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Human cloning is one huge step closer to reality today

Yesterday a paper (“Human Embryonic Stem Cells Derived by Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer” in...

Cartoon science: is it more powerful than text?

First off, an apology for my relatively long absence from Science 2.0. Life in academia is crazy...

Why Yamanaka Deserved The Nobel Prize For Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells

I believe and have argued for years that Shinya Yamanaka, the discoverer of induced pluripotent...

As Stem Cell Industry Explodes, Can A Static FDA Keep Up?

There are legitimate arguments about the degree to which the FDA should regulate stem...

Paul Knoepfler

Associate Professor of Cell Biology and Human Anatomy at UC Davis School of Medicine. Long-time stem cell and cancer scientist. Cancer survivor. Patient Advocate. Science Writer. Blogger at Read More »

Why Horton was wrong: a person is not a person no matter how small

Nov 07 2011 | 12 comment(s)

Tomorrow night voters in Mississippi will vote on the so-called "Personhood Amendment".

If passed, the amendment would make a fertilized egg by definition a human being with the same rights as a living, breathing, thinking, walking person in the state of Mississippi.

The consequences are not clear, but possibilities include such things as complete bans on all abortion and many forms of contraception, outlawing embryonic stem cell research, and throwing women in jail.

Polling indicates that the amendment will most likely narrowly pass, but it may be fading a bit in the stretch.

Lessons From Star Trek: The VP Should Be A Scientist

Nov 02 2011 | 19 comment(s)

When I was growing up in the 70s as a very young kid, I watched re-runs of the original Star Trek series. It was one of my favorite shows. I was only 2 years old when the series originally ended, but it was still running as re-runs when I was in elementary school and still is now at times.

My favorite character was Mr. Spock.

Captain Kirk was cool, but already as a young kid he struck me as illogical, full of himself, and reckless. Mr. Spock was the perfect balance as the First Officer of The Enterprise to Kirk's instability.

Are you literally in love with Facebook and don't know it?

Oct 16 2011 | 8 comment(s)

With the recent report that iPhone users may literally be in love with their iPhone, it got me thinking.
Why do people spend so much time plugged into their electronic devices and the Internet?

Human beings don't do things repeatedly for no reason. If trained to expect chocolate every time after going on Facebook (FB), then the mere sight of our computer or the FB symbol might having us drooling more than Pavlov's dog.

But of course there is no chocolate reward for FB so why do tens of millions of people go on FB so often?

I'd wager that it is a case of love.

Should Men Get PSA Tested? Yes, But Based On A New Plan

Oct 10 2011 | 4 comment(s)

Should men get PSA tests? Yes, but not the way we do it now.

The same federal panel that recommended that women in their 40s not get routine mammograms has now come forth with the statement that PSA testing men for detection of prostate cancer should be stopped.

I think it is not that simple and I still believe in PSA testing, just with changes in how it is done.

Science Street Smarts: How Not To Get Your Butt Kicked On The Research Playground

Sep 19 2011 | 10 comment(s)

Some of the smartest people I have ever met in my life were scientists.

But some of these same people made the dumbest mistakes I have ever seen in my life.

Why?

Their raw brain power and knowledge of science is amazing, but they seemed to lack common sense and what I would call “science street smarts“.

They had a hard time working within the context of the real world rather than their notion of an idealized scientific world.

In fact, I would argue that many scientists lack street smarts and a simple fact is that the younger you are as a scientist the more likely you have not yet learned street smarts.

Stem Cells And Tea: Really?

Sep 14 2011 | 7 comment(s)

I confess.

I am not a big fan of tea.

I really want to like tea for some reason, perhaps its health benefits.

I have attended my daughters' imaginary tea parties.

I have even had tea at the world famous Butchart Gardens in Victoria, B.C., Canada and enjoyed the food very much...but not so much the tea.

I just don't like the flavor with the exception of green tea.