Two world-renowned professionals share the stage for a night of learning and entertainment
Jupiter, Fla. – The Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience (MPFI) hosted a large crowd of scientific seekers and music enthusiasts for the second Science Meets Music event of the year on February 15 at Benjamin Hall. The evening concert and lecture took place at The Benjamin Upper School in Palm Beach Gardens. Guests enjoyed an overview of CRISPR-Cas9: A revolutionary gene-editing technology that transforms biology and medicine presented by Director of the Max Plank Institute for Infection Biology, Emmanuelle Charpentier, PhD.
Dr. Charpentier was awarded the 2015 Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences and was named one of Time Magazine’s 100 most influential people in the American world in 2015 for her work in developing the revolutionary genome-editing tool, CRISPR-Cas9. Her lecture was preceded and followed by performances by Emmanuel Ceysson, Principal Harp of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, recognized as the first harpist to obtain awards at three major international events.
During his opening remarks, Dr. David Fitzpatrick, MPFI CEO and Scientific Director welcomed guests and shared highlights from the recent SunposiumTM biennial research conference. “The 2017 Sunposium was held at the Palm Beach County Convention Center on February 13 to 14 with record-breaking attendance,” said Dr. Fitzpatrick. “During the conference, I was given the honor of announcing that Abberior Instruments America LLC (AIA), a Max Planck Society spin-off company, has chosen the MPFI facility in Jupiter, FL for its U.S. headquarters. AIA manufactures and sells the most advanced version of Nobel Prize winning imaging technology that will be available for the first time in the U.S.”
A key speaker at Sunposium, Dr. Charpentier, who was one of the first scientists to harness the CRISPR-Cas9 technology, explored the potential applications and limitations of a system poised to maintain a prominent role in the life sciences for years to come. Since scientists discovered the DNA targeting mechanism of this bacterial system and reduced it into an RNA-programmable gene editing technology, the system has been applied to a wide range of projects from basic science to drug development, helping to optimize crops and build animal models of disease. Tool and kit service companies offer CRISPR-Cas9-related products and at least three biotechnology companies have been founded during the past years to develop the technology for the treatment of serious human genetic disorders.
Presented by the Chamber Music Society of Palm Beach, Emmanuel Ceysson, widely known as the ‘enfant terrible’ of the harp, swept away the audience with his powerful, virtuoso style. Since 2005, he has been a presence in such leading venues on the international music scene as the Wigmore Hall, the Salle Gaveau, Carnegie’s Zankel Hall, the Vienna Konerthaus, and the Berlin Philharmonie, where his appearances in recital, concerto repertoire, and chamber music regularly win high praise from the press.
Guests found Dr. Charpentier most extraordinary, fascinated by insights into the CRISPR-Cas9 discovery and noting the care and attention she gave to intertwine her remarks with the music element of the series. Mr. Ceysson’s talent and his efforts to reach out to the speaker and create a thoughtful and moving repertoire for the evening’s concert component captivated attendees.
Looking ahead, the third Science Meets Music event of the 2017 season will take place on Friday, March 24 with a lecture led by Iain Couzin, PhD, Director, Max Planck Institute of Ornithology, Department of Collective Behaviour in Germany. Dr. Couzin is an expert in biodiversity and the recipient of several awards including: Popular Science’s “Brilliant 10” Award in 2010; National Geographic Emerging Explorer Award in 2012; and the Scientific Medal of the Zoological Society of London in 2013. The remaining speaker of the 2017 season will be Samuel M. Young, Jr., PhD, Research Group Leader of the Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience on Wednesday, April 19. Both upcoming events will take place at Benjamin Hall at The Benjamin Upper School, located at 4875 Grandiflora Road in Palm Beach Gardens and accompanying musical performances are to be announced.
Science Meets Music is a free event, however, seating is limited and reservations are required. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. for a reception and musical accompaniment (to be announced) for both events begins at 6:15 p.m.; for more information or to RSVP, please call 561-972-9027 or visit http://rsvp.mpfi.org.
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About the Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience
The Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience (MPFI), a not-for-profit research organization, is part of the world-renowned Max Planck Society, Germany’s most successful research organization with over 80 institutes worldwide. Since its establishment in 1948, 18 Nobel laureates have emerged from the ranks of its scientists. It has produced over 15,000 publications, more than 3,000 inventions and over 90 spin-off companies, putting it on par with the best and most prestigious research institutions in the world. As its first U.S. institution, MPFI brings together exceptional neuroscientists from around the world to answer fundamental questions about brain development and function and to develop new technologies that make groundbreaking scientific discoveries possible. Their research is shared publicly with scholars, universities and other organizations around the globe, providing the necessary foundation of knowledge to develop treatments and cures for brain disorders such as autism, schizophrenia, Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease. For more information, visit www.maxplanckflorida.org.
Photo credit: Photo courtesy of Max Planck Florida Institute of Neuroscience