A Life in Science: Curiosity and collaboration in cancer research

New in our A Life in Science series, we hear from Elodie Lewkowicz, Asset Lead, about how curiosity and collaboration drive her mission to tackle the complexity of cancer. She reflects on mentoring, developing the next generation of scientists, and keeping patients at the heart of every data point to stay motivated through challenges.

“You never know what will happen. No day is like the previous one. It’s really about aligning the team on science, on the strategy, and looking at the big picture, the long-term vision,” says Elodie Lewkowicz, Asset Lead at Ipsen.

Her work in oncology is driven by curiosity for how biology works at its most intricate level. “I like understanding how things work, how this complexity actually can be very simple. For instance, how a single point of mutation can change the fate of a cell and to become cancer cells.”

That drive is combined with a deep belief in teamwork. “Working in collaboration, to me, it’s essential. I don’t think that in science you can do it on your own. You need the knowledge, the expertise, but also the different way of thinking.”

For Elodie, the purpose behind the science is never abstract. “When I look at data, I see patients behind the data and that’s where I keep the motivation.”

Her vision is that curiosity, collaboration, and patient focus are what allow science to meet the challenges of cancer and bring new possibilities forward.