Event

Trainspotting

Trainspotting
Science on Screen

Wednesday, April 11 at 7:30pm

$9 Members / $13 Public
Includes Reception

Join Scientists Anne Churchland & Rob Martienssen for an
entertaining exploration of the science of addiction,
followed by Danny Boyle's classic movie

Join Anne Churchland and Rob Martienssen from Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory in a lively
exploration of the science of addiction, followed by a screening of Danny Boyle's classic
Trainspotting. Anne and Rob will discuss recent research that has begun to reveal how the use
and abuse of drugs can sometimes lead to circuit-level and even epigenetic changes in the brain.
Changes in the brain take place both in neural circuits that are directly related to the brain's ability
to experience pleasure, and also in areas that play a role in complex cognitive function.
Adapted from Irvine Welsh's scabrous novel, this wildly entertaining film from the director of
Slumdog Millionaire, Shallow Grave, and 28 Days Later, is widely considered to be one of the best movies ever made about drugs.
Ewan McGregor stars as Renton, an addict deeply immersed in the Edinburgh drug scene, as he tries to clean up and get out, despite the
allure of the drugs and influence of friends. Welsh's magnificent universe of lost souls, tricksters, and gangsters is brought to life by a
spectacular supporting cast, including Kelly Macdonald (No Country for Old Men, Boardwalk Empire), Jonny Lee Miller (NT Live's
Frankenstein, Dexter), and Robert Carlyle (The Full Monty, and Once Upon a Time). (UK, 1996, 94 min., color, 35mm)
Anne Churchland is a Principal Investigator and Assistant Professor at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, where she explores neural
machinery underlying decision-making. Her work generates insights into sensory processing, motor planning and complex
cognitive function. Rob Martienssen is a Professor at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, and an Investigator at Howard Hughes Medical
Institute, where he explores epigenetic mechanisms of genome organization and inheritance