『A Literary Ending - Chapter Eighteen - An Epilogue』のカバーアート

A Literary Ending - Chapter Eighteen - An Epilogue

A Literary Ending - Chapter Eighteen - An Epilogue

無料で聴く

ポッドキャストの詳細を見る
The publication of Laura Hillenbrand’s book, A Literary Ending, inspired a global resurgence of interest in prion diseases, many of which had been previously misdiagnosed and mislabeled as a rapid progression of Alzheimer’s or other neurological conditions. Without the book, the children and grandchildren of those afflicted with Fatal Familial Insomnia would have found it incredibly difficult to distinguish the subtle boundaries between these conditions unless they had been genetically tested early in life. While a simple blood test had eventually become all that was necessary to predict the onset of Alzheimer’s, the search for a rare, specific mutation like FFI had historically remained a mystery.Realizing that Hillenbrand’s work was a catalyst for her own survival, Jen set out to become a prominent spokesperson for the disease and the book. She even went as far as to add a subhead to her own “Unbroken” title, proudly printing “Lab Rat” on the T-shirts she wore while volunteering her veins and body to any test program or clinical trial that might lead to a cure.Through Cheryl’s enduring friendship with Sabina Wister, Sharon was introduced to the Wister Institute’s Dr. Chengyu Liang, the Co-Leader of the Molecular and Cellular Oncogenesis Program. Dr. Liang was deeply familiar with FFI and had already appeared in Hillenbrand’s early notes, as his laboratory was recognized for its pioneering study of autophagy—the process by which cells consume their own cellular waste. It was the exact cellular machinery Sharon believed she needed to rid prion proteins from her sister’s brain.Dr. Liang subsequently introduced Sharon to Dr. Maureen Murphy, the Director of the Cancer Center, whose research focused on cellular responses to stress and the genetic instructions required to prevent misfolding. Although FFI was not a target of Murphy’s current research, after speaking with Sharon she contacted the Institute’s chemist, Dr. Joseph Salvino—a specialist in small molecule discovery who designed the precise “molecular bullets” needed to hit the targets Sharon had first identified in her lab at Johns Hopkins. Through this fortuitous introduction, Sharon was hired to work alongside Salvino to build an AI-driven protein model designed to completely silence the mutant FFI gene.Sharon called her mother immediately after leaving Salvino’s office, giving her the joyful news that she would soon be returning home from Baltimore. She followed it up by contacting Laura Hillenbrand, who, unfortunately, was once again bedridden.“It seems like the demands of completing the book and working with the filmmakers on the screenplay have taken their toll on me,” Laura said, her breathing heavy over the line. “I’m finding it difficult to swallow, and I’ve lost weight. Even the light from my computer screen is painful. But I am so glad to hear that you are doing well, Sharon. I also heard that your sister has scored a massive success with her new book, Lab Rat.”“She’s tearing it up with all kinds of projects,” Sharon responded warmly. “Much of it even overlaps my research on FFI. With her lectures, proactive work on promoting genetic testing, and her book signings, she’s beginning to get picked up on the talk show circuit. She is truly making the most of her young life. Hopefully, I can help her extend her term on Earth by a few decades. I also read that the movie will be ready for release this coming August, starring Jeremy Strong and Jessica Chastain as my parents. I don’t quite see Mckenna Grace as me, though. She’s far too pretty. But Madeleine McGraw is a great pick for Jen.”“They fictionalized the ending,” Laura noted somberly. “I really had no control over the screenplay, except on the technical aspects of the script.”“I thought your epilogue was great, Laura. It allowed Jen, Mom, and me a lot of latitude for our futures. I don’t know if you heard, but Mom is planning to tour France with Sabina.”“No, I hadn’t heard that,” Laura responded softly. “I haven’t spoken with your mother in quite a while.”“Well, like Jen, she’s busy and seems genuinely happy.”“I’m glad to hear that... but if you’ll excuse me, Sharon, I really am exhausted and need to rest. Goodbye.”“I’ll call you next week, Laura. And, by the way, thanks again for everything you’ve done.”An Update: March 2029By the spring of 2029, a definitive cure for FFI had not yet been found, though it seemed hopeful that one was finally on the horizon for those who carried the deadly mutation. A massive breakthrough did, however, arrive for patients suffering from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS)—the very condition that had kept Laura Hillenbrand and many others like her bedridden for most of their adult lives.The breakthrough came from the dedicated research of Dr. Sharon Halpern and her team at the Wistar Institute, collaborating with bioengineers from Johns Hopkins....
adbl_web_anon_alc_button_suppression_t1
まだレビューはありません