Posts by author
Adriana Albini
Born to be walkers? How to stay healthy in a sedentary world
Humans have been endurance runners and walkers for at least 2 million years. Walking and running are our two main gaits. Whether we are more predisposed for the former or the latter is under debate. Studies carried out in the…
Pandemics, War, Reconstruction and the Duty of Medicine and Science
“It is sufficiently obvious that the problems of reconstruction following the war will tax the intelligence and good will of mankind to the utmost. It is also certain that mistakes made during this period will have more serious consequences…
Do patents encourage or discourage innovation? Intellectual property from ancient Greece to the Covid pandemic
In October 2020, India and South Africa submitted to the World Trade Organization (WTO) a proposal for a waiver from certain provisions of the Trips agreement – the 1994 WTO Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights. The rationale…
A fair chance for women in oncology: we must all insist on change
Women are under-represented in positions of power and leadership, in scientific and health disciplines across the world. This has been widely recognised for decades, yet efforts to implement the changes required to give women a fair chance have met with…
Evolution of the doctor-patient relationship: from ancient times to the personalised medicine era
The nature of the doctor–patient relationship has gone through various phases in history, based on the changing role of the physician in the community, as well as progress in medicine and increased choices of care, together with better-informed patients. Broadly…
From sea bed to bedside: Tapping the cancer pharmacy beneath the waves
Around 80% of life on our planet is found in ecosystems located within the almost 300 million cubic miles of ocean that cover the earth. Among its many wonders, the ocean is a treasure trove for medical sciences, providing knowledge…
Tailored exercise: a key element in personalised treatments and prevention
The expression ‘couch potato’ conjures up images of a worldly-wise, self-mocking type who leaves the rat-race to others, while happily cuddling up in front of the TV with snacks and drinks. Yet the consequences of such a lifestyle are dire.…
Returning to ‘normal’ and beating cancer in Europe 2021
An ageing population, environmental factors, infectious agents, and lifestyle changes all add to the rising impact of cancer on our lives. If nothing is done, cancer will soon become the leading cause of death in Europe. A comprehensive collaboration across…
Not too little, not too much… a lesson for cancer prevention from ancient civilisations
“If we could give every individual the right amount of nourishment and exercise, not too little and not too much, we would have found the safest way to health.” This quotation from Hippocrates pops up regularly in writings advocating a…
Giorgio Parmiani: Cancer immunology looses a mentor and a pioneer
I am writing a note in tribute to one of our oncology research leaders, who has just left us: Giorgio Parmiani – a pioneer in immunology. The scientific community mourns him. Parmiani was internationally recognised in the field of tumour…