FULL PODCAST: The Journal of Life Sciences (.MP3,16.88 Mb) 

On this edition, the Journal’s editor-in-chief William Patrick is joined by journalist Theresa Moore, author Ann Parson and eHarmony senior research scientist Gian Gonzaga. They discuss Kaiser Permanente’s efforts to change patients health through the introduction of farmers markets at their facilities, Geron’s push into the clinic with its embryonic stem cell-derived therapy and how not just marriage, but good health may be the payoff from finding the love of your life.

Fix-Me-Itis (.MP3,1.95 Mb)
The Journal's Editor-in-Chief William Patrick offers some thoughts on love and wellness and what the emerging area of social neuroscience is telling us about the two.

Love is a Drug (.MP3,5.35 Mb)
eHarmony specializes in getting singles to connect. Now the matchmaking site hopes landmark research will show that good health, not just marriage, is a possible outcome of its pairings. If a dating service seems an unlikely venue for serious research that could influence both health psychology and personalized medicine, it helps to remember that eHarmony’s business proposition is not to find you a few dates, but a partner for life. Gian Gonzaga, senior research scientists with eHarmony talks to Bill about the research being conducted by the company.

Nurse, Get This Patient Some Arugula (.MP3,4.62 Mb)
HMO Kaiser Permanente is helping set up farmers markets at its medical centers across the nation on the principle that good food leads to good health. Since the first weekly markets opened at the Kaiser facility in Oakland in May 2003, farmers markets have sprouted at 32 Kaiser centers in California, Oregon, Washington, Colorado, Georgia and Hawaii. As journalist Theresa Moore reports in the December issue of The Journal of Life Sciences, it’s one thing to tell patients to eat more fruits and vegetables and its another thing to make high quality produce available at its medical centers.

Eye on the Prize (.MP3,4.26 Mb)
In 2008, Menlo Park, California-based Geron expects to begin a much-anticipated clinical trial in which doctors will transplant a type of neural stem cell into humans. The trial is significant because, if successful, it would represents the first time that a product derived from embryonic stem cells could be shown to be safe and effective. But as author Ann Parson reports in the December issue of The Journal of Life Sciences, even though the company’s expectations are modest, success in treating patients with spinal cord injuries would validate a lengthy and costly effort.

The Last Word (.MP3,2.02 Mb)
A report from Physicians for Social Responsibility puts a price tag as high as $660 billion on what the country will eventually spend caring for the mental and physical damage done to U.S. military personnel from the war in Iraq. Northwest Regional Director Physicians for Social Responsibility Evan Kanter recently spoke to The Journal of Life Sciences about the war’s physical and mental toll on veterans, the long-term cost of caring for those who served, and why the situation is worse than in previous conflicts.