One is a Chinese-born scientist known for her groundbreaking research on the MAO gene, presenting the first tangible evidence that violence has a biological basis. The other, a Los Angeles native, is a film scholar and prize-winning multimedia producer whose works have focused significantly on violence and culture.

Each has the title of University Professor, the only two women so distinguished at USC.

Jean Shih, professor in the schools of pharmacy and medicine, and Marsha Kinder, professor in the USC School of Cinema-TV, associate vice provost for research-humanities and director of the Labyrinth Project at the USC Annenberg Center for Communication, have joined forces to create a transmedia project showcasing Shih’s pioneering molecular research on MAO genes and their connection to aggressive and anxious behaviors in her laboratory mice and in humans.

Produced by Kinder’s Labyrinth Project, the collaborative effort is titled “A Tale of Two MAOs: Exploring Anxiety and Aggression.”

To direct the project, Kinder had to understand molecular biology, discovering a perfect teacher in Shih. As she learned the material herself, Kinder realized that she could tell Shih’s story accurately, without “dumbing” it down.

Kinder and her creative directors, Rosemary Comella and Kristy H.A. Kang, are devising a database narrative, allowing the material to be accessed through multiple interactive formats. Initially, the project is being developed as a DVD-ROM, with a museum installation and Web site to follow.

Recognized by two prestigious National Institutes of Health MERIT awards, Shih’s pioneering work of three decades has brought an understanding to the two forms of the MAO gene.

Working closely with research associate Kevin Chen and the rest of her team, Shih’s lab was the first to clone the human MAO A and B genes and to unravel the structure, functions and regulations of these genes.

Her findings led to applications that will improve therapies for depression, anxiety and aggression, as well as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease. The MAO enzyme works on several neurotransmitter pathways, making its influence significant. Further study is currently under way in labs throughout the world.

Shih’s research uses “knockout” mice, bioengineered strains with various MAO A and B combinations. Watching the various strains of her lab mice illustrates the profound effects the enzyme has on the brain and behavior, with some mice anxious as they pace their cage while others are calm. Others, completely lacking any MAO enzyme, are on the attack, aggressively biting at their cage mates.

“Jean has a creative mind that enables her to make great leaps in her research and to leverage her intuition. Our goal is to convey her passion for her work and explain why it is such an exciting time to work in molecular biology,” Kinder said. “We want users to share her excitement and sense of discovery, and we hope to make this material accessible to all audience levels, from a curious fifth grader to a practicing physician. The user decides which questions to pursue and how far to go.”

Not only does the project explore the many facets of Shih’s research, but it also looks at comparable human studies on the role of MAO in aggression and anxiety, and its impact on society by exploring various social situations where these behaviors may occur. The project scope broadens further, looking at ethical issues confronted by science such as cloning, the role of “nurture verse nature” in human development and other mental health research.

The multilayered project also examines Shih’s life story and how she became a prominent scientist, encouraging young people to consider science as a field of study. Other scientists are also included in the project, sharing their personal stories and commenting on what’s at stake in their research. The project portrays science as a collaborative community.

“Mine is the work of science, biological functions of neurotransmitters, clinical implications, brain proteins, gene coding and knockout mice. Marsha’s interactive storytelling is fascinating, in many ways parallel to the scientific process I use in my lab,” Shih said.

The project publicly launches in June 2006.