromenade 2 in Amsterdam North. A free ferry runs from Amsterdam Central Station to Buiksloterweg. From there, turn left and you’ll walk straight into Tolhuistuin. For club nights, the rear entrance (Buiksloterweg 5C) is used. This entrance can be reached via Overhoeksplein

Restaurant
Tolhuistuin also has a restaurant where you can enjoy a meal before the show. We recommend making a reservation in advance via this website.

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