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'Science on Saturday' lecture to discuss improving health through spectrometry

Science on Saturday (Download Image) Laboratory scientist Mike Malfatti, along with teacher Katherine Huang of Dougherty Valley High School, will present “Biomedical Acceleratory Mass Spectrometry: Improving Human Health One Atom at a Time.”

WHO: Lawrence Livermore scientist Mike Malfatti, along with teacher Katherine Huang of Dougherty Valley High School, will present "Biomedical Acceleratory Mass Spectrometry: Improving Human Health One Atom at a Time," the second lecture in the 2018 Science on Saturday lineup that is part of Livermore’s Science and Engineering Month. The series theme is "Marvelous Machines."

WHAT: Accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) is a sensitive mass spectrometric method for detecting and quantifying rare long-lived isotopes with high precision. It is used primarily in the areas of pharmacology and toxicology to investigate the absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion of radiolabeled drugs, chemicals and nutrients, as well as in the detection of chemically modified DNA and proteins in animal models and humans. The exquisite sensitivity of AMS allows the use of low chemical and radioisotope doses and relatively small sample sizes, which enables studies to be performed safely in humans. Such studies include risk assessment of environmental toxicants, drug candidate selection, absolute bioavailability determination, pharmacokinetic evaluation and assessment of drug-target binding as a biomarker of response to chemotherapy. Recent advances in the AMS technology at LLNL have allowed for greater sensitivity, enabling the use of lower radioisotope and chemical doses, which are imperative for clinical testing. The ability to perform in-human studies has allowed AMS technology to become a valuable tool for the biomedical sciences.

WHEN: Saturday, Feb. 10
   Session I: 9:30 a.m.
   Session II: 11:15 a.m. (same content as Session I)

WHERE: Bankhead Theater, 2400 First St., Livermore.

Note: Science on Saturday is sponsored by LLNL's University Relations and Science Education Program. Lectures are open to the public and specifically targeted to middle- and high-school students. No pre-registration is required, and seating is on a first-come basis. For more information about Science on Saturday, visit the web or contact Joanna Albala, Education Program manager, at (925) 422-6803 or albala1 [at] llnl.gov (email).