BioUtah : Partners with The Leonardo and BODY WORLDS to Host Special Bionic Night This Friday at 7 p.m.

Can you live without a pulse? Could you see without any eyes? Next-generation bionics go beyond prosthetics, allowing us to not only run, jump and dance like never before, but to experience life in a completely new way—to be almost super-powered. Take part in a discussion and a personal tour through BODY WORLDS & The Cycle of Life as experts talk about the history and exciting evolution of Utah's adaptive technologies.

On November 21, 7 p.m., BioUtah will partner with The Leonardo, BODY WORLDS & The Cycle of Life to host a special Bionics Night at The Leonardo. Speakers for the event include:

• Dr. Richard Normann: Professor of Bioengineering at The University of Utah who’s developing a way to help blind people see by implanting Utah Electrode Arrays into the visual cortex, and utilizing special glasses with a camera to send message signals to the arrays.
• Dr. Gianluca Lazzi: Professor and chair of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Utah and a part of the multi-institution team to create the first bionic eye.
• Scott Bell: A local athlete and below-the-knee amputee will speak about adaptive technologies from a quality-of-life perspective.
• Dr. Balamurali K. Ambati: The official Utah Utes Team Ophthalmologist who graduated from medical school when he was 17. Dr. Ambati will lead a personal tour through the BODY WORLDS & The Cycle of Life exhibit to teach about the anatomy of the eye. Dr. Ambati specializes in cornea transplants, cataract extraction, keratoprosthesis (artificial cornea), LASIK, and other complex procedures of the cornea and anterior segment of the eye.

After the tour, attendees have the option to participate in an obstacle course to experience a glimpse into the everyday life of an individual with prosthetic limbs.

Cost: $19.95 includes ticket to BODY WORLDS & The Cycle of Life and special tour. Free to those who don’t want to take the tour. $14.95 ($5 off) for BioUtah members and for group sales.

Time: 7:00 p.m.

Place: The Leonardo: 209 E. 500 S in downtown Salt Lake City

For group tickets (15 or more people) to Bionic Night at a $5 off per-ticket price, please email J.skoy@bodyworlds.com or call Jenie Skoy at 503-522-4071.

For more info: http://www.theleonardo.org/none/col-programs/

Bionic Night is one in a series of wellness-related events co-sponsored by The Leonardo and Body Worlds where local doctors, researchers, yoga practitioners and fitness experts address healthy living in a dynamic and interactive new way.

Other upcoming programs at The Leonardo include tomorrow night’s Sketch Night, November 20, 5-8 p.m. Draw in the spirit of Leonardo da Vinci, up-close-and-personal with human anatomical specimens guided by a master art teacher. (Held monthly every third Thursday!)

“BioUtah is honored to partner with BODY WORLDS & The Cycle of Life and The Leonardo to highlight some of the most exciting and dynamic work ever done in the Utah life science community, or in the world,” said Kimball Thomson, president & CEO of BioUtah.

“Utah leads the nation in medical research and Utahns are known far and wide for our healthy living habits,” said Jenie Skoy, BODY WORLDS & The Cycle of Life Communications Manager. Our goal is to provide unique opportunities to reinforce this belief that lifestyle choices people make—especially while young—lead to good health over the life span. With BioUtah as a partner, we hope this event will help guests to further their understanding of the connection between art and science—in the spirit of Leonardo da Vinci.”

BioUtah members and all others are invited to participate in these events and to tour The Leonardo’s newest exhibit, BODY WORLDS & The Cycle of Life, presented by Arches Health Plan.

For High Res Images of Body Worlds & The Cycle of Life: http://www.bodyworlds.com/en/media/picture_database/thumbnails.html?category=32

About BioUtah

BioUtah, the state’s independent life science association, was created to elevate the stature and influence of Utah’s life science community on the national and global stage. Launched in 2012, the organization serves Utah’s medical device, biotech/pharma and healthcare industries through networking, advocacy and education programs. BioUtah creates value for its members through events, legislative initiatives and communication outreach. We foster collaboration within and between industry, government and education to provide growth opportunities through funding, talent acquisition/development and strategic partnerships.