Last Tuesday IBEC hosted an exclusive talk with distinguished bestselling author Siddhartha Mukherjee. At the event, which was attended by more than 120 people, Mukherjee presented his latest book “The Song of the Cell“ and shared an interesting talk about the latest advances in advanced therapies with IBEC researchers.
Last April 30, IBEC organised a talk with renowned bestselling author Siddhartha Mukherjee. The event, organised in collaboration with the Complementary Plan for Applied Biotechnology in Health and the publishing house Debate, was very well received, bringing together more than 120 people to listen to Mukherjee.
The event was opened by IBEC director Josep Samitier and Manel Juan, head of Immunology at Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, who gave way to Mukherjee’s talk.
The renowned oncologist is a professor of medicine at Columbia University and leads a team internationally recognised for its discoveries in skeletal stem cells and genetic alterations associated with blood cancers. However, beyond his scientific achievements, Mukherjee is noted for his exceptional ability to communicate complex scientific concepts in a captivating way, which has earned him global recognition for his Pulitzer Prize-winning “The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer” and “The Gene: An Intimate History”.
During the talk, Mukherjee addressed fundamental issues related to science, genetics and the underlying principles that govern cellular organisation, linking it to his inspiration for writing his latest book “The Song of the Cell: An Exploration of Medicine and the New Human.
If cancer cells are not normal, then what is a normal cell?
Siddhartha Mukherjee
“If cancer cells are not normal, then what is a normal cell?” Mukherjee asked the audience. This question was the common thread for writing his latest book.
The writer and scientist then engaged in an inspiring discussion on ethics and the boundaries of living and non-living with IBEC researchers Irene Marco-Rius and Xavier Rovira, moderated by science journalist Michele Catanzaro. An enriching dialogue, sharing their perspectives and experiences in the field of advanced therapies and personalised medicine. In addition, they discussed the great difficulty that exists today in cancer prevention due to the lack of adequate biomarkers. This is a growing field of research.
The audience had the opportunity to take part in the discussion, asking questions to the researchers.
The event ended with a book signing by Siddhartha Mukherjee.
