Prof Diddy does the stem cell rap

By Jason Major

TechNyou

First thing: the blog will be happening again following my short stint away on holiday

I am only just catching up on what has happened in the last 6 weeks, but I have stumbled upon this piece of public engagement that is a bit different and worth a look, if for nothing else than some entertainment on a Monday.

Starring is your most unlikely cliché crusty, ageing and balding male scientist doing a rap about stem cells. Prof Jonathan Garlick is the real life stem cell scientist who has popped himself up front bustin’ rhymes and pulling moves – well as much as his inflexible limbs will allow anyway.

Get down Professor Garlick

Rather than explain the science of stem cells and didactically berate you about how important they are Garlick’s “poetic” message focuses on his motivation to investigate stem cells and suggest you make an effort to get informed and keep an open mind about the topic. In this sense he differs from other stuff I see on blogs and opinion pieces.

Somehow, I think he pulls it off.

Does it work, do people think this is cool, fun, entertaining and will it make any difference to how people think about stem cells, will it make, as Garlick urges us, to be more motivated to get a bit more informed and be open-minded?  Prof Garlick certainly has a few fans looking at the comments.

Personal PR?

It didn’t look like he was grandstanding and doing a self-promotional stunt, and the bloopers at the end showed he can laugh at himself and that he was having a bit of fun doing it.

Watching the video, I had a few cringe moments and I had the unnerving sensation that I was watching my Grandfather attempting to relate to his grandkids. On the whole, however, I was entertained and unlike a number of other attempts at musical stem cell videos on You Tube with young, slick dudes up front I watched this one right through. Good on him for having a go.

Who is Garlick?

Professor Garlick’s expertise is in the bioengineering of human 3D tissues and he is based at the Center for Integrated Tissue Engineering (CITE) at Tufts Uni. Find out more about him and his research here