Purdue News - Science on Tap to highlight breakthroughs that might change what it means to be human

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Purdue University biomedical engineering professor Jenna Rickus will headline the next Science on Tap with a discussion about advancements in biomedical science and engineering that may redefine what it means to be human in the future.

The talk, titled "Humans 2.0: Will My Grandkids Be Cyborgs?" is at 6 p.m. Thursday (Feb. 19) in the upstairs of Lafayette Brewing Company, 622 Main St., Lafayette.

The informal lecture, which is free and open to those 21 and older, is sponsored by the Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering and Discovery Park.

Rickus, whose work spans agricultural, biomedical and food safety applications, cites several areas of research in her discussion of the growing biomedical field, including neuroengineering, cell transplantation, tissue engineering, synthetic biology and nanotechnology.

"These relatively new fields of research are all growing, and a few are on the verge of major breakthroughs that will revolutionize medicine and change how we see the human body," Rickus said. "These advancements may even change what it means to be human."

more here http://www.purdue.edu/newsroom/releases/2015/Q1/science-on-tap-to-highlight-breakthroughs-that-might-change-what-it-means-to-be-human.html