VCU to celebrate premiere of life sciences TV show

By Michael Ford
University News Services

WHAT: A reception and video presentation hosted by VCU President Eugene P. Trani to celebrate the worldwide premiere of Secrets of the Sequence, a weekly news magazine focused on genetic research and the life sciences.

VCU is one of six leading life sciences research institutions advising Ward Television Corp. of Washington, D.C., on content for the 52-week show, which will begin airing on public television stations the weekend of April 7. The other institutions are Harvard University; the University of Michigan; the University of Wisconsin, Madison; the University of California, San Francisco, and the Medical Research Council/Laboratory of Molecular Biology in Cambridge, England.

Secrets of the Sequence features in-depth interviews with scientists, ethicists and policymakers and explores the discovery and manipulation of the human, animal and plant genome as well as the potential of applications of that research. The show is hosted by award-winning science journalist Lucky Severson and distributed by American Public Television of Boston.

Series producer Jonathan Ward and Severson will attend the event and provide commentary.

MEDIA NOTE: A special preview of the first Secrets of the Sequence show will be held for media only following the reception and the general presentation.

WHEN: Wednesday, April 3, 2002, 5:30 p.m.

WHERE: Trani Center for Life Sciences, 1000 W. Cary St., Richmond, VA.