Register to participate in a special Faculty Forum Online event spotlighting the 2019 film From Controversy to Cure: Inside the Cambridge Biotech Boom and the MIT changemakers featured in it.

In the summer of 1976, a contentious debate about genetic engineering erupted in the city of Cambridge, pitting scientist against scientist and citizen against citizen. From Controversy to Cure tells the story of how the unlikely mix of science and engineering, politics, the space race and urban renewal transformed Kendall Square into the "biotechnology capital of the world."

Participants are welcome to screen the film (for free) in advance of the discussion. Panelists will discuss the film, the evolution and importance of the Kendall Square ecosystem and take questions from alumni.

Panelists:

Susan Hockfield HM, President Emerita (moderator)

Noubar Afeyan PhD '87, Founder & CEO, Flagship Pioneering

David Baltimore PD '65, President Emeritus; Robert Andrews Millikan Professor of Biology, California Institute of Technology

Sangeeta Bhatia SM '93, PhD '97, John and Dorthy Wilson Professor, Health Sciences and Technology Program

Nancy Hopkins, Professor Emerita, Department of Biology

Joe McMaster, Producer/Director

Phillip Sharp HM, Institute Professor and Professor of Biology

Click here to watch the film on Vimeo.

Learn More:

Documentary chronicles the biotech boom in Cambridge, Massachusetts (MIT News)

‘From Controversy to Cure’ shows how Kendall Square went from empty lots to biotech mecca (Boston Globe)

‘Cure’ chronicles biotech boom in Cambridge (Boston Herald)

Closed captioning will be available. An archive of this webcast will be made available on the MIT Alumni Association YouTube channel within a week of broadcast.