Transformative Roles of Science in Society: From Emerging Basic Science Toward Solutions for People’s Wellbeing
Proceedings of the Plenary Session
12-14 November 2018
Acta 25
Vatican City, 2018
E-Pub ahead of print
OPENING SESSION
Pope Francis | Address
Past President Werner Arber | Opening, Words of Welcome and Concept of the Plenary
Bloc 1. Scientific assessment of a set of large global humanities issues
SESSION I – Population and Science Approaches
World Population Change – Future Dynamics
Wolfgang Lutz
The Complementary Nature of Scientific Experimentation and Thought Experiments
Werner Arber and Marcel Weber
Discussion
SESSION II – Climate and Energy
Energy for the Nine Billion
Steven Chu
Energies for the Future
Carlo Rubbia
Discussion
What Must Be Sustained to Enable Sustainable Improvements in People’s Well-being?
William C. Clark
Where on Earth Are We Heading: Pliocene or Miocene?
Hans Joachim Schellnhuber
Discussion
SESSION III – Health
The Revolution of Personalized Medicine – Bioethical Obstacles on the Road of Technological Advances
Aaron J. Ciechanover
Organ Transplants
Francis L. Delmonico
The Three-Dimensional Architecture of the Human Genome: Understanding the Physical Mechanisms Controlling Gene Expression
José Nelson Onuchic
Next Generation Antibiotics
Ada E. Yonath
Discussion
SESSION IV – Ecology and Biosystems
What Should We Try to Do in an Age of Extinction?
Peter H. Raven
Science in a Post-Truth World: Hope for People and the Ocean
Jane Lubchenco
Discussion
Bloc 2. Frontiers in science disciplines
SESSION V – Physics
Constants of Nature and Their Applications
Klaus von Klitzing
Basic Research and a Moral Responsibility of Scientists
Daniel Kleppner
Discussion
SESSION VI – Physics
Making the Revolutions of Quantum Technology Deliver for People and Planet
Massimo Inguscio
Science Addressing Questions Not Easily Addressed by “the” Scientific Method. The Origins of Life
Steven A. Benner
Discussion
SESSION VII – Astronomy, Space
The Space Renaissance and Impacts on Humanity
Will Marshall
The Uses of Small Satellites for Environmental Monitoring, Bringing We-Fi to Africa, and Related Opportunities
Martin N. Sweeting
Discussion
Exoplanets and Beyond
Sara Seager
Our Place in Space and Time
John D. Barrow
Wnt Signaling as a regulator of cellular endocytosis and protein stability
Edward M. De Robertis
Discussion
SESSION VIII – Biology, Genetics, Bio-Chemistry, Chemistry
Stem Cells and Tissue Regeneration
Helen M. Blau
The Role of Microscopy in Improving the Human Condition
Robert Eric Betzig
Discussion
On Gene Biology and Evolution
Takashi Gojobori
The Dependence Receptor Paradigm: When an Original Cell Death Pathway is Used as a Therapeutic Strategy Against Cancer
Patrick Mehlen
From Basic Research on Amino Acid Polymers to the Most Used Drug Against Multiple Sclerosis
Michael Sela
Discussion
Cancer Immunotherapy: Improved Treatment and Issues
Thierry Boon-Falleur
The CRISPR-Cas Technique for Gene Editing and its Impact on Society
Rafael Vicuña
Discussion
Bloc 3. Transformative roles of science in societies
SESSION IX – Future Science Policy | Discussion Among Leaders of Science Organizations, Policy Makers, Religious Communities and Academicians
1. Jean Pierre Bourguignon | President of the European Research Council
2. Georg Schütte | State Secretary of Education and Science, Germany
3. Promoting inclusive innovation in Latin America | Lino Barañao | Former Science Minister of Argentina
4. Rev. Antje Jackelén | The Lutheran Archbishop of Uppsala in Sweden and Primate (inter pares) of the Church of Sweden
5. Transformative Science? Transformative University? | Jürgen Mittelstraß | Academician, The Pontifical Academy of Sciences
6. El futuro ecológico de las grandes ciudades | Cardinal Lluís Martínez Sistach | Archbishop Emeritus of Barcelona, Spain
7. Msgr. Marcelo Sánchez Sorondo | Chancellor, The Pontifical Academy of Sciences
Panelists’ Discussion with Academicians and Guest Speakers
SESSION X – Transformative Roles of Science, People and Education
The Role of Science in the Culture of our Time (Modern or Pre-Aristotelic?)
Antonino Zichichi
Education for a Digital Sustainable Environment
Antonio M. Battro
Science Education & Climate Change Authors
Yves Quéré
Discussion
SESSION XI – Conclusions of the 2018 Plenary
General Discussion based on Final Statement
SESSION XII – Closed Session for Academicians
Self-Presentations
1. Helen M. Blau
2. Robert Eric Betzig
3. Steven Chu
4. Rev. Guy Joseph Consolmagno SJ
5. Mohamed H.A. Hassan
Commemorations
1. Günter Blobel (Edward M. De Robertis)
2. Stephen W. Hawking (Martin J. Rees)
3. Fotis C. Kafatos (Nicole M. Le Douarin)
4. Félix Malu wa Kalenga (Vanderlei S. Bagnato)
5. Vera Rubin (Martin J. Rees)
Award Ceremony of the Pius XI Medal
1. Noble Ephraim Banadda
2. David M. Sabatini
3. Miriam Serena Vitiello
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