LANL News: Frontiers in Science talks to explore new strategies for diagnosing challenging diseases

News Release

Steve Sandoval, 505-665-9206, steves@lanl.gov

PHOTO AND VIDEO (http://youtu.be/IgEm0HKGhn4)

Frontiers in Science talks to explore new strategies for diagnosing challenging diseases

First talk is Tuesday, March 24 in Los Alamos

LOS ALAMOS, N.M., March 20, 2015—Los Alamos National Laboratory researcher Harshini Mukundan discusses the re-emergence of tuberculosis in a series of three lectures called “The Microbe Strikes Back: The Return of Tuberculosis.” The talks, which focus on how effective diagnosis can prevent its spread and save lives, take place in Los Alamos, Albuquerque and Santa Fe.

“Human evolution and persistent diseases have existed side-by-side,” said Mukundan, of the Laboratory’s Physical Chemistry and Applied Spectroscopy Group, noting that tuberculosis is one of the oldest and most challenging diseases known to man. “Effective diagnosis can save lives and prevent its spread . . . A new laboratory and nature-inspired strategy can detect tuberculosis equally well in human and animal populations.”

Mukundan will give the talks

•  Tuesday, March 24 in the Duane Smith Auditorium at Los Alamos High School, Los Alamos;

•  Friday, April 3 in the James A. Little Theater of New Mexico School for the Deaf, 1060 Cerrillos Road in Santa Fe; and

•  Monday, April 6 in the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science, 1801 Mountain Road N.W., in Albuquerque.

All Frontiers in Science presentations begin at 7 p.m. and are free of charge. Sponsored by the Fellows of Los Alamos National Laboratory, the Frontiers in Science lecture series is intended to increase local public awareness of the diversity of science and engineering research at the Laboratory.

For more information, call (505) 665-9196 or email Linda Anderman at anderman@lanl.gov.

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