Event Host: College of Arts and Sciences
Short Description: In this lecture, Marcos Sotomayor, associate professor of chemistry and biochemistry, will present in simple terms the structures and function of proteins essential to giving humans the ability to sense sound across a wide range of frequencies and intensities.
The human hearing organ is exceptional in its ability to sense sound across a wide range of frequencies and intensities. The process of sound conversion into brain electrical signals that we can understand is called "mechanosensation" and is carried out by various proteins essential to hearing. In this lecture, Marcos Sotomayor will explore and present in simple terms the structures and function of these proteins.
Marcos Sotomayor is an associate professor of chemistry and biochemistry at The Ohio State University whose research focuses on exploring the molecular mechanisms underlying hearing and brain wiring. Sotomayor has received various awards, including an Alfred P. Sloan Fellowship and Ohio State’s Distinguished Undergraduate Research Mentor award.
Science Sundays is a free public lecture series offered and supported by The Ohio State University College of Arts and Sciences and its sponsoring science centers. Speakers are leading experts in their fields dedicated to making their work interesting and accessible for audiences of all ages and backgrounds. Science Sundays brings leading-edge work directly to the public with lectures covering diverse topics in science, arts and technology that touch our everyday lives.
Each lecture is from 3-4 p.m. at the Ohio Union U.S. Bank Conference Theatre, followed by a free, informal reception from 4-5 p.m. at the Ohio Staters Traditions Room in the Ohio Union.
