NEPTUN Biography

Some of the most powerful research tools in biotechnology and molecular biology started with one initial observation. From PCR to CRISPR to Fluorescent Proteins, learn about the history and science behind a few popular discoveries, and how each went through the process of being developed and applied in research to contribute to incredible discoveries- that could not have been made without them!

Some say history was written about men, by men... but what about the women? Let's take some time to talk about some seriously underrated but seriously powerful people of history - who happen to be women!

Some of the most powerful research tools in biotechnology and molecular biology started with one initial observation. From PCR to CRISPR to Fluorescent Proteins, learn about the history and science behind a few popular discoveries, and how they went through the process of being developed and applied in research to contribute to incredible discoveries that couldn't have been made without them!

Don't want to admit to staying awake until 1 a.m. watching TV? Learn a biological explanation that you can give the next time somebody asks you why you're so tired! Hint - it has to do with the genes and proteins that control your biological clock!

Make your own stamps and lithographs to create prints in this two-part course!

Continue to get creative with stamps and lithographs in this week-2 course!

Interested in learning how to control someone else's movements with your brain? In this class we won't be talking about superpowers, but we will be talking about neurobiology. Our brains are a lot like circuits. They generate different types of signals that tell our bodies what to do. So what would happen if we connected your brain to someone else's body? Telekinesis! And what happens to the brain when people who suffer from Parkinson's or Huntington's Disease can't control their own movements? Take this class to find out!

Want to learn how to control someone else's brain? Or learn how your brain can be controlled? The human brain and nervous system are essentially a huge circuit: transmitting electrical and chemical signals to control all functions of the body. So, how are these circuits powered and what would happen if we were to change how your brain perceives information? Take this class to learn about how neurons communicate with each other and with other parts of the body almost like circuits. Understanding these systems can help us come up with solutions to neurological disorders...or, if nothing else, can teach us how cool optical illusions work!