John joins us to tell us more about the Ellison Institute of Technology’s mission to develop and deploy technology in pursuit of solving some of humanity’s most challenging and enduring problems. Guided by world leaders, scientists and entrepreneurs, EIT seeks to accelerate innovation in health and medical science, food security and sustainable agriculture, climate change and clean energy, and government innovation and era of artificial intelligence.

Dr Florez joins us to explain how his globally recognised research focused on the clinical translation of genetic findings in type 2 diabetes, is advancing precision medicine and revolutionising the treatment of diabetes.

The Enhanced Games is a new international sporting organization that aims to be the 21st Century Olympics by removing all forms of drug testing, replacing this with clinically supervised “health testing”, and offering multi-million dollar prize purses for world records.

With breast cancer touching the lives of so many people we know, yet so little known about recognising secondary cancer, we felt it essential that we highlight the critical importance of detecting the early signs. In numbers, there are currently 600,000 women in the UK who have survived 5+ years after primary breast cancer; less well known is that 20-30% of them will get incurable secondary cancer. Early diagnosis is pivotal in life expectancy and quality of life for this group.

Nearly two thirds of adults in the UK are overweight or obese, costing the NHS and the wider economy billions of pounds annually. Obesity specialist, Dr Devalia, joins us to discuss the new horizons in the management of this epidemic, from lifestyle changes to bariatric surgery to anti-obesity drugs.

With her usual warmth and wisdom, Julia explores the family and how relationships fundamentally influence our health and happiness.

A must for anyone suffering from headaches and migraines. Dr Losseff, a brilliant and hugely respected neurologist, explains the latest advancements and innovations in diagnosis and treatment.

Genomics England, in partnership with the NHS and the research community, is at the forefront of bringing genomics insights to inform health and care at population scale. Chris, will discuss and explain:

• the foundational science that underpins this work
• the ‘state of the nation’ for deploying genomic science in healthcare, in rare diseases, cancer and beyond
• critical considerations around sustaining and reinforcing ethics and trust
• what we can expect to see in the coming years as the field continues to advance and move into the mainstream

Hear from the two Vice Co-Chair’s about the Life Sciences Scale-Up Taskforce Report and Recommendations to address the scale-up barriers for innovative Life Science Companies in the UK.

What we are told about sleep may not always be true. Join us to learn more from the UK’s leading sleep disorder consultant.

Hear from two entrepreneurs and the Chair of The Cambridge Health Network about some of the latest breakthroughs in health tech and how they are already changing the medical outcomes for many.

Kate’s razor-sharp focus on outcomes rather than on following procedures ensured availability of Covid-19 vaccines. This was despite the political manoeuvring, miscommunications and administrative meddling that nearly jeopardised the project.

We are at a breakthrough moment when it comes to early cancer detection, precision cancer medication and cancer surgery. Prof Mughal is a world leading expert in this field, whose research has been instrumental in these discoveries. After the talk there will the option of a tour of the state-of-the-art Cleveland Clinic London.

Science is not just for scientists: if it were, it could never save us from the multiple crises we face. Martin argues we need to think globally, we need to think rationally and we need to think long-term, empowered by twenty-first-century technology but guided by values that science alone cannot provide.

We are letting our nation’s children down. Mental health issues have steadily risen over the last twenty years; physical activity levels continue to decline leading to higher rates of obesity; increasing numbers of vulnerable children are being excluded from school and our children are amongst the most anxious in the world. England now has the lowest literacy, and second lowest numeracy, rates of 16-19 year olds in the OECD. David will explain how #BeeWell is helping to change this.

In conversation with Amol Rajan, the BBC’s media editor, Bill will lay out clearly and convincingly what the world should learn from COVID-19, explain the science of fighting pandemics, and suggest what all of us can do to help prevent another one.

Drawing on experience from his years as President of the European Commission, Mr Barroso will discuss the current geopolitical challenges and the main implications for Europe and the world.

There is increasing evidence that we may be able to prevent, delay or even halt dementia if we know how. Covering everything from brain exercises, sleep, oxygenation, diet, dental health and Lyme disease Sarah will bring the numerous stands of prevention together, giving us all some hope (and homework!).

