Il lavoro nobilita l’uomo • Prof. Anna Randi
(Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine, Imperial College London || UK)
“Blood vessels are the most important thing in the body and they are just overlooked. Every cell in the body is in touch with a blood vessel cell. They are fundamental for the healthy function of every organ in the body — more diseases are associated with dysfunctional blood vessels than anything else because they are everywhere! In my lab we want to understand how they work and how they maintain their identity. You start to ask, ‘What makes this a liver cell rather than a brain cell?’ and you enter into this world of identity. You go from biology to philosophy. It’s just fantastic fun.
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Science is very creative, that’s something people don’t get. Writing a grant is like writing a novel, and you get to bring the story to life. I work a lot, but it’s not about the hours you work. It’s about the fulfillment you get. In Italian you say, ‘Il lavoro nobilita l’uomo.’ It means work enriches you. Few people are lucky enough to find a job that excites them. Companies would pay three times what I earn in academia, but I could never bring myself to leave. I don’t think having an extra car or fridge makes you happier. Your soul needs feeding and you can’t feed it with money.
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I fell in love with London when I was 18. In Milan they had all these rules — you couldn’t leave the house without makeup to buy milk. But London was freedom! So I wasn’t going back. I worked in industry for seven years, but I always thought I would go back to academia so I kept my contacts and continued to publish. Then when I got bored in industry, I set up a collaboration of interest to both sides. Whatever you do, don’t close the other doors.
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When I was young I would look up to professors and think, ‘How did you get there?’ I didn’t understand how to grow yourself scientifically to the point you could run a research group. Then a few years ago I turned back and thought, ‘Gosh, it’s happened!’ It’s useful to trace back how. Some of it is luck, and some of it is catching opportunities when they come. Don’t think, ‘Maybe it’ll happen again in three years.’ No. If there’s a chance now, go for it now.”
