How does cancer know it's cancer?

This is the question that cancer researcher, Jay Bradner and his colleagues have focused on in their research, and they think they may have found the answer: a molecule, which they call JQ1. But unlike the corporatocracy and its minions, which operate in secrecy, Dr Bradner and his colleagues chose to do something different. Engaging in an enlightened social experiment, they shared the news of this molecule by publishing their findings -- and they mailed samples to 40 other labs to work with. In short, they open-sourced the information about this molecule and they crowd-sourced the testing and research.

As a person who worked in cancer research for several years and whose brother now has a cancer with no known cure, I find this story not only refreshing, but deeply moving as well. This video captures Dr Bradner telling the story of JQ1 and sharing his inspiring ideas about the future of open-source medical research:

Read more:

Panagis Filippakopoulos, Jun Qi & Sarah Picaud, et al. Selective inhibition of BET bromodomains Nature 468, 1067–1073 (23 December 2010) doi:10.1038/nature09504

Jay Bradner is a chemist and medical doctor who conducts research at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in the Department of Medicine at Harvard University in Boston. Dr Bradner can be found on twitter @jaybradner

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute is on facebook and can be found on twitter @DanaFarber

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