Understanding how Covid-19 started is crucial in safeguarding us against the next epidemic.

Together with Alina Chan, a postdoctoral researcher with a background in medical genetics, synthetic biology and vector engineering, Matt details the search for the origin of Covid-19. The story reads like a thriller and we are delighted Matt is with us to bring it to life.

A preview of Cleveland Clinic London’s brand new state of the art hospital in Belgravia (due to open at the end of January 2022), hosted by CEO, Dr Brian Donley. Cleveland Clinic has been number one in heart care in the U.S. for more than 25 years, and this event will see Professor Bernard Prendergast (Chair of Cardiology) discuss the health implications of the Covid-19 pandemic for cardiovascular disease and what the future may hold. They will also share how technology is transforming cardiology with precision medicine, robotics, wireless technologies and advances in imaging, and set to change diagnosis and treatment in the years to come.

How do you remember more and forget less? How can you earn more and become more creative?

With over 2,000 years of knowledge to draw on, mathematics is full of better ways of thinking. Shortcuts have enabled so much of human progress, whether in constructing the first cities around the Euphrates 5,000 years ago, using calculus to determine the scale of the universe or in writing today’s algorithms that help us find a new life partner.

Adrian will address issues relating to the scientific community in the aftermath of Brexit. Can we fulfil our potential as a ‘science superpower’ as Boris Johnson predicts? Will the government make up for lost EU science funding? Will top scientists will be drawn to top ranking UK universities regardless? Or will talented Europeans decide that if they are going to travel they might as well go to the US, now that the UK has erected barriers? And could immigration restrictions have the same effect on Asian undergraduates?

The prospect of living to 200 years old isn’t science fiction anymore. Sergey joins us to share the cutting-edge life extension breakthroughs on the horizon, as well as the practical steps we can all take now to live healthily to 100 and beyond.

Black holes are not science fiction, they actually exist and they play an important role in how our Universe evolves. Professor Katherine Blundell joins us to describe how the quest to understand black holes can be used to make a difference to people here on Earth.

In a conversation moderated by Dr Timothy Ferris, Dr Bruce Walker and Dr Sarah Gilbert, will be relating how swift vaccine development and deployment came to be, and how the successes and challenges faced in global vaccination efforts will influence scientific and pandemic response around the world as we move forward.

Since its creation by Amanda Feilding in 1998, the Beckley Foundation has been at the forefront of global drug policy reform and scientific research into psychoactive substances. Amanda joins us to tell us more about the collaborations with leading scientific and political institutions worldwide to design and develop ground-breaking research and global policy initiatives.

In conversation with John Arlidge, Mike will guide us through the rapidly growing cannabis industry: high-quality cannabis-based health and wellness solutions, the use of leveraging data and research to fuel innovation, and how to improve access to cannabis and plant-based solutions.

Oliver has written extensively about mental illness, most recently in the context of Covid. His book, Mending the Mind, recounts what it’s like to be mentally ill with severe depression, and how, with professional help, he was able to make a full recovery. In conversation with Diana Fox Carney, he explains the progress of science in understanding depression, and the insights into the condition that have been provided by writers and artists through the ages. His message is hopeful: though depression is a real and devastating illness, the mind and its disorders are yielding to scientific inquiry, and effective psychological, psychiatric and pharmacological treatments are already available.

In conversation with Sarah Carolides, Michael expands on revelations in his new book, Hooked, a powerful exposé of how the processed foods industry exploits our evolutionary instincts, the emotions we associate with food, and the legal loopholes in their pursuit of profit over public health.

The work of Genomics England will transform our understanding of the human body, enabling new approaches to healthcare and a better medical outcome for all. No one is better equipped to walk us through these advances than Chris.

Following the FDA’s December 18th decision to approve Moderna’s Covid vaccine, there is now a race against time to produce, distribute and administer.

In conversation with Chris Wigley, CEO of Genomics England, Stéphane Bancel will be updating us on progress and discussing the very exciting future of mRNA based medicines.

