LLNL / Las Positas College 'Science and Engineering Seminar Series'

Elizabeth Vitalis, biomedical scientist, and Tom Slezak, computer scientist, will present, "The Power of Bioinformatics: Computer Scientists and Biologists Join Forces to Address Challenges of Evolving Biothreats,"  from 6 to 7:15 p.m. Monday, March 14, at Las Positas College in Livermore.

The seminar, for Las Positas students and faculty, will describe the current LLNL bioinformatics role in biosurveillance collaborations with the Centers for Disease Control to understand and detect biothreat agents such as smallpox, hemorrhagic fever and pandemic influenza virus.

The presenters will explain new technologies that have developed to help address challenges of evolving pathogens and describe ongoing efforts to help protect global public health. Their stories will highlight the power of bioinformatics and teamwork amongst many scientists to address and solve problems of understanding and detecting tiny killers among us.

The lecture is the third in the "Theory to Practice: How Science Gets Done" series provided in partnership by LLNL and Las Positas College. For more information, go to the Las Positas Lecture Series Web page.