Who: Leading stem-cell researcher working with Children’s Hospital Boston and the Harvard Stem Cell Institute.

What the Q. Is For: Quentin

Degrees: A.B., ’82; M.D., ’86 (’91)

House: Leverett

Hometown: Catskill, N.Y.

Current Residence: Weston, Mass.

Spotlight: Daley is heading a research team that, as part of the Harvard Stem Cell Institute’s recently announced initiative, has won permission to do experiments involving stem cells extracted from cloned human embryos. Daley claims he’ll use the controversial technologies to investigate diseases of the blood; in reality, he’ll probably just create an army of mindless, genetically identical stormtroopers to do his bidding.

Friends: In 2004 the Boston Globe called Daley’s research crew “a posse of young scientists” – and what a posse it is, from the looks of its official home page. Outrageous parties, killer picnics, debauched dances – the posse has done it all, and Daley has been there every step of the way. He even lets his buddies manipulate his image to, um, interesting effect. There’s a limit, though: he routinely replaces the most irreverent members of his team with more respectful clones.

Enemies: Fellow Harvardians George W. Bush, M.B.A. ’75, and Mitt Romney, J.D. ’74 (’75), both of whom Daley has publicly dissed for opposing stem cell–research funding. Apparently concurring, Daley’s wife, Amy C. Edmondson, A.B. ’81 (’80), A.M. ’95, Ph.D. ’96, an HBS professor, put her money where Daley’s mouth is and donated 500 smackers to John Kerry’s presidential campaign in 2004.

Prized Possession: Based on this photo and this bizarre, silent video, it seems that Daley’s got one hell of a wine collection.

Shortcoming: No matter how adorable they may be, “I can’t hug an embryo,” he declared in congressional testimony without apparent regret.

Tongue-Tied: Expressing dismay to the L.A. Times in 2001 over restrictive stem-cell licensing that would bar federally funded researchers from developing new disease treatments: “It’s like, whoa!”