After producing the first cow-less burger back in 2013, Mark became the public face of cultured meat. That first burger cost a massive $250,000 to grow, financed by Sergey Brin, co-founder of Google. The price has since dropped to around $10 per burger.

In conversation with Bruce Friedrich, Co Founder and Executive Director or the Good Food Institute, Mark will discuss the latest scientific developments in the cultured meat revolution together with the overwhelming benefits for our health, the environment and for animals.

Vaccine reluctance and refusal are no longer limited to the margins of society. Debates around vaccines’ necessity ― along with questions around their side effects ― have gone mainstream, blending with geopolitical conflicts, political campaigns, celebrity causes, and ‘natural’ lifestyles to win a growing number of hearts and minds.

Expanding on themes from her new book, ‘Stuck’, Heidi  examines how the issues surrounding vaccine hesitancy are, more than anything, about people feeling left out of the conversation.  She provides a clear-eyed examination of the social vectors that transmit vaccine rumours, their manifestations around the globe, and how these individual threads are all connected.

Relying only on government and public data sources, Ivor’s Covid updates have attracted millions of views on YouTube and beyond as he presents a very different picture of the crisis than the one we are being fed by our politicians and their advisors.

Inertial confinement fusion for energy generation is a well-established research field and is being pursued in many laboratories worldwide. Nick is exploring a number of alternative research directions that harness the same fundamental physics, with the prime focus being power generation. His work to-date has included theoretical analysis, detailed numerical simulation and experimental validation. This has has led to a clear vision of the pathway to fusion. He will explain all this in layman’s terms, together with the dramatic ramifications of such a discovery.

As many of you will remember, Peter Piot was our first lockdown speaker. He returns to update us on the pandemic, the virus and the race for a vaccine.

We will be getting together with Tim Ferris and Bruce Walker to discuss how Mass General, Harvard and MIT are working together to develop a vaccine and change healthcare.

In its 20 years of existence, Gavi has reached more than 760 million children in the world’s 73 poorest countries.

By improving access to new and under-used vaccines, the Vaccine Alliance is transforming the lives of individuals, helping to boost the economies of low-income countries and making the world safer for everyone.

In this conversation we will be talking to Dr. Seth Berkley, Gavi’s CEO, about the organisation’s future – what it can achieve following its third replenishment and how the Covid crisis is affecting its operations and the lives of those it seeks to support.

Hannah Tucker, an expert in how climate and technology are reshaping food systems, will be in discussion with Bruce Friedrich on alternative proteins (plant-based and cultivated meat), the science behind how these are produced and why they have the potential to reshape our world.

Bruce will share his thoughts on market size, trends and current gaps. He will also talk about investment and philanthropic opportunities.

Diana will be getting together with Professor Sir John Bell to discuss where we are with the UK response to Covid, including developments in the testing regime and prospects for other medical interventions.

Diana will be talking with Dr James Gutierrez of Cleveland Clinic London and infectious diseases specialist Dr Steven Gordon about the Covid crisis – the readiness of our health systems to deal with this emergency and the prospects for effective treatment and successful vaccine development.

Join Diana for a conversation with Dan Buettner about happiness – what it is and how we achieve it – as well as about how the places we live can be structured to create healthier lives for us all.

Reaching more than 60 million users in 190 countries, Headspace was one of the first meditation apps in the world and remains a leader in mindfulness and mental training. The company is committed to advancing the field of mindfulness through clinically-validated research, having one of the largest research pipelines of any digital health and wellness company.

Headspace for Work offers mindfulness products and services to more than 600 companies, such as Starbucks, Adobe, GE, Hyatt and Unilever, helping them build healthier, more productive cultures and higher performing organisations.

In this dial-in we will discuss the importance of mental robustness at a time of crisis, how meditation can help and how the Headspace platform is evolving to serve the needs of millions around the world.

This special event will provide a briefing on where we are with the Covid-19 virus and what we can expect going forward.

