In tonight’s episode of the Perpetual Notion Machine, we revisit some of the research and the potential of stem cells. Some of our listeners may remember when UW-Madison’s James Thomson was the first to isolate and grow embryonic stem cells. And from there, stem cell research took off! Stem cells had a lot of hype back then, since these are indistinct master cells before they form into their functional equivalents, like blood cells, muscle cells, nerve cells, etc. So, it was easy to believe an array of therapeutic potential once stem cells could turn into functional cells. Our guest is Dr. Tim Kamp, a cardiologist in the School of Medicine and Public Health. He’s also the Director of the UW–Madison Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Center. Tim talks about a few cases where stem cell therapy has progressed, such as regarding the spinal cord and eye conditions. He also discusses a little about his research using embryonic stem cells in cardiogenesis, and how stem cell research created a new branch called regenerative medicine, where therapies can be developed just as soon as the breakthroughs occur.