June 4, 1999

Joseph Vacanti, MD, left
with Alan Alda

It may not have been "meatball surgery" on the television series M*A*S*H, but actor Alan Alda seemed to be just as comfortable in the medical surroundings of the MGH during a recent visit. Last week, Alda and a production crew came to tape a show for the Public Broadcasting System (PBS) series "Scientific American Frontiers."

The research labs and patient floors were a distant reminder of Alda's stint as a wartime surgeon in the popular 70s TV show. Several MGH observers — and devoted fans — had flashbacks of the irrepressible character, "Hawkeye" Pierce, when Alda donned a lab coat to conduct interviews with researchers.

The three-day taping was for an upcoming show focusing on the process of aging and how it affects the body and mind.

Alda interviewed Marilyn Albert, PhD, of Psychiatry, about her studies of normal aging and its effects on the brain. During the course of his visit, Alda had a functional MRI scan and reviewed the resulting images of his brain with Albert. They discussed factors that help people keep a more "youthful" brain, such as physical exercise, mental activity and a positive attitude.

Joseph Vacanti, MD, of the Department of Pediatric Surgery and the Center for Innovative Minimally Invasive Therapy (CIMIT), discussed with Alda the recent progress his research team has made in tissue engineering and transplantation and how this field may help slow down the aging process. Stephen Oesterle, MD, of the Cardiology Division, also spoke with Alda about using tissue engineering principles to rejuvenate failing hearts.

"When we were approached about participating in this show, I learned that not only is the program aired on PBS, but it also is given to schools throughout the country where it is viewed by 12 million students," says Vacanti. "The idea of the show is to excite children about science, and we thought that was an important goal for us to help achieve."

"Scientific American Frontiers" explores a variety of topics, revealing how scientists pose questions, make observations and evaluate evidence to better understand the world. The show also is a teaching and learning resource used by thousands of educators and millions of students in schools across North America.