Outwitting Cancer

About

The Francis Crick Institute is to open the UK’s first exhibition exploring the trail-blazing research that is turning the tide on cancer.

Outwitting Cancer - Making Sense of Nature’s Enigma will be an immersive exhibition exploring the latest cancer research taking place at the Crick - Europe’s largest biomedical research institute under one roof.

Opening on Saturday 25th September 2021 until July 2022, Outwitting Cancer is also the first exhibition on cancer to take place within the setting of a working science laboratory, which is home to leading cancer scientists from across the world.

Eight specially commissioned films capture conversations between cancer researchers, patients and those with unique personal perspectives on cancer, meeting for the first time to explore some of the big questions driving research.  

The series of short films form the backbone of the exhibition, and include:

·         BBC journalist George Alagiah, who is living with bowel cancer, meets Vivian Li, Stem Cell and Cancer scientist, as she creates ‘mini-organs’ (organoids) in the quest to personalise cancer treatments.

·         Lawyer and brain cancer patient Adam Blain, meets scientist Simon Boulton to talk about the role of DNA in cancer as well as his experience of having a tumour which was first diagnosed by his wife.

·         Cancer Research UK’s Chief Scientist Karen Vousden talks to Alix Fox (broadcaster and sex educator) to bust some cancer myths including: do elephants get cancer and is cancer ‘contagious’?

·         Professor Adrian Hayday and Dr Oliver Nussbaumer from GammaDelta Therapeutics discuss their pioneering work into new cell therapy which could become available in a similar way to donated blood from blood banks.

The exhibition also features an audiovisual installation in a custom-built cinema.  Produced by Studio Prelude and SDNA this immersive film, Micro Cosmos, weaves together stunning microscopy imagery from Crick researchers, as well as a newly commissioned soundscape from artist Mira Calix.  Alongside the exhibition there will be a lively programme of events and talks, as well as an in-depth digital experience with additional exhibition content.

Cancer remains one of the world’s most widespread and deadly diseases, with 1 in 2 of us developing cancer in our lifetime.  Through the immersive films and accompanying exquisite microscopy imagery, Outwitting Cancer addresses questions including “what is cancer?” and “why are so many people still dying from  cancer?”.