TEDMED and Imperial explore the boundaries of health and medicine

Imperial staff and students will be able to contribute to discussions about medical and health challenges when the College takes part inTEDMED.

With speakers on stage at Imperial on 21 April and talks streamed from Washington, DC this is the first time that the international conference TEDMED will be broadcast outside the US.

Every year TEDMED curates a 3 day programme at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC for over 1,500 delegates. The event features talks and performances from a diverse range of speakers, aiming to bring together people with a shared determination to create a better future for health and medicine. Operating independently under license from the nonprofit TED conference, TEDMED talks are broadcast for free to teaching hospitals, government agencies, non-profit organisations and universities around the world, including Imperial. 

As well as streaming talks from TEDMED in Washington, the student-led TEDMEDLive at Imperial event will see a series of interactive workshops and talks. Taking place at the Royal Geographical Society, five themes will be explored at TEDMEDLive at Imperial: understanding the human mind, the body as a stimulus for art, staying alive, universal health and achieving medical innovation.

Speakers include eleven-time Paralympic gold medallist David Roberts CBE, James Brown, a magician, pickpocket and hypnotist trained in psychiatry and perceptional psychology. Plastic surgeon Mohammad Jawad, who recently featured in an Oscar winning documentary about his charitable work to help women in Pakistan disfigured by acid attacks, will also talk about his pioneering surgical techniques.

They will be joined by speakers from Imperial including, Lord Winston, Professor of Science and Society and Emeritus Professor of Fertility Studies, Professor Roger Kneebone who uses ground breaking techniques to simulate surgery and Dr Henrietta Bowden-Jones, a consultant psychiatrist who founded the first National Problem Gambling Clinic in the UK.

The five themes that shape the day were inspired by Persian philosopher Avicenna, who said: “There are no incurable diseases, only a lack of will.” This message will be used throughout the event to promote debate and discussion, according to Ali Rezaei Haddad, Neuroscience undergraduate medical student and License Holder of TEDMEDLive at Imperial.

Ali added: “Hosting TEDMEDLive at Imperial gives us a great opportunity to celebrate and appreciate Imperial’s contribution to medicine. This event will give students, staff and members of the public the opportunity to hear from a range of world renowned speakers and pioneers in their respective fields. Just like TEDMED in Washington, we hope our event will provide a platform for the development of new health projects and collaborations."

TEDMEDLive at Imperial runs from 13.00 to 19.00 on 21 April and takes place at the Royal Geographical Society. It is open to all students and staff, with registration required. To purchase a ticket and for more information visit TEDMEDLive at Imperial.