By that time I was hooked on a career in academic research instead of one in the pharmaceutical industry that I had originally considered in deciding to get a PhD.

Yet the effort to inform the public also encouraged responsible public discussion that succeeded in developing a consensus for the measured approach that many scientists supported.

Today, it is research with human embryonic stem cells and attempts to prepare cloned stem cells for research and medical therapies that are being disavowed as being ethically unacceptable.

Paradoxically, no such embargo exists for the drugs and therapies that have revolutionized the treatment of serious diseases although many of them were created with the same technologies.

I'm very artistic and creative, disorganised - ambitious, I would say, if that even makes sense. I'm definitely not the most mathematical person in the world; not scientific. I can't even work out a tip; it's really sad. But I've always thought, play up your strengths and let someone else handle your weaknesses. It's OK. Work together.

Neuroscience is now a very important research area in biology. We are now understanding a lot more about brains in babies, as well as children and adults.

It's not rocket science. It's not super high technology to construct border barriers.

I'm the chief science officer of a foundation that works on the application of regenerative medicine to the problem of aging.