Nerd Nite : Coffee, psychedelics and viruses

Nerd Nite is a free monthly event that invites participants to give short, fun, and informative presentations on all kinds of topics while the audience enjoys a drink.

Our passionate speakers will share their expertise and ideas on a variety of topics. Each presentation will last about 20 minutes, followed by questions. A break between the presentations allows participants to refill their drinks and chat about the presented topics... or about something else entirely :)

Doors open : 18:00

First talk : 19:00

Join us for a quiz at 18:30 ! The winner gets a free drink ! ;)

****************** Lineup : ********************

🫘To Bean or Not to Bean: That Is the Caffeination! ☕

- by Layla El-Kamali

Some people refuse to drink coffee after 3 p.m., while others enjoy it after dinner and still sleep like babies. Once considered bitter and disgusting in childhood, coffee somehow becomes an essential part of adulthood, conquering our mornings, cultures, television screens, and wallets.

From legendary Ethiopian goats to Italian espressos, and Turkish coffee, this beloved beverage has traveled the world and become perhaps the most socially acceptable addiction. But how did a simple bean become something millions of people claim they cannot live without?

About the presenter : As a child, she had three strict rules: never wear makeup, never wear high heels, and never drink coffee. At the age of 13, a wedding made her break the first two, so she figured the third deserved a chance too! What started as a bitter disappointment soon became a lifelong addiction, fueling her travels, master's degree, PhD, and countless important decisions. Today, she is considering intravenous coffee infusion, although ethical approval is still pending!

🍄😵‍💫Not Snapping, but Tripping Out of It? Depression, pharmacotherapy and psychedelics 🎆

- by Matej Durik

At a time when 34% of U.S. adults have been treated with antidepressants during their lifetime, a question arises: were the hippies onto something? Since 2006, a wave of renewed scientific interest in psychedelics' potential to treat mental illness has brought us close to the first approval of a psychedelic medicine for depression. What do psychedelics do to the brain while they act? And why do some of their effects last longer than the trip? To find out, we'll meet melting brain networks, rewired neurons, and one very unlikely scientific helper: rabies.

About the presenter : Matej is a pharmacologist by training and a cell biologist by profession but most importantly, he is interested in how stuff works. Besides that, he enjoys DnD, PC games, Sci-Fi, mountains (acquired taste), chilli and he loves to cook.

🦠How do viruses take control of our cells ? 😷

- by Jason Decotter

Viruses are surprisingly simple compared to the cells they infect. They contain a limited number of genes and proteins, yet they are able to enter our cells, use their and sometimes our machineries, evade immune defenses, and influence whether a cell lives or dies. So how can something so simple manipulate something as complex as a human cell? In this talk, we will explore some of the molecular tricks viruses use to hijack our cells. From viral proteins that interfere with cellular defenses to interactions with cellular proteins and genetic material, we will see how viruses turn our own biology against us !

About the presenter : Jason has a PhD in Biology and Biochemistry from the University of Reunion island, where he worked on Zika and Dengue viruses. He is now a postdoctoral researcher at the IBMC in Strasbourg, studying HIV-1 and how it interact with host cells during infection. When he is not trying to understand how viruses hijack our cells, he can usually be found at the gym or spending far too many hours around a board game table.

Interested to present ? --> Tell us here !

Drinks and snacks will be available at the Association's bar.

Be there or be Square!