Although the U.S. and U. K. are quite close allies, there are some important differences in the two countries' approaches to scientific research. In this hour, we'll take a look at how science policy is approached by the U. K. government in a variety of areas, from energy to biomedical research. Ira will talk about policy with David King, the U. K.'s chief scientific advisor, and take a look at areas including renewable energy -- an area being pushed by the U. K. government as a way of dealing with global warming. We'll also talk about about U. K. biomedical research with Professor Dame Julia Polak, a leading British scientist working on stem cells and regenerative medicine.

Plus, using stem cells to treat rats with spinal cord injuries. A long-awaited report of research in which rats with damaged spinal cords were able to regain some use of their limbs was published this week in the peer-reviewed Journal of Neuroscience. However, the study found that the approach does not seem to be applicable to patients with chronic injuries. We'll talk about the work and its implications for rebuilding a damaged nervous system.

Call in with your questions and comments at 1-800-989-8255 (3-4 Eastern). Teachers, find more information about using Science Friday as a classroom resource in the Kids' Connection.

Guests:
Hans Keirstead
Assistant Professor, Anatomy & Neurobiology
Assistant Professor, Reeve Irvine Research Center
University of California
Irvine, California

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Professor Dame Julia Polak
Director, Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine Centre
Imperial College London
London, United Kingdom

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Sir David King
Professor, Physical Chemistry
Cambridge University
Chief Scientific Adviser to HM Government
Head of the Office of Science and Technology
London, United Kingdom

Books/Articles Discussed:

'Human Embryonic Stem Cell-Derived Oligodendrocyte Progenitor Cell Transplants Remyelinate and Restore Locomotion after Spinal Cord Injury'. J. Neurosci. 2005 25: 4694-4705; doi:10.1523/JNEUROSCI.0311-05.2005

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This segment produced by Karin Vergoth