Science on Tap Portland -- Microbes and the Human Gut

Date: Monday, July 17, 2017 
Time: Doors at 6 p.m. event at 7 p.m. 
Location: Alberta Rose Theatre, 3000 NE Alberta Street, Portland, OR. 
Cost: $13 general admission, $8 student with ID, under 21 with parent/guardian only. 
Food & Drink: Beer, wine, popcorn, hand pies, and an assortment of sweets and snacks available. 

Back by popular demand! This is a repeat of the sold-out talk held at the Clinton Street Theater on Tuesday, April 4, 2017. 

The human body has trillions of cells, but only about 1/10th of those cells are actually human. The rest are microbes that live in and on our bodies, and collectively they're called the "human microbiome," and we couldn't survive without them. They make vitamins for us, help us digest food, and battle disease-causing microbes, and they may influence our behavior, particularly in what and how much we eat. However, disturbances to the gut microbiome, perhaps through antibiotic overuse, have been associated with obesity, asthma, and autism. Understanding how a body's microbiome is unbalanced or not functioning optimally may help lead to new and unusual treatments such as use of probiotics, prebiotics, and fecal transplants. (Really.) 

At this Science on Tap, Dr. Lisa Sardinia, associate professor of biology at Pacific University, will explain what the microbiome is, how it can get out of balance, and how we may be able to restore health by deliberately changing the kinds or numbers of microbes that share our bodies. 

_______ 

Science on Tap is a science lecture series where you can sit back, enjoy a pint, and laugh while you learn. Listen to experts talk about the science in your neighborhood and around the world. You don't have to be a science geek to have fun--all you need is a thirst for knowledge! For more information on this event or about Science on Tap, visit Via Productions.