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Building ourselves

06 July 2019 10:15 - 14:15

This event is part of our series of lightning lectures at the Royal Society's Summer Science Exhibition 2019. Perfect for getting a taste of science, why not catch one (or more) of these electrifying 15 minute talks?

Cliché though it may be to say, cells are truly the building blocks of life. Much as an architect maps out where structures will go and what part of the building breeze blocks form, there are mechanisms in early development that direct our own construction.

Join Dr Kathy Niakan as she describes her groundbreaking research into human pluripotent embryonic cells. These are cells that are capable of becoming any type of cell in the human body, from those found in the heart and the brain to those that make up bone tissue.

But in the incredibly complex blueprint that is human development, how do cells know what to become? What factors influence their specialisations and how is this process 'turned off' once specialised?

Hard hats at the ready as you discover the intricacies underpinning early cell development and those that direct the fate of our cells.

Running times

This event will run at 11.15am and 3pm and last approximately 15 minutes.

Talk - admittance for our talks is first-come, first-served. Please ensure you arrive early for talks as we can get busy at the weekends and you may need to queue to get into the building.

Attending the event

  • Free to attend
  • No registration required
  • Limited spaces, admittance based on venue capacity
  • Seats allocated on a first-come, first-served basis
  • Doors open 5 minutes before start of event
  • Suitable for ages 14+
  • Travel and accessibility information - contact us directly to arrange any specific accessibility requirements
  • Food and drink will be available for purchase at our onsite café

For all enquiries, please email exhibition@royalsociety.org.