Great Ideas in Biology with Alan Mortimer
- Day: Tuesday
- Dates: April 22, 2025
- Time: 1:00pm – 3:00pm
- Location: Carleton University
- Price: $50+HST
Room and Parking information will be sent by email 1-2 days prior to the lecture date.
Overview
Biology is central to our lives. In fact, we are biology. While our understanding of biology has led to great advances in human health, longevity and quality of life understanding what is actually going on has become more complex. This course will provide a foundation for understanding biology in the modern world by looking at overarching ideas that have led us to our current understanding and application of that understanding to medical and technical issues as well as current public debate. We will examine Great Ideas such as evolution, the cell as the basic unit of life, genes and DNA, infectious diseases and immunity. We then use these ideas to examine some of the current issues in modern society where biology plays a central role. The course is intended for those with limited technical background as well as for those with more knowledge of the subject.
About the Lecturer
Dr. Alan Mortimer graduated from Carleton University (MSc in Medical Physics) and Guy’s Hospital Medical School, London, England (PhD in Medicine). He joined the research staff of The National Research Council of Canada in 1975 specializing in medical ultrasound. In 1986 he moved to the Canadian Space Agency and became Chief Scientist, Life and Microgravity Sciences in 1989, responsible for all life sciences and physical sciences research. Dr. Mortimer accepted the position of Director of the Centre for Biologics Research, Health Canada in 2002 and later the Centre for Vaccine Evaluation. Here he was responsible for all research in biologic therapies as well as the approval and testing of all vaccines provided to Canadians. He currently is a consultant providing strategic advice to several government departments.
Registration Form
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