Love and Science: A Memoir

by Jan Vilcek

Overview

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. He owes his and his mother’s survival to the courage of brave people and good luck. As a young man growing up in Czechoslovakia in the aftermath of the Second World War, Vilcek went to medical school and chose a career in virology and immunology at a time when these fields were still in their infancy. While still in his twenties he published a paper in the prestigious journal Nature, and he hosted the first international conference on interferon. 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.

After his arrival in the US in 1965 as a penniless refugee, he soon went on to spearhead some of the key advances in the research of interferon that enabled its therapeutic application, and through his research into tumor necrosis factor (TNF) made advances that led to the discovery of new genes and proteins and signaling pathways, opening up previously uncharted areas of medical innovation that have led to important new treatments for a wide range of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. Along the way Vilcek acquired material wealth he had never aspired to, catapulting him into the world of philanthropy.

Love and Science shows how advances in science sometimes result from the greatest disappointments, and how achievement in medical research is usually a team effort, where ideas are shared, where friendship and love sometimes matter most and serendipity is as important as a will to succeed—and where, over time, the least expected thing sometimes becomes the most important. In Vilcek's case the vaunted cure for cancer that many saw in TNF never materialized. However, out of the ashes of that hope came many related treatments that have changed countless lives and alleviated much suffering.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781609806699
Publisher:	Seven Stories Press
Publication date:	12/20/2016
Sold by:	Penguin Random House Publisher Services
Format:	eBook
Pages:	272
File size:	9 MB

About the Author

JAN T. VILCEK is professor of Microbiology at NYU Langone Medical Center. Born in Bratislava, Slovakia (then Czechoslovakia), where he also earned his MD and PhD degrees, Vilcek together with his wife, Marica Vilcek, an art historian, immigrated to the US in 1965 where he joined the faculty of NYU School of Medicine. He is among the earliest researchers of interferon, an important immune system protein. 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. Vilcek has published more than 350 scholarly papers, and written or edited several professional books. He is also named as co-inventor on 38 U.S. patents. For his discoveries and his philanthropy, Vilcek received a 2013 National Medal of Technology and Innovation from President Obama.

Table of Contents

Part 1 The Wonder of Science

Chapter 1 The Cure for Cancer that Wasn't 3

Chapter 2 From TNF to Remicade 17

Chapter 3 Miracle Drug 35

Part 2 A Tumultuous Childhood

Chapter 4 Early Life 51

Chapter 5 War 69

Chapter 6 Peacetime Under a New Regime 91

Part 3 A Scientific Education

Chapter 7 Microbe Hunting 105

Chapter 8 Like a Country Vicar in Rome 125

Part 4 In Pursuit of a New Life

Chapter 9 Marriage and Defection 137

Chapter 10 America Is Different 157

Part 5 New Eyes

Chapter 11 Dreaming in English with an Accent 177

Chapter 12 Sorting Out Interferon 191

Part 6 In Search of a Legacy

Chapter 13 Philanthropy 205

Chapter 14 Vilcek Foundation 217

Chapter 15 Ars Longa, Vita Brevis 233

Postscript 247

Appendix: Glossary of Medical and Scientific Terms 249

Index 255

Acknowledgments 261

Editorial Reviews

"Jan Vilcek’s book tells an astonishing story of two intertwined journeys—one scientific, the other personal.  The arc of the personal journey is remarkable: a childhood in Bratislava torn apart by Nazism and then overshadowed by Communism and an escape to a new continent.  The scientific journey is just as vast—from explorations in immunology and microbiology to the discovery of some of the most remarkable medicines of our times.  In both journeys, we encounter the essential ingredients of adventure: the urgency of exploration, flashes of inspiration, false leads, sudden successes, the importance of serendipity, the tortuous ups-and-downs of failures and struggles—but above all, that powerful animus to explore and discover new worlds. I could not put it down." —Siddhartha Mukherjee, MD, author of The Emperor of All Maladies

"Jan Vilcek does not make himself the center of a heroic narrative but gives space to colleagues, friends, and family, yet emerging from this narrative is the unmistakably wise, warm, optimistic, and modest soul of a great man." —Yiyun Li, author of Kinder than Solitude and Gold Boy, Emerald Girl

"This is a memoir to be cherished.  Dr. 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   

"Jan Vilcek tells a gripping story of a childhood on the run, escape from tyranny, and the building of a career and a discovery that benefits millions. A tale of both remarkable humanity and science, and hard to put down ..." —Martin Blaser, MD, author of Missing Microbes

"It’s a marvelous book, as interesting about science as it is about the adventures of this extraordinary man. I couldn’t put it down." —Charles Simic, poet, essayist, and translator, past Pulitzer Prize winner and Poet Laureate of the United States

"Jan Vilcek’s extraordinary book sets a new standard in science writing and will inspire generations to come.  It tells us what America is all about and shows that success can lead to generosity and visionary philanthropy." —Eric R. Kandel, MD, Nobel Laureate, author of In Search of Memory and The Age of Insight 

"In this compelling memoir, a modest giant in medical research survives the Nazis, escapes the Communists, thrives as an immigrant scientist, and turns unexpected wealth into prizes that remind us of the value of immigration.   A great story appearing at a hazardous time in our nation's history!" —Harold Varmus, MD, Nobel Laureate in Physiology or Medicine  

From the Publisher

2015-11-19
A memoir of the extraordinary life and circumstances that led the author to the groundbreaking discovery of Remicade, which successfully treats two previously untreatable autoimmune diseases, Crohn's disease and rheumatoid arthritis.In 2013, Vilcek (editor: American Odysseys: Writings by New Americans, 2012, etc.) was awarded the National Medal of Technology and Innovation by President Barack Obama for his discovery, which utilized a protein naturally produced in the human body's defense system against tumors. In that year, Remicade was reported to be "the second-highest selling drug in the world, with sales of $10.1 billion." Born in 1933 to a middle-class Jewish family in what is now Slovakia, Vilcek and his family were among the relatively few Jews to escape the Holocaust while remaining in Czechoslovakia. In his estimate, this was due to the family's decision to convert to Catholicism and his father's position as a business executive. In 1948, Czechoslovakia was taken over by communists, and the author and his family were forced to adjust to the new totalitarian regime. After attending medical school, Vilcek married and pursued a research career in the upcoming field of virology. He established contacts with Western researchers who facilitated the publication of his work. Despite the fact that he had launched a productive career, he and his wife wanted to escape the oppressive political regime. With help from Western friends, Vilcek was invited to join the faculty at New York University's School of Medicine, where he ran his own laboratory. His continued effort to find a treatment for autoimmune diseases proved successful and resulted in the commercial development of Remicade, which received FDA approval in 2000. His share of royalties has allowed him and his wife to sponsor careers in science and the arts. Vilcek artfully joins the chronicle of his scientific work and the dramatic events that punctuated his life under two totalitarian regimes, culminating in his flight to freedom. An inspiring page-turner.

Kirkus Reviews