3rd WINGS-PES Salon was held.
Report by:
Calvin Duong, Master’s year 2
Details
Date/time: Friday, June 21, 2019 from 10:00 – 12:00
Place: Laboratory of Virology, Yoshihiro Kawaoka laboratory,
General Building 3rd floor at Institute of Medical Sciences in Shirokanedai
Department: Computational Biology and Medical Science
Event summary
13 WINGS members, including students and professors, met at the Institute of Medical Sciences at 10:00. A background lecture was given by Calvin about the clinical nature of influenza, as well as a basic overview of influenza virology. Everyone was then taken to see the lab interior, where it was explained that professors and students work close to each other, allowing good communication. Common biology laboratory machines were introduced such as the autoclave, centrifuge, and incubator. After, the group was taken to see Scanning Electron Microscopy and Transmission Electron Microscopy demonstrated by Doctor course students from the Kawaoka lab. Attendees were able to see live images of influenza infected cells. Participants asked questions like: how large are the viruses, and what kind of necessary steps are required for preparation to conduct the microscopy. Finally, we held a discussion section about scientist’s roles during times of major crises.
Discussion
During the discussion section, we talked about what role scientists play during times of major crises, such as earthquakes or widespread disease. Much of the general public generally does not understand the major details to relieve disastrous situations, so it is up to scientists to conduct experiments to determine how to prevent and reduce major damage. During these situations, scientists must be able to communicate the important details uncovered from these experiments to the right people (doctors, engineers, politicians) who are able to implement the findings. For example, in medical science research, it is difficult to accurately predict a sudden widespread disease (example: Zika virus pandemic 2015). However, we can go through a cycle of proactive research for reactive measures to prevent the next widespread infection from reaching uncontrollable levels. A discussed example of this was the approach of earthquake researchers. They stress test different structures and materials in order to discover how to construct buildings that can withstand major earthquakes.
Impressions
Being able to share my research with students and professors from other disciplines was a great experience. I think it is important to have the ability to communicate my difficult research in ways that anyone can understand. Even within my field there is so much diversity. As I do not focus on virus structure, when one of the professors asked me about the size of viruses, I did not know how to answer because the viruses can vary vastly in size. Later on, during the microscopy demonstration, the question was answered visibly. During the discussion section, I enjoyed talking about the purpose of scientists during times of major crises. As we worked through this question, I began to better understand what it means to be part of a bigger group of scientists with a proactive research purpose, and our role in society. I am thankful for the opportunity to share my research amongst fellow WINGS students and professors, as it also gave me an opportunity to investigate my research from a different perspective which I had not considered before. This perspective will help me contextualize my research in society better and help me help others better understand the purpose of my research.
