Thursday, September 13, 2007

UC podcast: Stem Cell (Biology and Politics)

Last June the University Channel podcast invited Douglas Melton to lecture on stem cells. There is so much political disturbance going on around stem cell research, we need to know what exactly we are talking about.


Dr. Melton does a tremendous job explaining what stem cells are and what the research is used for to the layman such as myself. And I used to be a certified dunce in biology. I find it too much of a challenge to repeat here anything of what he has said, but I strongly advice everybody to listen to this podcast, or view the video (various streaming options). In the end it helps to know more about the technical aspects of the science in order to get a clearer view on the moral debate and avoid the digressions of the political debate.

A couple of days ago yet another UC podcast was published on this subject: Stem Cell Research: Science, Ethics, and Prospects, a panel discussion with Dr. Gregory Eastwood, interim president of Case Western Reserve University. Insoo Hyun, Assistant Professor of Bioethics, Case Western University. Horst von Recum, Assistant Professor of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University. So there is more to come...