We will hear from Peter Piot, the Director of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and co-discoverer of the Ebola virus, and Adam Kucharski whose recent book, The Rules of Contagion: why things spread and why things stop, shows how mathematical approaches can help us better understand and, in turn, better respond to contagion in all its dynamic forms.

Can the body really heal itself of terminal disease? What can ‘medical miracles’ teach us all about our mind, body and identity?

Long after she’s supposed to be dead, a woman with aggressive pancreatic cancer finds herself cured. A teenage girl suddenly and unexpectedly overcomes the cerebral palsy she’s had since birth. An 85-year-old man stuns doctors when his CT scan shows that the tumours on his kidneys have inexplicably vanished. What can we learn from these incredible, yet true, case studies of spontaneous remission?

Dr Rediger offers clear, practical advice on how we can harness our body’s natural resilience to improve our health and create better connections with others.

In her new memoir, the first American woman to walk in space recounts her experience as part of the team that launched, rescued, repaired, and maintained the Hubble Space Telescope.

The Hubble Space Telescope has revolutionized our understanding of the universe. It has, among many other achievements, revealed thousands of galaxies in what seemed to be empty patches of sky; transformed our knowledge of black holes; found dwarf planets with moons orbiting other stars; and measured precisely how fast the universe is expanding.

Along the way, Sullivan chronicles her early life as a “Sputnik Baby,” her path to NASA through oceanography, and her initiation into the space program as one of “thirty-five new guys.” (She was also one of the first six women to join NASA’s storied astronaut corps.)

Modern nutrition has failed us. We have more choice in the food we eat than ever before, but less quality. We endlessly diet, yet are hungrier and fatter than ever. So where did it all go wrong, and what can we do?

For over two decades, bariatric surgeon Dr Andrew Jenkinson has treated thousands of people who have become trapped in the endless cycle of dieting. His new book combines case studies from his practice and the new science of metabolism to illuminate how our appetite really works.

Debunking the great myths of the body, and systematically explaining why dieting is counter-productive, Dr Jenkinson investigates every aspect of nutrition. From the difference between good and bad fats to the impact of genes and genetic mutation on our weight and what happens to our hormones long after a diet ends, the book explores the fields of agriculture, pharma, anthropology and medicine to uncover the truth behind our bad food habits and the escalating obesity crisis.

Recent advances in cardiac care have revolutionised our approaches to treatment and prevention. Today’s options extend life and return people to full function more effectively than ever before.

Join one of the US’s top cardiac surgeons to learn about the technological frontiers of cardiac surgery as well as the everyday things you can do to ensure you remain in good heart health.

Genetics. Exercise. Microbiome. Epigenetics. The environment. Allergies. Intolerance. Fads.

We are constantly bombarded with advice on nutrition – which is, amongst other things, one of the most socially important parts of our lives. Where is the science at on this topic? How much of our wellbeing and longevity is determined by what we eat and how personalised should – or could – our diets become?

Join Pi member, Sarah Carolides, to find out more.

When advertising industry executive, Rich Pierson met Andy Puddicombe, an ordained Buddhist monk, recently returned from Tibet, they agreed to do a skills swap. Rich wanted to find a more peaceful, fulfilling path and Andy wanted to share his life-affirming learnings with the world, so Andy taught Rich meditation, while Rich educated Andy on the essentials of brand development and marketing.

Together they created a vision for bringing  meditation to people everywhere. Headspace now reaches a community of more than 45 million members in 190 countries, and continues to pursue its mission of improving happiness and health around the world.

At this event the two co-founders will talk about their journey, their goals and why what they do is so important for us all.

The breakfast will be held on site at the CogX festival in the Kings Cross/Granary Square area. Those attending will have full access to the day’s events at CogX.

Join us as leading-edge experts from the University of Pennsylvania share the latest advances in gene therapy, cardiovascular disease and brain injury.

From revolutionary developments in gene therapy that have allowed the blind to see, to massive changes in our understanding of cholesterol and metabolism impacting millions around the globe, and a deeper appreciation of the complexities behind traumatic brain injury, Ralph Muller, James Wilson, Daniel Rader, and Sean Grady will share stories from, and a behind-the-scenes glimpse at, the frontlines of medical innovation.

