Unforgettable Venom: Exploring the Intricate Web of Dementia and Toxic Arthropods

The rates of dementia are rapidly rising. Dementia is typically associated with the aged, but did you know that dementia can also affect people of all ages, including children and adolescents? Childhood dementia is a relatively new umbrella term encompassing 70+ rare genetic diseases in children that all have one thing in common, dementia-like symptoms.
Fiona Bright completed a PhD in Medicine in 2017, her thesis investigated the neuropathology underlying sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Fiona currently works at the Dementia Research Centre.

Everyone hears that everything in Australia is toxic, but have you ever considered butterflies to be included in this lot? Come find out why animals are toxic and how did they all end up in Australia (or not).

Marilia Erickson finished her Masters in 2017, where she studied colourful flowers. She moved on to studying flying colourful flowers (butterflies) and how their coloration is used as a defence against predators as her PhD project.

Spiders are one of the most exciting animals to study due to their incredible behavioural plasticity. This talk is about how ecological adaptation can affect their brains, with an emphasis on social behaviour.

Vanessa Penna Goncalves is a PhD candidate and an activist for women in STEM, being a member of Support Woman in Arachnology. Her studies with spiders involve predatory behaviour, ecology, and venom composition. Recently, she has been studying how ecology affects their brains.