Love and Science: A Memoir
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | 4.94 (533 Votes) |
| Asin | : | 1609806689 |
| Format Type | : | paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 272 Pages |
| Publish Date | : | 2013-11-19 |
| Language | : | English |
DESCRIPTION:
The formidable fate of Jan Vilcek: From WWII survivor, Communist Defector, Scientist & Inventor to Philanthropist/Art Collector Chifan A quote at the end of the book caught my attention "The title of this book might have been Life is wonderful and unpredictable, but who would read a book with so banal a title?"… yet as I ponder in awe at the life of Jan Vilcek after I finished reading "Love and Science" Little of Jan Vilcek's extraordinary life seemed planned and pre-ordained…So indeed Jan Vilcek's life as related in this inspiring memoir has been wonderfully unpredictable fraught with amazing circuitous twists and serendipitous turns of fate which led him to survive the fury of the Third Reich under. "Love and Science" according to Amazon Customer. Love and Science, a Memoir by Jan Vilcek is a rewarding read for a much wider audience than its title might at first glance suggest. If you are interested in Crohn’s disease and related autoimmune conditions, or in the translation of arcane science into medical therapies, or in the experiences of Jewish refugees from central European Nazism and Communism, or in philanthropy in behalf of highly accomplished immigrants to America in the sciences and the arts, you will find it engrossing. It is also an adventure story of a modest, unprepossessing and quite admirable scientist an. An Inspiring Book I highly recommend this book—a fascinating window into the life of the renowned immunologist and philanthropist Jan Vilcek.In a very real sense, this book is a tribute to the American dream. It carries us through Vilcek’s life, from a childhood evading the Nazis in Bratislava, to a scientific career born under Communist regime, to a courageous defection, and, finally, the beginning of a new life in New York. Ultimately, Vilcek goes on to develop Remicade, one of the most successful and life-changing drugs of recent times.For me, one of the timeliest aspects of the book
VILCEK is professor of Microbiology at NYU Langone Medical Center. Dr. Vilcek's contributions to the understanding of proteins that control the body's defenses were instrumental in the development of the anti-inflammatory drug Remicade®, the first member of a new class therapeutics called TNF blockers that are now widely used for the treatment of Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis and other chronic inflammatory disorders. Dr. Born in Bra
Fleeing Communist Czechoslovakia with his wife Marica, Vilcek continued his research at NYU School of Medicine, going on to establish a highly successful career in biomedical research, and creating one of the most important and trailblazing medicines of our age. Long before he became one of the world's most celebrated immunologists, Jan Vilcek began life in Slovakia as the child of Jewish parents at a time when Jews were being exterminated all across Europe. In Vilcek's case the vaunted cure for cancer that many saw in TNF never materialized. As a young man growing up in Czechoslovakia in the aftermath
Jan Vilcek’s remarkable life bears witness to the totalitarian evils of Nazism and Communism that shaped his native Czechoslovakia, and to the life-saving miracles he produced in the laboratories of his adopted homeland, the United States. It’s a story of courage and freedom, of discovery and philanthropy—told with the elegant modesty of a man who devoted his life to easing the world’s pain. Put simply, it demands to be read." —David Oshinsky, winner of the Pulitzer Prize in History for Polio: An American Story