Weds January 18, 2006 at 7:00pm, New Roads School (map)

For our first meeting of 2006, Dr. Bruno Pernet from California State University, Long Beach will give a presentation entitled, "An embryological perspective on the evolutionary loss of larval feeding ability in marine invertebrates." The ability to feed during the larval stage has been lost independently in many lineages of marine invertebrates, and this frequent evolutionary shift has many dramatic effects on the ecology and evolution of these animals.  The first step in the loss of larval feeding ability is an increase in the size and energy content of eggs. Dr. Pernet is interested in the developmental consequences of this increase in egg size - specifically, what are the actual developmental events that underlie the transition to non-feeding development in marine invertebrates?  In this talk he will describe the development of the larvae of featherduster worms (sabellid polychaetes), which are unusual because they are capable of capturing food particles, but can't eat them because they lack a functional gut.  That observation suggested a specific hypothesis on how increases in egg size lead to loss of larval feeding ability in animals whose embryos undergo spiral cleavage (annelids, molluscs, and a members of a few other phyla). Dr. Pernet will describe this hypothesis, then talk about his preliminary attempts to test it using a local marine worm, Streblospio benedicti , that has unusual plasticity in egg size and larval nutritional mode. The images he will share were taken using brightfield, scanning electron, and confocal microscopy. Dr. Pernet's presentation will be followed by another vignette on microscopy from longstanding MSSC member, Alan deHaas. 

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Weds February 15, 2006 at 7:00pm, New Roads School (map)

At this meeting, Dr. Ed Gafford will give a presentation and hands-on workshop on "Art through the Microscope."  Microscopes and hot plates will be provided, and Dr. Gafford will demonstrate how to make artistic slides by melting certain chemicals.

Bring something to take your finished slide home with you after the meeting. You are welcome to bring your own microscope along if you wish.  

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Weds March 15, 2006 at 7:00pm, New Roads School (map)

At this meeting, MSSC member, Larry McDavid, will present on the design and development of precision instruments, particularly in relation to how science goals are met through meticulous attention to engineering design and manufacture. He will discuss how the design and manufacture of high performance science instruments are influenced by constrains on size and weight as well as the usual requirements for sensitivity and resolution. As an example, Larry will discuss the Viking Gas Chromatograph Mass Spectrometer, an instrument being used on Mars to provide unprecedented organic analysis. While working for Beckman Instruments, Larry was technical director for the development of this GCMS and he will outline the many residual real hardware parts of the instrument. When he began this project, there were a number of technical difficulties for which there were no known solutions. Larry will relate some of these challenges to our group and describe how the various issues were resolved. The second half of the meeting will be open for members to share their current projects with the group.  

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Weds April 19, 2006 at 7:00pm, New Roads School (map)

At this meeting, MSSC member, Stuart Warter, will present the final version of his "Origin and Development of the Light Microscope" program in the form in which it should soon be placed on the internet and will explain how to navigate it when it appears. The presentation should take no longer than an hour. For the second half of our gathering, MSSC member, Alan deHaas, will provide another mini-lecture ("vignette") on the microscope.

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Weds May 17, 2006 at 7:00pm, New Roads School (map)

The Pond Life program is undoubtedly one of our best attended and most exciting meetings! Members are strongly encouraged to bring pond water, ditch water, fountain water or anything that lives in water. Microscopes, illuminators and pipettes and tools to play in the water are required.(Extra microscopes are always a good thing to bring for guests to use.) Check out the amoeba to the right, courtesy of www.micrographia.com.

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Weds June 21, 2006 at 7:00pm, New Roads School (map)

At this meeting, we will watch a movie about Ernst Haeckel. Haeckel was a 19th Century microscopist, zoologist, an accomplished artist and illustrator, and later a professor of comparative anatomy. He was one of the first to consider psychology as a branch of physiology. He also proposed many now ubiquitous terms including "phylum" and "ecology." His chief interests lay in evolution and life development processes in general, including development of nonrandom form, which culminated in the beautifully illustrated Kunstformen der Natur (Art forms of nature).

