{"id":500,"date":"2022-05-20T03:21:34","date_gmt":"2022-05-20T03:21:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/deepdive.tips\/?p=500"},"modified":"2022-05-20T03:21:35","modified_gmt":"2022-05-20T03:21:35","slug":"the-surprising-value-of-unnecessary-research-with-anna-dumitriu","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/deepdive.tips\/index.php\/2022\/05\/20\/the-surprising-value-of-unnecessary-research-with-anna-dumitriu\/","title":{"rendered":"The Surprising Value of Unnecessary Research with Anna Dumitriu"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Embed Player\" src=\"\/\/play.libsyn.com\/embed\/episode\/id\/23173634\/height\/128\/theme\/modern\/size\/standard\/thumbnail\/yes\/custom-color\/777e87\/time-start\/00:00:00\/playlist-height\/200\/direction\/backward\" height=\"128\" width=\"100%\" scrolling=\"no\" allowfullscreen=\"\" webkitallowfullscreen=\"true\" mozallowfullscreen=\"true\" oallowfullscreen=\"true\" msallowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border: none;\"><\/iframe>\n\n\n\n<p>We all know the story of Sir Alexander Fleming\u2019s accidental discovery of penicillin. Similarly, the X-Ray, Insulin, and many more medical and scientific breakthroughs can be traced back to \u201chappy accidents\u201d. Each time the scientist attempted to do something else, found an odd thread and pulled it. Had they not seen it, or decided not to pull, our modern human experience would have been drastically different.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>These types of anomalies and variations happen all the time. But we don\u2019t always embrace them. In fact, many of us go out of our way to avoid them altogether. And when they do occur, we may be reluctant to be \u201cdistracted\u201d by them. Much of our culture values focus and simplicity. \u201cEyes on the prize\u201d, \u201cKeep it Simple Stupid\u201d, and all that. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But how many penicillins and X-rays and insulins remain\nundiscovered because of our \u201cefficiency\u201d?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Today\u2019s guest takes a different approach. <a href=\"https:\/\/annadumitriu.co.uk\/\">Anna Dumitriu<\/a> is an award-winning British artist who works with BioArt, sculpture, installation, and digital media to explore our relationship to infectious diseases, synthetic biology, and robotics. Anna prefers to \u201creveal the strangeness\u201d of things\u2026 to help us confront the unusual and uncomfortable \u2026 to acknowledge the complexity and the beauty around us. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Anna\u2019s curiosity and her drive to confront the complexities of our world have taken her on a truly fascinating journey. She\u2019s edited genes with CRSPR, extracted DNA from killed Yesinia pestis\u00a0bacteria for her <a href=\"https:\/\/annadumitriu.co.uk\/portfolio\/plague-dress\/\">Plague Dress<\/a>, explored the ethics of artificial intelligence, and much more. Anna calls this \u201cunnecessary research\u201d and she believes it creates opportunities for discovery. It puts her and her colleagues in a place where happy accidents are more likely to occur.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We explore why and how Anna does what she does. How her path evolved and led to working side-by-side with scientists in the lab. And why you just might want to consider doing a bit more unnecessary research in your next project.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\n\nAnna Dumitriu\n\n<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignright is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/deepdive.tips\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/Anna-Dumitriu-headshot-black-and-white-1024x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-502\" width=\"256\" height=\"256\" srcset=\"https:\/\/deepdive.tips\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/Anna-Dumitriu-headshot-black-and-white-1024x1024.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/deepdive.tips\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/Anna-Dumitriu-headshot-black-and-white-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/deepdive.tips\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/Anna-Dumitriu-headshot-black-and-white-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/deepdive.tips\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/Anna-Dumitriu-headshot-black-and-white-768x768.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 256px) 100vw, 256px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Anna Dumitriu is an award winning internationally renowned British artist who works with BioArt, sculpture, installation, and digital media to explore our relationship to infectious diseases, synthetic biology and robotics. Past exhibitions include ZKM, Ars Electronica, BOZAR, The Picasso Museum, HeK Basel, Science Gallery Detroit, MOCA Taipei, LABoral, Art Laboratory Berlin, and Eden Project. She holds visiting research fellowships at the University of Hertfordshire, Brighton and Sussex Medical School, and Waag Society, as well as artist-in-residence roles with the Modernising Medical Microbiology Project at the University of Oxford, and with the National Collection of Type Cultures at Public Health England. She was the 2018 President of the Science and the Arts Section of the British Science Association. Her work has featured in many significant publications including Frieze, Artforum International Magazine, Leonardo Journal, The Art Newspaper, Nature and The Lancet. Current collaborations include the Institute of Microbiology and Microbial Biotechnology at BOKU \u2013 Universit\u00e4t f\u00fcr Bodenkultur in Vienna, the EU H2020 CHIC Consortium, the University of Leeds and the Institute of Epigenetics and Stem Cells at HelmholtzZentrum in M\u00fcnchen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Website:\u00a0<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.annadumitriu.co.uk\/\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/www.annadumitriu.co.uk<\/a>\u00a0<\/li><li>Five Words for the Future: <a href=\"https:\/\/fivewordsforthefuture.eu\/?p=1625\">https:\/\/fivewordsforthefuture.eu\/?p=1625<\/a><\/li><li>Publications:  <a href=\"https:\/\/annadumitriu.co.uk\/media-and-publications\/ \">https:\/\/annadumitriu.co.uk\/media-and-publications\/ <\/a><\/li><li>Artist in Residence &#8211;\u00a0<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.phe-culturecollections.org.uk\/news\/nctc-news\/anna-dumitriu.aspx\" target=\"_blank\">The National Collection of Type Cultures<\/a>, Public Health England<\/li><li>Artist in Residence &#8211;\u00a0<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"http:\/\/modmedmicro.nsms.ox.ac.uk\/art\/\" target=\"_blank\">Modernising Medical Microbiology<\/a>, University of Oxford<\/li><li>Artist in Residence &#8211;\u00a0<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/annadumitriu.co.uk\/portfolio\/fermenting-futures\/\" target=\"_blank\">Institute of Microbiology and Microbial Biotechnology<\/a>, Universitat fur Bodenkultur Vienna<\/li><li>Artist in Residence &#8211; EU\u00a0<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"http:\/\/chicproject.eu\/anna-dumitriu-alex-may-residency\/\" target=\"_blank\">CHIC Consortium<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0<\/li><li>Artist in Residence &#8211;\u00a0<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.helmholtz-muenchen.de\/ies\/news-and-events\/news\/news\/article\/48542\/index.html\" target=\"_blank\">Institute of Epigenetics and Stem Cells<\/a>, Helmholtz Zentrum M\u00fcnchen<\/li><li>Artist in Residence &#8211; EU\u00a0<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/capable-project.eu\/new-collaboration-with-artists\/\" target=\"_blank\">CAPABLE Consortium<\/a><\/li><li>Visiting Research Fellow &#8211;\u00a0<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"http:\/\/biocomputation.herts.ac.uk\/pages\/03-people.html\" target=\"_blank\">UH Biocomputation Research Group<\/a>, University of Hertfordshire<\/li><li>Visiting Research Fellow &#8211;\u00a0<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bsms.ac.uk\/about\/news\/2015\/05-21-exhibition-explores-the-human-ecosystem.aspx\" target=\"_blank\">Brighton and Sussex Medical School<\/a><\/li><li>Join\u00a0<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/annadumitriu.co.uk\/contact\/\" target=\"_blank\">Mailing List<\/a><\/li><li>Twitter:\u00a0<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/AnnaDumitriu\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/twitter.com\/AnnaDumitriu<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0<\/li><li>Facebook:\u00a0<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/annadumitriu\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/annadumitriu<\/a><\/li><li>LinkedIn:\u00a0<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/annadumitriu\/\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/annadumitriu\/<\/a><\/li><li>Instagram:\u00a0<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/annadumitriuart\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/annadumitriuart<\/a><\/li><li>Patreon:\u00a0<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.patreon.com\/annadumitriu\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/www.patreon.com\/annadumitriu<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Listen wherever you get your podcasts:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter\"><a href=\"http:\/\/bit.ly\/TIPSDeepDive\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"80\" src=\"http:\/\/deepdive.tips\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Listen-on-Apple-Podcasts-Badge-300x80.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-60\"\/><\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter\"><a href=\"http:\/\/bit.ly\/TIPSonGooglePodcasts\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"76\" src=\"http:\/\/deepdive.tips\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/google_podcasts_badge@8x.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-59\"\/><\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter is-resized\"><a href=\"http:\/\/bit.ly\/TIPSonStitcher\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/deepdive.tips\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Button-Stitcher-Shine.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-62\" width=\"301\" height=\"91\" srcset=\"https:\/\/deepdive.tips\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Button-Stitcher-Shine.png 558w, https:\/\/deepdive.tips\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Button-Stitcher-Shine-300x90.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 301px) 100vw, 301px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter is-resized\"><a href=\"http:\/\/bit.ly\/TIPSonSpotify\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/deepdive.tips\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/spotify-1024x307.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-61\" width=\"302\" height=\"90\" srcset=\"https:\/\/deepdive.tips\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/spotify-1024x307.png 1024w, https:\/\/deepdive.tips\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/spotify-300x90.png 300w, https:\/\/deepdive.tips\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/spotify-768x230.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 302px) 100vw, 302px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>or, listen right here:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Embed Player\" src=\"\/\/play.libsyn.com\/embed\/episode\/id\/23173634\/height\/128\/theme\/modern\/size\/standard\/thumbnail\/yes\/custom-color\/777e87\/time-start\/00:00:00\/playlist-height\/200\/direction\/backward\" height=\"128\" width=\"100%\" scrolling=\"no\" allowfullscreen=\"\" webkitallowfullscreen=\"true\" mozallowfullscreen=\"true\" oallowfullscreen=\"true\" msallowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border: none;\"><\/iframe>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>We all know the story of Sir Alexander Fleming\u2019s accidental discovery of penicillin. Similarly, the X-Ray, Insulin, and many more medical and scientific breakthroughs can be traced back to \u201chappy accidents\u201d. Each time the scientist attempted to do something else, found an odd thread and pulled it. Had they not seen it, or decided not to pull, our modern human experience would have been drastically different.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":504,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"episode_type":"","audio_file":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"","filesize":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":"","filesize_raw":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[4,9],"tags":[25],"class_list":["post-500","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-innovation","category-making-a-difference","tag-bioart"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/deepdive.tips\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/500","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/deepdive.tips\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/deepdive.tips\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/deepdive.tips\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/deepdive.tips\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=500"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/deepdive.tips\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/500\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":506,"href":"https:\/\/deepdive.tips\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/500\/revisions\/506"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/deepdive.tips\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/504"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/deepdive.tips\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=500"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/deepdive.tips\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=500"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/deepdive.tips\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=500"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}