You're all invited to the January edition of Science on Tap, featuring Dr. Jean-Christophe (Chris) Rochet, professor in the Department of Molecular Chemistry and Medicinal Pharmacology at Purdue University. He will be giving a talk entitled, "Strategies to defeat Parkinson’s disease: a tale of protein clusters and blueberries."

Abstract:
Parkinson’s disease is a debilitating brain disorder without a cure. Neurons in the brains of patients with Parkinson's disease are thought to die because one of their proteins called alpha-synuclein forms harmful clusters (or ‘aggregates’), and also because of defects in cellular machines that produce energy cause lethal damage to the cell. This presentation will highlight our efforts to identify protective agents for Parkinson's disease patients, including molecules that block alpha-synuclein cluster formation and compounds in foods (such as blueberries) that appear to decrease the risk of developing the disease.

Hope to see you all there!