Better Living Through Biochemistry

Speaker: Aled Edwards
Date: Sunday, June 24
Time: 11:15am – 12:15pm
Venue: Artscape Sandbox

Dr. Aled Edwards will explore the scientific frontiers, ethics, and possibilities of genomics for the future of humanity and civilization. Aled will talk about the role of science and scientists in society, specifically on the need to jump off their ivory towers in order to communicate their work better. He’ll then challenge screenwriters to meet scientists half-way and learn enough science to be able to develop story worlds founded on a real understanding of this fascinating area of scientific research. 
Dr. Aled Edwards

Dr. Aled Edwards

Director and CEO, Structural Genomics Consortium (SGC)

Al is a scientist who now runs a multinational research organization called the Structural Genomics Consortium (SGC), which is funded by foundations, governments and companies. As a driver of a new movement called “open science”, the SGC carries out science relevant to drug discovery and places all the results into the public domain without patenting anything.

As part of this effort, Al has started a new drug company called M4K Pharma (Meds 4 Kids), the first company that shares its science openly and is committing to price any new drug affordably. Al is also a Professor of Molecular Biology in Toronto and Oxford, is an Ashoka Fellow for social entrepreneurship, and was the science consultant for the TV series REGENESIS. He also has published a couple of hundred very geeky scientific papers.