You've heard all the words in your biology class: amino acids, enzymes, ATP, ribosomes. But have you ever wondered exactly HOW these these molecules participate in life? When you hear that you can burn sugar for energy, what does that actually mean? You may be surprised to learn that some chemical reactions lead to molecules physically twisting around a shaft like a motor, or all the different ways ATP can be used to do work in the cell.

Stem cells are constantly in the news because of the tremendous promise they carry for new ways to treat diseases like Parkinson's or injuries; new methods for researching cancer; and the ethical questions they have posed. We will discuss what stem cells are, how they work, what their role is in the body, and how they might be used to treat patients. We'll also talk about issues like embryonic stem cell research and induced pluripotent stem cells.