STEM CELL THERAPY > LEARNING TO LOVE THE GREY > SYNOPSIS

LEARNING TO LOVE THE GREY - SYNOPSIS

Synopsis

London; The dawn of a new millennium coincides with a series of scientific breakthroughs unprecedented in both their scope and scale, breakthroughs that enable man to tamper with the forces of life itself.

The mapping of the human genome. The genetic modification of plants and animals. And arguably the most dramatic development of them all; the ability to clone animals and plants from a single cell.

To many it must seem as if the ability to manipulate the very forces of creation are within mankind's grasp. An unnerving thought-one that makes it understandable why many people- if they stop to think about it - feel uneasy by the exponential progress of this branch of science.

Mindful of this unease a top London University seeks to allay fears through an initiative to 'communicate' arts to the general public. In common with many institutions across the land they employ a Science Outreach officer to mastermind this. The officer in question Tom suggests an attempt to present issues to people through the guise of a science arts festival- 'Culture shock culture.' As part of this the department commissions a play which will attempt to present and address facts and issues surrounding the concept of cloning.

However for Tom, even more interesting than the play is the play's would be author, Sarah, who he begins a relationship with. Edward (author of 'Cloning: the issues'), departmental expert on the issue is less enthusiastic. He firmly believes science and art are separate disciplines and should stay that way.

So busy is he supporting the case for cloning for research purposes against the many and vociferous voices ranged against it, that he is reluctant to give even the shortest amount of time to help Sarah with her research.

Edward's worst fears are realised when the first draft of the play proves to be a rehash of all the commonly held myths and ideas about cloning - photocopied humans, people without souls - 'The Boys from Brazil' factor as he terms it. To his annoyance he finds Sarah's work totally ignoring the subtler application of the science, for creating embryos to use for stem cell therapy.

To him this represents a huge and vital breakthrough - the ability to produce stem cells means that a way to treat diseases like Parkinson's and MS is a distinct possibility- Sarah's work as it stands makes a nonsense of this. An angry department agrees with him, but blames him for not supporting her more in the first place.

The upshot is Edward finds himself forced to devote time and effort to work with Sarah, enabling her to produce a piece of drama that's at least scientifically accurate.

Sarah is not pleased with this, finding Edward both aloof and arrogant. Moreover she's struggling not only to understand the facts but also to come to terms with the issues surrounding the piece she's writing. She's shocked to discover that to create these stem cells, embryos and foetuses are used and dispersed as an integral part of the process. Edward is matter of fact about this, even Tom is dismissive of her worries.

Set against the potentially huge benefits of stem cell therapy what are a few embryos here and there? Sarah has to set her antipathy to Edward and her growing infatuation with Tom against their attitudes to the issue, and seek to contextualise her own situation in the debate.

As an MS sufferer she is one of the people who will potentially benefit from the stem cell therapy. A complex situation is complicated still further when Tom begins an affair with Sarah's colleague Cally- who subsequently falls pregnant.

Right and wrong become changing dynamics - dynamics Sarah has to come to terms with in order to draw some sort of conclusion about the issue she's examining.

Is cloning justified - or is it one step too far? A tampering with forces we shouldn't be presuming to tamper with. Is it right to create life in order to destroy it, even to treat diseases like MS? Who is right - and who's wrong?

These are important questions Sarah has to answer- because at the end of the day surely a new technology is only ever as good as the people who wield it.