Lawrence S.B. Goldstein, Director, Stem Cell Research Program, and Professor of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California, San Diego Goldstein is passionate about the promise of research with human embryonic stem cells — pliable, generic cells from the early embryo that scientists can convert into the body’s specialized cells to study basic biological processes, disease, and organ regeneration. Funded by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and the state of California, his research may help to identify the cause of Alzheimer’s disease and to better understand cancer and Huntington’s disease. He also has had an active role in national science policy. He has served on many public science advisory committees, and has written about, spoken about, and been interviewed on science issues by the news media. He also has testified before the U.S. Congress about federal funding and stem cell research. He has more than 100 publications. As a cofounder and consultant of the biotechnology company Cytokinetics, he has also had an active role in private industry. Goldstein received his B.A. degree in biology and genetics from UCSD in 1976 and his Ph.D. degree in genetics from the University of Washington, Seattle in 1980.