In an "Academy Evening" presentation held at the Overture Center for the Arts in downtown Madison on Sept. 19, 2005, University of Wisconsin-Madison researcher James Thomson gave a talk entitled "The Latest on Stem Cells: The Promise and the Challenge."

Dr. Thomson's talk was presented by the Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts and Letters, organizers of the "Academy Evenings" series, in partnership with the WiCell Research Institute and the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF).

Thomson is known worldwide for his pioneering work in the isolation and culture of non-human primate and human embryonic stem cells. He remains in the forefront of his field. Thomson's talk is presented here on PortalWisconsin.org in streaming media form as a service for those who were unable to attend Thomson's presentation.

Click here to view Thomson's presentation (Requires RealPlayer, download free version here).

About Academy Evenings:

Academy Evenings take place regularly in the Overture Center in Madison and at other venues around Wisconsin. The public forums are engaging presentations, free of charge ($2 suggested donation), about a wide variety of topics of public interest featuring Wisconsin's leading thinkers, scholars and artists. They are intended to encourage public interaction with these leaders in an intimate atmosphere designed to build community.

The nonprofit Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts and Letters connects people and ideas from all areas of knowledge and all walks of life to advance thought and culture in our state. The Wisconsin Academy's many programs include an art gallery for Wisconsin artists, a quarterly magazine about Wisconsin thought and culture, public forums such as the Academy Evenings series, and "the Wisconsin Idea at the Wisconsin Academy," a public policy program that brings the public together with a diverse array of experts and stakeholders to find solutions to statewide problems.

For more information please visit the Wisconsin Academy's Web site.