TOW #6 - Human 'Mini Brains' Grown in Labs May Help Solve Cancer, Autism, Alzheimer's

The article was written by Thom Patterson who is a senior correspondent at CNN, specializing in technology, transportation, and aviation.  Patterson wrote the article to highlight a leap forward that has been made in the science world.  Recently, scientists have been able to grow brains that are nearly 98% similar to the brain of a fetus.  Cells are taken from organisms and then grown in petri dishes into tiny replicas of human brains.  The excitement comes from the fact that these brains will now be used to test drugs for everything from Parkinson's to Alzheimer's to schizophrenia.  The brains, since unattached to human bodies, are an excellent testing ground for advancements in cures for previously incurable diseases.  Patterson wrote the article for an immediate audience of doctors and researchers to learn about advancements that are being made in their fields.  However, there is a broader audience of almost anyone who has some knowledge of diseases such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's, and the article is written in fairly easy-to-understand terms for this reason.  Patterson does a very good job of using logos to support his point.  The first sentence of the article reads, "A Harvard medical pioneer calls it "astounding"-an "incredible achievement" and a "quantum leap forward" in the battle against cancer, autism, Parkinson's and Alzheimer's."  These quotes establish the credibility of the topic from an outside source, and help Patterson to reenforce the excitement and importance of the advancements that have been made.  In addition, Patterson also used quotes from Sanjay Gupta, an Emmy-Award winning neurosurgeon and correspondent for CNN.  The organization of Patterson's article also helps his purpose.  After describing the experiment and the possible advancements that could be made in the future using the lab-grown brains, Patterson heads his paragraphs with questions (which he describes as head-scratching, some good diction), and then proceeds to answer the question he has just posed.  By taking the time to answer questions that he assumes his audience will be asking, Patterson is establishing ethos and illustrating in even more detail the importance of the breakthrough.  His excitement towards the subject is evident, and he is able to achieve his purpose very well.  The reader leaves with a knowledge of the subject and a desire to follow the brains through their coming trials.