How do researchers begin collaborations with each other when they work in different fields? At the CancerConnect events co-hosted by the Tulane Cancer Center, it looks a lot like speed dating. In November, during an event between the Cancer Center and the School of Liberal Arts, philosophers talked with health policy experts, sociologists had conversations with pharmacologists and epidemiologists and anthropologists found common ground.
“All of us have a shared goal of finding better treatment options and ultimately cures for cancer,” said Dr. Stefan Grant, director of the Tulane Cancer Center. “By bringing together researchers from different fields and backgrounds, we can explore how new ideas and perspectives can drive progress in cancer research and care.”
The School of Liberal Arts might seem like an unlikely partner for cancer research, but the humanities and social sciences offer new ways of thinking about some of the most complex problems, said School of Liberal Arts Dean Brian T. Edwards. “Whether this opens up new approaches to treatment and care, or deeper understanding of how doctors and their patients approach interactions around cancer — or many other possibilities raised in our meetings — this partnership offers an exciting new avenue for future cross-disciplinary work.”
