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Science Lecture Series: Dr. Melissa Maginnis

March 12, 2020 @ 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm

Dr. Melissa Maginnis

Going Viral: Silent but deadly virus with a serious sweet tooth

Thursday, March 12 at 7:00 pm

Viruses infect every living thing on the planet, and we encounter innumerable viruses in the environment each day. In fact, there are over 300 trillion viruses that inhabit the human body. While most of these viruses are harmless, some viruses can cause serious human diseases that result in chronic conditions or fatality. Join us to learn how a virus that resides silently in the kidney can spread to the brain and cause a fatal infection. We will explore how viruses target particular cells in the body and how they actually hijack the host cell machinery to cause harm.

 

Dr. Melissa Maginnis is an Assistant Professor of Microbiology in the Department of Molecular and Biomedical Sciences at The University of Maine. She was born and raised in Pennsylvania and earned her B.S. in Biological Sciences from Neumann College. Dr. Maginnis earned her Ph.D. in Microbiology and Immunology from Vanderbilt University and performed postdoctoral training at Brown University. Dr. Maginnis joined the UMaine faculty in 2014, and her laboratory is focused on understanding the cellular and molecular basis of viral disease. Defining how viruses recognize and invade cells within the host can ultimately elucidate targets for novel antiviral therapies to prevent or treat viral illnesses. Dr. Maginnis is also dedicated to teaching undergraduates and graduate students at UMaine and training the next generation of biomedical scientists through experiential learning.

The Science Lecture Series at Emera Astronomy Center will take place the second Thursday of each month and is a partnership project with the Maine Science Festival and will feature research from a variety of science disciplines from around our state and use the digital planetarium to visualize these discoveries in a new dramatic and immersive way.

Tickets for planetarium programs are $6 for Adults, $5 for UMaine Students/Veterans/Senior Citizens, and $4 for children under 12. Click here to view our calendar.

Tickets are available online at http://astro.umaine.edu, by calling 581-1341, or at the box office.

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Details

Date:
March 12, 2020
Time:
7:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Event Categories:
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Organizer

Versant Power Astronomy Center
Phone:
581-1341
Email:
planetarium@maine.edu
View Organizer Website

Venue

Versant Power Astronomy Center
167 Rangeley Rd
Orono, ME 04469 United States
+ Google Map
Phone:
207-581-1341
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