Francis Collins, Director of the National Institutes of Health, spoke at the last TEDMED about the challenges of converting fundamental research into practical therapeutics. In addition to proposing new approaches like repurposing of drugs and using manufactured human tissue for testing new compounds, he spoke on stage with a 15-year-old boy with Hutchinson–Gilford Progeria, a rare condition that accelerates aging, who had some words for medical researchers everywhere.
Turns out that Dr. Collins is more than just a physician and famous geneticist. He also can play a bit of a mean guitar. Here he is with Jill Sobule performing their debut hit “Disease Don’t Care”.