The Mathematics of Medicine: A Public Discussion

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Medicine has become increasingly reliant on mathematics. As the EPSRC website states ``Mathematical sciences have been an important part of health studies for years .... maths is playing a more important role than ever. Differential equations and statistics have long played a role, but recent medical advances also depend on a greater variety of mathematics. Modelling potential drug targets, predicting cardiac afibrillation, comparing different brains, and screening for harmful side effects all harness the power of topology and geometry. Our goal is to highlight how mathematics -- with an emphasis on these subdisciplines -- supports both medical research and treatment, and to involve the broader public in discussions of the future of this research. Our secondary goal is to illustrate why it is important to fund mathematical research, even if it is not (yet) applied.Capitalising on the momentum in London generated by both the announcement of the new UK Centre for Medical Research and Innovation near Kings Cross and the many events celebrating the Royal Society's 350th Anniversary, we plan to hold a series of evening talks and dialogues on Mathematics and Medicine. Each event, held at the Science Museum's Dana Centre and broadcast to other venues in the UK and online, will feature a facilitator, a mathematician and a medical specialist. The facilitator will introduce the event and immediately engage the participants. The mathematical and medical experts will then give introductory interactive chats outlining the -- perhaps surprising -- role mathematics plays in a familiar medical setting. Throughout these, the facilitator will encourage discussion with the participants. The chats will end with a provocative topic, which the participants will debate and explore.(Please see below for an extended example.) Using the Dana Centre's digital facilities, each event will be broadcast live through webcasts (and tweets) to venues across the UK, anyone online or with a mobile. Additionally, professionals will also create high-quality video and audio recordings. The resulting podcast and video highlights will be permanently hosted on a the Dana Centre website, the Imperial College website and elsewhere, together with a `How does this affect me?' section and resources for more information. These online resources will serve both as food for further thought for participants who found our event a good appetiser, and inform others who missed the main event.