Biobits InDepth: The Genetics of Perception

Differences in how we see the world are coded in our genes. What if we could tinker with our genetic code to enrich our visual spectrum? Dr. Jay Neitz, Associate Professor of Cell Biology, Neurobiology, and Anatomy at the Medical College of Wisconsin discusses why he thinks gene therapy could cure colorblindness, how some women may already perceive the world in more than three colors and why it might one day be possible to see like insects.

Date: March 22, 2007

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Biobits InDepth: The Science of Medical Marijuana

In the US, medical marijuana has sparked a divisive debate. For this BioBits In-depth podcast we spoke with three experts. Dr. Robert Melamede, a researcher at the University of Colorado informs us about how medical marijuana might be working to alleviate pain. We learn about a new marijuana spray called Sativex from Dr. William Notcutt, anesthesiologist at James Paget Medical Center in the UK. And Pat Fleming, Director of the Salt Lake County Department of Human Services Division of Substance Abuse, talks about the social issues surrounding the use of medical marijuana.

Date: January 13, 2006

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BioBits InDepth: The Future of Aging

We sat down with University of Utah researcher Dr. Richard Cawthon to discuss how his research on telomere length and human aging may change how we age and perhaps even one day keep us forever young.

Date: September 30, 2005

Listen Here (22:40)