Renato Dulbecco

Competition, I think, is always a good thing.

Historically, science and society have gone separate ways, although society has provided the funds for science to grow, and in return, science has given society all the material things it enjoys.

We have ourselves begun to put our house in order by banning some experiments that may contain a risk for mankind. We would like to see society take a similar attitude, abandoning selfish practices that are dangerous for society itself.

The life I remember begins at Imperia, where I went to school, including the Ginnasio-Liceo 'De Amicis.'

While we spend our life asking questions about the nature of cancer and ways to prevent or cure it, society merrily produces oncogenic substances and permeates the environment with them.

Although I liked especially physics and mathematics for which I had considerable talent, I decided to study medicine. This profession had for me a strong emotional appeal, which was reinforced by having an uncle who was an excellent surgeon.

I know mortality exists, but I cannot do anything about it. So it does not make me anxious.

I stress the relevance of my work for cancer research because I believe that science must be useful to man.