Rapping stem cell researcher

By Carolyn Y. Johnson
Globe Staff

Wheeling around his laboratory in a white lab coat and snapping his latex gloves to the beat of M.I.A.’s rap song, “Paper Planes,” Jonathan Garlick is spreading the word about stem cell research.

Garlick, a professor at Tufts University School of Dental Medicine, who normally works on tissue engineering projects and stem cells says he finds that scientific terminology lends itself to rap – and that rap is a good way of communicating science to the public.

“I speak to [students] about stem cells, tell them why the topic is so compelling…At the end I summarize everything with a rap,” said Garlick, whose rap nickname is Dr. Jonny Cool J. “It takes a memorable talk and makes it unforgettable.”

In the video, Garlick appears first as a mild-mannered, middle-aged scientist working at a white board, trying to teach a student about pluripotent cells using some rather technical language. Then, he begins to “break it down," taking a spin through the lab. “I try so hard to treat disease, my brain explodes with stem cell ideas…doing my best for humanity, innovatin’ stem cell biology. New policy could set me free,” he raps. Instead of bling, he wields pipettes and petri dishes.

Garlick says he began rapping in the early 1980s, and describes his style as old school hip-hop. His rap heroes include Grandmaster Flash, who inspired him to write a rap about the ups and downs of life as a dentist. At scientific conferences, he often takes notes on presentations and then performs on the final day. “I recapitulate the entire conference in rap and rhyme,” Garlick said.

When he's not rapping, Garlick works on using stem cells to fabricate and engineer tissues that mimic human skin. While he admits that putting scientific concepts to rhyme is fun, he also sees the serious side. It is important, he says, for people of all ages to engage with and understand science.

In his next project, Garlick is working on a rap called "I See Cells." Written to the beat of “Baby Got Back,” by Sir Mix-A-Lot, this rap is about pathology.

"It's about diagnoses of all kinds of interesting diseases," Garlick said. "It’s inspirational; it’s all about the learning. I have a deep reverence and respect for the content, but I think we all need to be able to think about learning in a new light."