Science & Cocktails: What can we learn from parasites?

Tuesday 10 May 2022

In Tolhuistuin - Zonzij

Doors: 19:30, Main programme: 20:30

Program is half seated, half standing

Science & Cocktails is a series of public talks by scientists with live music and smoky dry-ice chilled cocktails in your hand. This event will be in English. Be the first to know when the next Science & Cocktails Amsterdam event(s) will take place by subscribing to our newsletter.

19:30h: doors open for cocktails
19:45h: DJ Mulat (music)
20:30h: Maria Yazdanbakhsh (talk)
Event in English, semi-seated

What can we learn from parasites?
How have parasites changed the way we understand the immune system? What have parasites told us about the changing disease patterns worldwide? Can parasites explain the course of COVID-19 in Africa?

Throughout evolution, parasites have contributed to shaping our immune system and diseases patterns. Parasitic infections are very common in rural areas of low to middle income countries, causing a range of outcomes; from asymptomatic infections to death. By studying these parasitic infections in different people around the world we have gained knowledge and understanding on how parasites and environmental factors shape our immune system. We thought we knew how the immune system looks like, but only now are we getting a more complete picture and generating a truthful immune system atlas. This can help us understand COVID-19 patterns in Africa, as well as why vaccines work less well in low to middle income countries. But also give us insight in the development of cures for inflammatory diseases. Who would have thought that studying parasites can open new avenues for prevention and therapies?

This event is an initiative by the Dutch Institute for Emergent Phenomena (DIEP) with the support of NWA route 2. Science & Cocktails Amsterdam is presented in cooperation with Paradiso Amsterdam and acknowledges the support of New Scientist NL.

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Line-up

Zonzij

Maria Yazdanbakhsh

Professor dr. Maria Yazdanbakhsh heads the department of Parasitology at Leiden University Medical Center, which takes part in basic and clinical research and employs an interdisciplinary group of basic and clinical scientists who focus on understanding host-parasite interactions at different levels. The knowledge gained is being applied to contribute to the development of effective vaccines against parasitic diseases and second, to the identification of parasite-derived immune modulatory molecules to control inflammatory diseases. She has set up strong and sustained joint projects with academic centers in a number of African countries and in Indonesia. The population studies are providing important insights in the immune system and dynamic alteration in disease patterns in an urbanizing world where prevalence of parasitic infections changes. She has trained many curious and brilliant young scientists from low to middle income countries who are now conducting pioneering work back at home. In 2021, she won the prestigious NWO Spinoza Prize for her work.

DJ Mulat

DJ Mulat will spin the finest records while you enjoy some cocktails. Expect to be welcomed with music from all over the world, including Afrobeat, latin and cumbia.

How to get to Tolhuistuin

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

Restaurant
Tolhuistuin also has a restaurant in which you can have a bite before the show. We advise to make a reservation in advance via this website.

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