Sleep is one of the most important aspects of our life, health and longevity and yet it is increasingly neglected in twenty-first-century society, with devastating consequences: every major disease in the developed world – Alzheimer’s, cancer, obesity, diabetes – has very strong causal links to deficient sleep.

Drawing on two decades of new science and the findings from over 100 papers from his lab, Professor Walker’s aim is to reverse our neglect of an essential human benefit and appreciate how sleep resets the brain and recalibrates every system in the body, night after night, throughout our lives.

This event is held in conjunction with how to: Academy.

Vaccines are amongst the most important tools used to treat and limit infectious diseases. Yet, trust in vaccines has plummeted of late, resulting in highly damaging disease outbreaks across the globe (from the Philippines to Italy, Texas to China). Why is this the case and what can be done about it?

Heidi Larson’s research focuses on the social and political factors that can affect vaccine uptake. She is the Director of the Vaccine Confidence Project which has developed multiple metrics to measure population confidence in vaccines. The research also tracks the ecology of rumours and transnational influences on public trust in vaccines.

With ageing populations, massive increases in chronic disease and ever more expensive treatment options, will we ever find ways to deliver the healthcare that people want and demand at a manageable cost?

Hear what Dr Tim Ferris, CEO of the Massachusetts General Physicians Organization, and health policy expert, has to say on this key question.

Tim has a unique perspective, having occupied multiple roles at the national and international level, including chairing the steering committee of the US National Quality Forum, participating on multiple committees at the US National Academy of Medicine and sitting on the board of England’s National Health Service (NHS Improvement).

Understanding how the Earth works, and in particular how it is responding to ever-increasing human pressures, is one of science’s greatest challenges.

In this event we will learn what the polar regions tell us about warming and the future of our planet from Emily Shuckburgh, deputy head of a team at the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) that focuses on understanding the role of the polar oceans in the global climate system.

Emily also leads the Data Science Group at the BAS, which aims to foster the application of various machine learning (and adjacent) techniques to the rapidly growing, complex, and heterogeneous body of data found in atmospheric, oceanic, and earth sciences.

Most of the things we want from life are governed by our ability to think, feel and act – in other words, our brain.

In her new book, The Source, Tara Swart presents a guide to life that combines science and spirituality in a way that is open-minded and practical. She provides four steps and various exercises to wake up your brain and unlock its full potential. Her methods include using visualisation techniques, trusting the value of intuition and finding ways to rewire your neural pathways to make lasting changes in behaviour.

DNA is more important than any other factor in shaping who we are: it influences everything from whether we are extroverted or introverted, whether we have mental illness or are a morning person, and how well we do at school. What’s more, the influence of DNA becomes stronger as we get older.

Robert Plomin’s research shows just how far we are all shaped by our genes from birth, and how they, in turn, influence the environments in which we live and the life experiences we are likely to have. It turns out even nurture is actually nature: we seek out environments and are parented in ways that fit our genetic pre-disposition.

Darwin’s account of the origin of living things makes no attempt to answer the deepest question, what is life?

With new advances in nanotechnology and biophysics, scientists are demonstrating how living organisms manipulate information to power molecular motors, control chemical reactions and navigate the uncertain world of molecular randomness.

In The Demon in the Machine, Paul Davies explores nothing less than a grand unified theory of physics and biology organised around the concept of information.

This book is the culmination of decades of thinking about physics, life and complexity.  It lays out the foundations for this next great frontier in science, in which new physical laws will be understood and exploited,  ‘information engines’ will transform nanotechnology and biology will be seen to be less about complex chemistry and more about modules and networks that store and process information.

Hear about the breakthrough science taking place at Imperial College London from Professor Chris Toumazou with an introduction by Professor David Gann, Imperial’s Vice-President (Innovation) and Professor of Innovation and Technology Management.

This event will take place at Imperial’s South Kensington campus.

Robbert is Director and Leon Levy Professor of the Institute for Advanced Study, one of the world’s leading centers for curiosity-driven basic research in the sciences and humanities.

