Patt Morrison for Mon, May 25

PATT MORRISON SCHEDULE

Monday, May 25, 2009

1-3 p.m.

 

1:00 – 1:40

Stem Cell Therapies: From a Laboratory to a Pharmacy Near You

Research on the amazing healing properties of stem cells, from the ability to regenerate tissue to the potential for correcting genetic defects, has been going on for decades with the long held promise of revolutionary therapies for the masses.  The game changing stem cell therapies aren’t quite ready for the commercial market yet but they’re closer than they’ve ever been and the promise of a medical revolution is real.  Patt talks with two of the leading researchers and shapers of stem cell policies about the first therapies that will hit the market and the ethical questions that come with employing stem cells on a massive scale.

Guests:

John McNeish, executive director of regenerative medicine for Pfizer Alan Trounson, president of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine

Alan Trounson, president of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine

 

 

1:40 – 2:00

The Dangerous World of Butterflies

Organized crime, black-market smuggling, environmental disasters—these aren't things you would normally associate with tiny, delicate butterflies. But award-winning journalist Peter Laufer exposes the dark side of the butterfly business and proves that it is a dangerous world. Laufer's research on the subculture of butterflies took him around the world from butterfly breeding businesses in Nicaragua across borders to Los Angeles and New York City. Along the way, he found out how far people are willing to go to smuggle unique, hard-to-find butterflies—and how much people are willing to pay for them. The subculture of butterflies includes criminals, collectors, conservationists, and more.

Guest:

Peter Laufer, journalist, broadcaster, and author of The Dangerous World of Butterflies

 

 

[NPR NEWS]

 

2:00 – 2:30

Silver Screen Sinatra

An Oscar-winning actor, acclaimed director, and recipient of the Golden Globe Award for lifetime achievement in film, Frank Sinatra created one of the biggest careers in the history of Hollywood, and yet his screen legacy is often overshadowed by his achievements as a singer. Author Tom Santopietro is here to highlight Sinatra-the-actor, with his new book, Sinatra in Hollywood.

Guests:

Tom Santopietro, author of Sinatra in Hollywood, The Importance of Being Barbra, and Considering Doris Day

 

 

2:30 – 3:00

Sticks and Stones May Break Your Bones… But Words Indeed Can Hurt You.

The Years of Talking Dangerously is the latest collection of essays from linguist professor and NPR contributor Geoffrey Nunberg. In his new book Nunberg explores the circumlocutory language of politics, his struggle with being too pontifical for the blogosphere, how some words must patiently wait in the wings before they make it into the common lexicon and many more informative and entertaining linguistic issues. Join us as we talk with the author and try not to flub our words.

Guest: 

Geoffrey Nunberg, linguist and professor in the School of Information at UC Berkeley