KPLU-Humanosphere’s event April 26 at Seattle Town Hall was clearly a huge hit, drawing in an estimated 700 people. Humanosphere blogger Tom Paulson summarized some of the more memorable comments from the four panelists: We all “tolerate poverty” — because our lives are subsidized by the suffering of others, said Bill Foege (Gates Foundation) (paraphrasing MLK).

The Namibian Ministry of Health and Social Services recently took an important step toward reducing the severe shortage of pharmacists (fewer than 200 for a country of 2 million). Thanks in part to a collaboration with the University of Washington, Namibia opened the country’s first-ever pharmacy degree program at the University of Namibia (UNAM), located in the capital city of Windhoek.

More than 1,000 young people packed McCaw Hall June 17 to party with a purpose. They raised more than $35,000 for the Infectious Disease Research Institute, which has developed rapid TB tests for use in Haiti. UW showcased the work of global health researcher Tom Hawn, MD, PhD, and fellow researchers at UW who are studying the macrophage (the cells where TB invades and lives in) and the phagosome (a special compartment in the macrophage designed to kill things) to determine why some people are immune to TB and others are not.

Bill Foege has a new book out, "House on Fire," and Humanosphere's Tom Paulson has a photo of Melinda Gates holding the book at a reception for the Gates' new headquarters building.