Researchers at Theracell plan to use the technology to develop therapies for Parkinson's patients, says CEO and president Richard Allen. At first people are puzzled by the relationship between Sertoli cells and neuroscience, but this is quickly followed by attempts at sophomoric humor connecting the brain and male reproductive system. But, as he is quick to point out, implications of the research are no laughing matter. The therapy could also help people suffering from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, stroke, traumatic brain injury, and other brain disorders, as well as in xenotransplantation surgery. The group is one to two years away from human clinical trials using porcine Sertoli cells.
Students play virtual gorillas in a new zoo exhibit.
Middle-school students recently got a taste of what it's like to be an adolescent in a gorilla family. The project, which was officially unveiled to the students on May 15, is a collaborative effort between Zoo Atlanta gorilla behavioralists and Georgia Tech computer and architecture specialists. To re-create the gorilla's world, the researchers used photographs, videos, contour maps, architectural blueprints, and design layouts. At the same time, other researchers used videos and information on gorilla social habits to create virtual animals that simulate real movement and general behaviors. Now we're going to give them a gorilla identity.