Dr. Anderson was a participant in Closer to Truth: 

Show 108, “Can You Really Extend Your Life?” 
Show 205, “Will Gene Therapy Change the Human Race?”

W. French Anderson is Director of the Gene Therapy Laboratories at the University of Southern California (USC) Keck School of Medicine, where he is also Professor of Biochemistry and Pediatrics, is a Full Member of the Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, and is the Program Coordinator for Gene Therapy in the Institute of Genetic Medicine. Before joining the USC faculty in 1992, he was Chief of the Molecular Hematology Branch at the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute at the National Institutes of Health where he worked as a gene therapy researcher for 27 years and was also Chairman
of the Department of Medicine and Physiology in the NIH Graduate Program.  

Anderson, who is referred to as the "Father of Gene Therapy”, is recognized as the leading pioneer of gene therapy, perhaps the most revolutionary medical advance in recent times.  In 1990 he headed the team that carried out the first approved human gene therapy clinical protocol, and is recognized as an ongoing innovator in the research area of human gene transfer.  Dr. Anderson is also known as a leading ethicist in the field of human genetic engineering.  

W. French Anderson was born and raised in Tulsa Oklahoma and received an A.B. (magna cum laude) in Biochemical Sciences from Harvard College in 1958, an M.A. in Natural Sciences from Trinity College, Cambridge University (England) in 1960, and an M.D. (magna cum laude) from Harvard Medical School in 1963.

Dr. Anderson has published over 300 research articles in leading journals, including Nature, Science, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, New England Journal of Medicine, Journal of Virology, etc., as well as articles for the non-specialist in journals like Scientific American and Newsweek. He has been profiled in the New York Times, the Washington Post, the San Francisco Examiner, Los Angeles Times, Scientific American, Omni, Time, Newsweek, Business Week and other publications. In addition, he has been featured in a wide range of newspaper and magazine articles (in many countries), books, and television news shows (in the U.S., Europe, and Japan) as well as PBS, Discovery Channel, NOVA, CNN, BBC, French, German, Swiss, Italian, Japanese, and Australian Television documentaries.

For his work in pioneering gene therapy he has won a large number of prizes and awards. Some of these include for 1991: Mary Ann Liebert Biotherapeutics Award; Ralph R. Braund Award in Cancer Research; President's Award Lecture, American Thoracic Society; Presidential Meritorious Executive Rank Award, HHS; for 1992: Mider Lecture, NIH; Frontiers in Clinical Science Lecture, American Federation for Clinical Research; Distinguished Service Award, HHS; Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters, University of Oklahoma; Award for Excellence in Technology Transfer, U.S. Government; Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS); for 1993: Charles Shepard Science Award, CDC; Plenary Lecture, 17th International Congress of Genetics; Martin Memorial Lecture, American College of Surgeons; Plenary Lecture, American Academy of Pediatrics; CIBA-GEIGY Drew Award Lecture; The National Hemophilia Foundation Dr. Murray Thelin Award; for 1994: the King Faisal International Prize in Medicine; Gross Memorial Lecture, American Pediatric Surgeons Association; Alan Gregg Memorial Lecture, Association of American Medical Colleges; TIGR/NIST Distinguished Speaker; BioPharm Person of the Year Award; Runner up: Time magazine Man-of-the-Year; for 1995: Keynote Lecture, Gene Therapy and Molecular Medicine Conference, Keystone Symposia; Finalist, Jefferson Award for "Greatest Public Service by a Private Citizen", American Institute for Public Service; the National Biotechnology Award; Keynote Lecture, 3rd Annual European Gene Therapy Workshop; Sheen Award; for 1996: Genesis Award; Honorary Doctorate of Science, University of Tulsa; Humanitarian Award, National Organization of Rare Disorders (NORD); Tribute Symposium "In Utero Stem Cell Transplantation and Gene Therapy" in his honor; for 1997: Heroes of Medicine, Time magazine; for 1998: Masters of Medicine, CBS TV News; Outstanding Graduate Student Teacher of the Year, USC School of Medicine; Inductee, Oklahoma Hall of Fame; for 1999: President's Invited Lecture, Pacific Coast Surgical Association; for 2000: Special Lecture,
American Association of Neurological Surgeons; Awardee, "Treasures of Los Angeles". 

Dr. Anderson has spoken on gene therapy to the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST), the Federal Coordinating Council on Science, Engineering and Technology (FCCSET), the Office of Science and Technology (OSTP) Staff, and to the Secretary of HHS and his Senior Staff. He has been a member of the Biological Response Modifiers Advisory Committee for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and remains an ad hoc advisor; in addition, he is on the External Peer Review Committee, CBER, FDA. He is also on the Board of Directors of five companies/organizations, including the American Society of Gene Therapy. He is a Consultant with Genetic Therapy Inc/Novartis. In 1990, he was the founding editor of the leading gene therapy journal Human Gene Therapy, and he remains the Editor-in-Chief; in addition, he has been or is on the editorial board of ten other journals. He has been awarded two honorary degrees. Finally, he holds a number of significant patents in the area of human gene therapy.

Dr. Anderson is a 5th degree black belt in the martial art of Tae Kwon Do, was the National Team Physician from 1981-1988, was the Olympic Team Physician at the 1988 Olympic Games, and still competes in karate competition where he won the Gold Medal in his age division in the AAU National Karate Championships in July, 1998.

You may find more at:
http://www.frenchanderson.org