Haeckel advanced the "recapitulation theory" which proposed a link between ontogeny (development of form) and phylogeny (evolutionary descent), summed up in the phrase "ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny". The theory is now considered an oversimplification of quite complicated relationships. Haeckel also introduced the concept of " heterochrony, " which is the change in timing of embryonic development over the course of evolution.

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Weds July 19, 2006 at 7:00pm, New Roads School (map)

As most of know, the microscope can be used to monitor one's health. For example, to perform a Gram-stain on a throat swab to identify that the sore throat is indeed strep, or to examine one's urine. Perhaps not a pleasant subject or one that you would discuss while sitting on the porch, but, it can be very informative. At this meeting, Dr. Barry Sobel will give a presentation entitled, "Urine under the microscope." Dr. Sobel has recently published a book on this subject containing a large number of beautiful illustrations. A number of imaging techniques will be discussed, including the use of phase, DIC and darkfield.

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Weds August 16, 2006 at 7:00pm, New Roads School (map)

At this meeting, MSSC member Dr. Fred Kahn will discuss the work of one of the most notable doctors in history, Dr. Paul Ehrlich. Just a few of the disciplines Dr. Ehrlich perused were hematology, histology, immunology and chemotherapy. One of his most significant contributions was what he referred to as the 'Magic bullet' which focused on Salvarsan® (arsphenamine or 'compound 606'), his cure for syphilis. Dr. Ehrlich received the Nobel Prize for Medicine together with Ilya Ilyich Mechnikov in 1908. Accompanying Dr. Khan's talk will be a slideshow illustrating the highlights of Dr. Ehrlich life and work. During the second half of the meeting a brief slideshow will introduce the bacteria. 

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Weds September 20, 2006 at 7:00pm, New Roads School (map)

This September marks the ten year anniversary of our efforts to provide workshop opportunities under the MSSC label.  MSSC member, George Vitt has put together a copy of the Workshop notes from September 7th 1996, which will bring back to our memory the events of that time.

At this meeting, Professor Kevin M. Kelley, from the Department of Biological Sciences, California State University, Long Beach will give a presentation entitled, "Comparative and Environmental Endocrinology --Cells and Tissues at Life's Front End." Dr. Kelley's research laboratory has interests spanning from diabetes and  its symptoms, to effects of stress, to the effects of environmental contaminants in perturbing normal hormone actions and physiology in wildlife. The latter area, referred to as "environmental endocrine
disruption,"  has been of significant public interest and concern in recent years.  

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Weds October 18, 2006 at 7:00pm, New Roads School (map)

At this meeting, MSSC President, Jim Solliday will be doing something a bit different, by focusing on outer-space (instead of inter-space). Mr. Solliday will take you on a trip to one of our closest planets to see what information has actually been acquired. His presentation will include some microscopic images from Mars acquired using a special microscope. For the second half of the meeting, MSSC Educational Chairman, Alan deHaas will give a talk on histology focusing on a mysterious slide section which will be analyzed and described. Bring along your own histo-slides if would like to know more about their interpretation. 

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Weds November 15, 2006 at 7:00pm, New Roads School (map)

This is the annual Exhibition Meeting of the Society. This is one of the best events of the year and is a great deal of fun. Each member is encouraged to bring along an exhibit to share. Anything associated with microscopic subjects is welcome. Your exhibit could be simple, for example you could set up your microscope with your favorite slide.

A projector will be provided for those bringing 35mm slides. Posters and display boards are also encouraged, along with the usual sales table. Please remember to bring a label or piece of paper with a brief description of your exhibit.

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No December meeting, instead the MSSC Holiday Banquet, date December 10, 2006, 5:30 pm to 8:30pm at Earth Wind and Flour Restaurant, 2222 Wilshire Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90403

Cost $20, payable in advance by December 6, 2006 to Herbert Gold, MSSC Treasurer.

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