Building stem cell bridges to the great state of Texas

I like Texas.

It is one of my favorite states.

Over the last few years I’ve made many friends down in Texas. I also had the pleasure of having a meeting with your Governor, Rick Perry, about future stem cell policy. I’m hoping to meet with him again.

I’m planning to visit your great state in a few months for a meeting and I’m excited.

One of my goals of this blog is building what I call stem cell bridges and one that I want most to build is a bridge between California and Texas.

Not a literal bridge, but rather a bridge formed of personal connections and collaborative efforts including research. It is thus fitting that the word “Texas” means “friends” or “allies” and the state motto is “Friendship”.

My family history has deep ties there.

You see my parents met in Texas in 1958.

My dad was a Captain in the U.S. Air Force stationed at Sheppard Air Force Base in Wichita Falls, Texas about 100 miles west of Dallas.

My mom was working for the Red Cross there and that’s how they met. She also worked at station KTRN in Wichita Falls writing ad copy.

So you could say without Texas, I wouldn’t exist.

I’ve always been a football fan even as a kid and my favorite team (other than my hometown Seahawks) were the Dallas Cowboys (see me above). One of my heroes was Roger Staubach. Talk about a superstar!

Today Texas is a superstar in scientific research, especially biomedical research so I have yet another reason to like that state.

I suspect that over the coming years, you’ll be hearing more out of me about Texas. Stay tuned!