Past President of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences and Past Co-Chair of the InterAcademy Council, he is a mathematical physicist who has made important contributions to string theory and the advancement of science education. He is a recipient of the Spinoza Prize, the highest scientific award in the Netherlands, and is a Knight of the Order of the Netherlands Lion.

A member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the American Philosophical Society, Dijkgraaf is most recently coauthor with Abraham Flexner of The Usefulness of Useless Knowledge.

The immune system is a life-saving defense against infections. But this protection is a double-edged sword: misdirected, it can trigger problems ranging from allergies to autoimmune disease. Now new breakthroughs allow us to trick the immune system into fighting cancer and degenerative illnesses – and perhaps find cures for diseases once thought incurable.

With an introduction from Yale Provost, Ben Polak, we will hear about this cutting edge of cancer research from two of Yale’s top scientists and professors at the Yale School of Medicine.

Mental health problems have reached epidemic proportions in the UK and globally, especially amongst young people. Many of us have direct experience of this problem, though not all are as willing to discuss it – or do something about it – as Dennis (Lord) Stevenson who openly admitted 20 years ago that he suffers from episodic clinical depression.

At this event we’ll hear from Dennis about his experience and motivation also from Cynthia Joyce, CEO of MQ: Transforming Mental Health, the mental health research foundation that Dennis founded to understand, treat and ultimately prevent mental health problems, especially amongst the young.

In the 1950s, science was altered forever by the discovery of the structure of DNA and how genes work: we are now on the verge of a second transformation. The extraordinary convergence of breakthroughs across different scientific disciplines is driving a revolution in biomedical science and enabling us to study the complexity of cells for the first time. Cells are the fundamental units that make up our bodies; consequently, their malfunction underlies almost all disease. By learning how cells function at a mechanical level – what goes wrong with them, how we can fix them and how drugs work – scientists expect to develop entirely new approaches to combatting diseases of the 21^st Century, such as dementia and other neurodegenerative conditions, cancer and infections associated with the rise of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

Oxford is the top ranked university in the world for medical science and its scientists are at the forefront of these efforts, bringing together the traditionally distinct areas of physical and life sciences to advance our understanding in this critical area.

The Francis Crick Institute named after the visionary British scientist who played a key role in discovering the structure of DNA, will be the largest biomedical research institute in Europe. Based in the heart of London, the institute is a collaboration between six of the world’s leading medical research organisations – Cancer Research UK, the Wellcome Trust, the UK’s Medical Research Council, University College London, King’s College London and Imperial College London – bringing a range of disciplines together under one roof.

Designed by the world-renowned Zaha Hadid Architects, this outstanding new gallery which opens in December 2016 has been made possible by the largest individual donation ever made to the Science Museum, an incredible £5 million gift from David and Claudia Harding.

The gallery will be curated by David Rooney, who previously curated the award-winning Codebreaker exhibition about the life and legacy of Alan Turing.

The stories told in the gallery will span 400 years of human ingenuity, from the Renaissance to the present day, with objects ranging from intriguing hand-held mathematical instruments to a 1929 experimental aircraft – the largest object in the gallery. Made in Britain by Handley Page, the aircraft was designed to take off and land slowly and steeply without stalling, vital at a time when urban airfields were often shrouded in fog.

Mathematics, particularly the modelling of aerodynamics and material stress, is embodied in the aircraft’s design. Mathematics is also brought to life through the gallery’s design and architecture. The space has been imagined as a wind tunnel for the aircraft (which will hang suspended in the centre of the hall), with the layout of related exhibits following the imagined lines of airflow around it.

The London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine has been one of the world’s pre-eminent centres for global health research, treatment and education for more than a century. Founded in 1899 by Sir Patrick Manson, the School’s current home was built by the Rockefeller Foundation in 1921 and intended to develop into a London-based institution that would lead the world in the promotion of public health and curing tropical diseases. From its earliest days its heart has been at the forefront of the fight against infectious diseases such as malaria, HIV/AIDS, Ebola, and smallpox.