http://www.nytimes.com/...
Doctor Elizabeth H. Blackburn is widely considered to be a leading contender for a Nobel Prize in Medicine.
Dr. Blackburn, a winner of the 2006 Albert Lasker Award for Basic Medical Research, studies aging and biochemical changes in cells that are related to the diseases of old age
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Her story of studying ageing - and its relationship to stress - is fascinating. The ends of chromosomes fray, as we age, and she has been a leader in the field of studying telomeres - which are like the aglets of your shoelaces - and telomerase, which patches up the frayed ends.
It's the story of the political world into which she entered that makes this a Bush regime story.
Q. How did you get appointed to President Bush’s Council on Bioethics?
A. I received a call in the autumn of 2001 from Leon Kass, the chairman. He asked if I’d serve. I think he’d already called a lot of people who’d turned him down.
This was not too many days after 9/11. In that moment, I wanted to help the country, but didn’t know how. I thought, ‘I certainly know cell biology, and that’s what I can be useful for.’ So I accepted. But I had to be vetted by the White House office of personnel first. One question I was asked was, ‘Who did you vote for?’
Q. Once on it, did you feel the council had a preset political agenda?
A. Oh, yes. Especially about stem cells. Basically it was, ‘You don’t need any of those pesky embryonic stem cells because everything is wonderful with adult stem cells.’ When one would ask, ‘What’s the evidence?’ you’d hear, ‘Somebody wrote a review article about adult stem cells.’ And I’d say, ‘That is not the same as primary data. Anyone with a word processor can write a review article.’
There was a lot of that, and I was always saying, ‘Let’s look at the science.’ My persistence didn’t endear me to Leon Kass, I felt. One day, I was asked to call the White House personnel office where an official said, ‘Thank you. Thank you for serving.’ I asked him, ‘Why are you thanking me?’ ‘You will no longer be on the council.’ I was one of two members who hadn’t been reappointed for a second two-year term.
Dr. Blackburn mentions, politely, that she was disappointed at the reception her opinions received.
The interview is well worth reading, since Dr. Blackburn has been exploring not only stress, but the effect of stress reduction. Brush up on your meditation techniques!
Oh, and it might be helpful to ignore candidate, I/P, and impeachment diaries!