mRNA technology: fundamentals and possibilities
The word “mRNA” burst into the headlines in 2020 when it became known that messenger RNA technology was enabling the rapid development of vaccines to combat COVID-19. These vaccines have fulfilled their promise, and they are but one of many possible medical applications of this revolutionary technology.
While mRNA vaccines were demonstrating their success in fighting the coronavirus, stories spread on social media claiming all manner of bad side effects and sinister uses of mRNA technology, such as altering an individual’s DNA and genetic makeup.
UMRA’s February 2022 Forum will address the basics of mRNA technology, how it works, and what it can and cannot do. It will also address the wide range of potential medical applications of mRNA technology that are currently under study, including cancer treatment.
Our speaker will be Louis M. Mansky, PhD, professor in the School of Dentistry Department of Diagnostic and Biological Sciences and director of the University’s Institute for Molecular Virology. He is an expert in human virology, virus particle assembly and transmission, antiviral drug target identification, and AIDS research; and the institute he leads is doing important research in these and related areas. Mansky has also been part of the University’s “Ask a U of M Expert” series, addressing vaccine myths and hesitancy.
Please register for this Zoom webinar and join us at 12 noon on Tuesday, February 22, to learn more about the considerable potential of mRNA technology to prevent and treat disease.
—Ron Matross, UMRA president-elect and Program Committee chair
May Meeting
At A Glance
Tuesday, May 24, 2022
2022 Annual Meeting and Forum
Welcome back!
Campus Club, Fourth Floor
West Wing Dining Room
Coffman Memorial Union
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10:45 a.m. |
Check in |
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11:15 a.m. |
Buffet lunch |
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Noon |
Annual Meeting and Forum |
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Featured speaker |
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Menu
Chicken in heirloom tomato sauce with roasted Yukon Gold potatoes and seasonal vegetables. GF.
For vegetarian/vegan option, please request when making your reservation.
RSVP by May 13
Prepayment of $25 per person.
Reserve and pay online or contact Diane Young at young054@umn.edu.
Cancellations and refunds will be honored until May 13. We are not able to accommodate registrations on the day of the event.
Parking
For a discount of $1 per hour in University parking facilities, use the QR code on the back of your UMRA membership card when exiting. Credit cards only.
UMRA policy requires all participants to be vaccinated. Masks are optional.
Make your reservation today!
Unable to attend in person? Please register and join UMRA’s 2022 Annual Meeting and Forum via Zoom.
NEWS
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The University of Minnesota Retirees Association and the University Retirees Volunteer Center have agreed to reconnect as a single organization to broaden and expand volunteer service opportunities for U of M retirees. More …
Meet Michelle Trudeau-Spanjers, an UMRA member since 2021 who’s fast-paced job in the Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory amplified her respect for anyone involved in public health regarding the COVID crisis. More …
Social media is a fantastic way to communicate, share, and have fun with others; it is also a low-cost way for cyber criminals to trick and take advantage of millions of people. More …
UMRA’s Professional Development Grants for Retirees program provides funding for University of Minnesota retirees to continue their scholarship or pursue interesting new projects. All U of M retirees are eligible to participate in the annual competition. More …