UW Science Now is an annual tradition where Town Hall teams with UW Science Engage to bring local graduate students to the stage to present their latest cutting-edge research. This year we’re thrilled to partner with Ada’s Technical Books to feature these illuminating talks in a casual setting where audiences can enjoy a drink and an evening of scientific breakthroughs!

There are many viruses, both emerging and established, that have little to no treatment or cure. Before successful therapeutics can be obtained, the mechanisms underlying the viral infection cycle must be understood. Lexi Walls works to drive therapeutic design using microscopes to visualize the infection machinery of viruses at the nanoscopic level. She joins us to share viral snapshots and research for improving our understanding of how viruses function—and how best to inhibit their infection.

What does it mean to have the “correct” number of chromosomes for your species? What are the consequences of having an “incorrect” number, a condition called aneuploidy? Grace Hamilton explores the causes and consequences of aneuploidy, some human genetic diseases caused by aneuploidy, and the fascinating link between chromosome number and cancer.

Are you tired of taking prescription drugs with side-effects worse than the symptoms they treat? Jacob O’Connor presents his work on creating medications with fewer side effects through a computer software program called Rosetta. He combines this program with nature’s laws for creating peptides that can be used to treat conditions like organ rejection, and to design entirely new proteins that will serve as the starting point for a new generation of improved prescription drugs.

Presented by UW Science Engage, Ada’s Technical Books, and Town Hall Seattle as part of the Science series.