The gene that enables birds to learn songs can become cancer-causing. There is no normal physiological process that can't be bastardized by the disease. Siddhartha Mukherjee bastardizebirdcancer Change image and share on social
I left Delhi in 1989 and remember very little of how life used to be then. Increasingly, in my recent visits to Delhi, I've started to realize that the city has become intellectually very lively. It makes me want to discover the city over and over again. Siddhartha Mukherjee citydelhidiscover share on social
I am a scientist and I am a physician. So I write papers. Siddhartha Mukherjee paperphysicianscientist Change image and share on social
Mary Lasker was an entrepreneur; she was a socialite. She was kind of a legendary networker. She became interested in saying, 'Well, you know, if these diseases don't have political support we'll never conquer them.' And she made, really, cancer her special cause. Siddhartha Mukherjee cancerconquerdisease share on social
There is a duality in recognising what an incredible disease it is - in terms of its origin, that it emerges out of a normal cell. It's a reminder of what a wonderful thing a normal cell is. In a very cold, scientific sense, I think a cancer cell is a kind of biological marvel. Siddhartha Mukherjee biologicalcancercell share on social
Postwar U.S. was the world's leader in science and technology. The investment in science research was staggering. Siddhartha Mukherjee investmentleaderpostwar Change image and share on social
The history is important because science is a discipline deeply immersed in history. In other words, every time you perform an experiment in science or in medicine, what you're actually doing is you're answering someone, answering a question raised by someone in the past. Siddhartha Mukherjee answerdeeplydiscipline share on social
When you immerse yourself in medicine you realise that hope is not absolute. It's not that simple. Siddhartha Mukherjee absolutehopeimmerse Change image and share on social
Writing anything as an expert is really poisonous to the writing process, because you lose the quality of discovery. Siddhartha Mukherjee discoveryexpertlose Change image and share on social
It turns out that the very genes that turn on in cancer cells perform vital functions in normal cells. In other words, the very genes that allow our embryos to grow or our brains to grow, our bodies to grow, if you mutate them, if you distort them, then you unleash cancer. Siddhartha Mukherjee bodybraincancer share on social
