Events
| Wed | ||
|---|---|---|
Start: 7:30 pm
Science fiction classics and even current movie blockbusters
such as Avatar have opened our eyes to the wonders and perils of biotechnology.
But the reality of bioengineering is that it’s more fact than science fiction
-- we’ve cloned animals, built biological machines -- and now it’s only a
matter of time before we’re facing our own clones.
Will they be evil? Can they read your mind? And most
importantly, do you havewhat it takes to defeat your own clone? Don’t panic -- find
out all this and more inthis satirical and hilarious guide. Mixing scientific facts
with our fictional -- but very possible -- future, bioengineering experts Kyle
Kurpinski andTerry D. Johnson share the secrets to survival, including
crucial knowledge:
• Bioenhancements: They’re not just for cyborgs anymore.
• DNA sequencing and fingerprinting: What’s scarier than the
government having
your DNA on file? Try having it posted on the Internet.
• Human cloning: Just like you, only stronger, smarter, and
more attractive. In other words: more dangerous.
Don’t let the not-too-distant bioengineered future (or your
future clone) catch you unawares – Johnson and Kurpinski deliver an
educational, entertaining survival guide that will help you understand one of
the most controversial and exciting issues in modern science. Just remember the
first rule of engagement: Don’t ever let your clone read this book!
Kyle Kurpinski holds a PH.D. in Bioengineering from the
joint graduate group between the UC Berkeley and the UCSF. He has worked in
various labs across the country including the National Human Genome Research Institute
in Maryland, the Brookhaven National
Laboratory in New York, and the Lawrence Berkeley
National Laboratory in California.
His original goal in life was to become either a neurosurgeon or a stuntman,
but he put these dreams on hold to pursue the jet-setting lifestyle of a research scientist. He currently works
for a biotech company in the Bay Area where he develops new technologies for
tissue regeneration. This may sound impressive on paper, but Kyle is the first
to admit that the majority of his time is spent transferring small amounts of
liquid between various containers.
Terry Johnson is a lecturer in the bioengineering department
at the UC Berkeley. He began his lecturing career in the chemical engineering
department at MIT. The subjects of his classes range from tissue engineering to
mathematical biology, displaying a versatility that has prevented him from
achieving any actual expertise in a single subject. Terry is a machine that
takes in caffeine and alcohol and outputs hair, paralyzing self-reproach, and
the occasional PowerPoint slide.
Visit the authors here.
| ||







