© Pint of Science, 2026. All rights reserved.
What if we could read life’s hidden instruction manual—and use it to protect the future?
Join us at Carlton Brewhouse to explore how cutting‑edge biology is letting scientists peer into the deepest rules that govern how animals are built, born, and survive in a changing world. From decoding the genetic instructions of the extinct Tasmanian tiger using living mice, to designing new reproductive technologies inspired by marsupial biology, to uncovering how marine heatwaves leave permanent marks inside fish ears, these talks reveal how creative science is reshaping conservation and evolution. Ge…
Join us at Carlton Brewhouse to explore how cutting‑edge biology is letting scientists peer into the deepest rules that govern how animals are built, born, and survive in a changing world. From decoding the genetic instructions of the extinct Tasmanian tiger using living mice, to designing new reproductive technologies inspired by marsupial biology, to uncovering how marine heatwaves leave permanent marks inside fish ears, these talks reveal how creative science is reshaping conservation and evolution. Ge…
How to Fit a Tasmanian Tiger Into a Mouse
Aaron Agostini
(Aaron Agostini is a developmental biologist from New Jersey who cannot drive but totally could if he really wanted to. A PhD candidate at the University of Melbourne, his research focuses on the evolution of marsupial skulls and the secrets hidden in thylacine DNA. When he isn't in the lab, he hosts the comedic podcast Supplemental Figures and maintains a relationship with his mother that he describes as "better than nothing.")
If we share 60% of our genes with bananas, why don't humans have a peel?
Because genes make up less than 1% of our DNA. The other 99% is the real instruction manual for life--- the part that tells those genes when, where, and how to build a person instead of a fruit. To understand these hidden rules, I’m looking at the ultimate mystery: the extinct Tasmanian tiger. Since we can’t watch them grow in the wild, I’m ""tricking"" mouse machinery into reading thylacine DNA to see if we can discover the code that built their unique skulls.
Because genes make up less than 1% of our DNA. The other 99% is the real instruction manual for life--- the part that tells those genes when, where, and how to build a person instead of a fruit. To understand these hidden rules, I’m looking at the ultimate mystery: the extinct Tasmanian tiger. Since we can’t watch them grow in the wild, I’m ""tricking"" mouse machinery into reading thylacine DNA to see if we can discover the code that built their unique skulls.
Where New Life Meets New Tech: Lessons from Marsupial Uteri
Jennifer Hutchison
(Dr Jennifer Hutchison investigates the complexities of marsupial pregnancy at the University of Melbourne. She identifies how the marsupial uterus supports embryo development, using the fat-tailed dunnart as a model species. She is also developing marsupial-specific tools to advance understanding of their unique uterine biology. Having grown up in New Zealand, she developed a passion for endangered species early in life. She is now excited to apply her reproductive biology expertise to the conservation of A)
Australia's iconic marsupials are going extinct at an alarming rate, and need new and innovative ways to preserve and restore their populations. One iconic example is the Tasmanian Tiger, which went extinct in 1936, and who's de-extinction is a focus of my research group. De-extinction science drives innovations in conservation biology, such as the development of new assisted reproduction technologies for vulnerable species. My research focusses on understanding how the uterus supports the development of marsupial embryos, and how we can use that information to design new assisted technologies like IVF and embryo culture to help protect vulnerable Australian marsupials.
Riding the (heat)waves: understanding climate impacts using fish ear bones
Jessica Randall
(Jess Randall is a lifelong fish fanatic with a passion for all things outdoors and sub-surface. She recently completed her PhD at the University of Melbourne, where she studied how climate change and fishing pressure drive changes in fish growth. )
Bring on the heat or too hot to handle? Learn how ear bones can tell us how fish are faring under marine heatwaves and what this may mean for their long-term future.
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From Lab Bench to Legal Bench to Outer Space
Carlton Brewhouse
24 Thompson St, Abbotsford, Melbourne, VIC 3067, Australia