Saturday DNA! Biology Book Club Discussion: Brain on Fire

In 2009, 24 year-old New York Post reporter Susannah Cahalan was struck by a debilitating and rare disease. The physical and mental symptoms impacted her so significantly that she became nearly unrecognizable to her coworkers, family, friends, and even herself. After spending over a month in the hospital receiving treatment for what was first diagnosed as bipolar disorder, it was determined that her symptoms were being caused by a rare form of autoimmune encephalitis. Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness is a memoir about Cahalan's time in the hospital through the lens of her friends and family.

Read the book and join other readers to talk about this fascinating story, and how scientists are working to better understand this disease, and others like it.

Participants will:

• create a model to understand the normal function of antibodies in the immune system, and in diseases like autoimmune encephalitis;
• discuss Cahalan's memoir (it is suggested that participants read the book prior to the session); and
• learn about research at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory on this rare disease.

Ages 13-adult, with an adult chaperone required for all participants under 15. Chaperones must purchase a ticket and fully participate in all program activities.

Also check out other Nonprofit events in Cold Spring Harbor.