January 30, 2004, Hour One: Transgenic Sperm / Avian Flu / Living Antibiotic

Science Friday > Archives > 2004 > January > January 30, 2004:
Hour Two: Transgenic Sperm / Avian Flu / Living Antibiotic

Avian flu has killed at least ten people and has now spread to ten countries in Asia. In this hour of Science Friday, we'll get an avian flu update. Where did the virus come from, why is it spreading to humans, and how can it be controlled?

Plus, scientists report that they have genetically modified the sperm of a zebrafish. Is it the beginning of a new era in genetic engineering? We'll also take a look at a living antibiotic. Bacteria predators - it's a bug-eat-bug world.

Call in with your questions and comments at 1-800-989-8255 (3-4 Eastern), and share your opinions online in our Listeners' Lounge (registration required).

Guests:
Shawn Burgess
Investigator
National Human Genome Research Institute
Genome Technology Branch
Bethesda, Maryland

Daniel Perez
Assistant Professor of Virology
University of Maryland (Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine)
College Park, Maryland

Dr. Scott Harper
Medical Epidemiologist
Infectious Diseases Branch
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Atlanta, Georgia

Stephan Schuster
Researcher
Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology
Genomics and Signal Transduction Research Group
Tübingen, Germany

This segment produced by Annette Heist

Archived Audio:
sperm:
listen in RealAudio format
listen in Windows Media format

flu:
listen in RealAudio format
listen in Windows Media format

bacteria:
listen in RealAudio format
listen in Windows Media format

streaming audio help from NPR

Books/Articles Discussed:

"A Predator Unmasked: Life Cycle of Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus from a Genomic Perspective," Science, Jan 30 2004.

(find books discussed on previous broadcasts)