In February, a group of researchers from Stanford University traveled to Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (North Korea) to set up that country's first laboratory capable of detecting drug-resistant tuberculosis. After famines plagued North Korea in the 1990's, the country witnessed a resurgence of tuberculosis. South Korean sources believe TB has affected as much as 5 percent of North Korea's population of 23 million. The TB project seeks to strengthen North Korea's ability to detect all forms of the disease and support its treatment and control.

Stanford epidemiologist Sharon Perry and Dr. Gary Schoolnik were among the U.S. team who traveled to North Korea. They spent time working with doctors at the Ministry of Public Health in Pyongyang, the nation's capital. In this interview they share with AAAS members memories of their time in this secret state.

Science: New tuberculosis lab hailed as breakthrough in health diplomacy

New Frontiers in Science Diplomacy: Navigating the Changing Balance of Power

Faulty brain functioning clearly can influence behavior, but the links between morality and the physical brain are much harder to pin down.

The promise of neuroscience for treating brain disorders is real, experts said at AAAS. So are questions about how these advances are used in court and preventive medicine, and about how quickly research is translated into help for patients.