Ceremony in memory of Professor Jana Šmardová and presentation of her book "What tumors teach us"

On Wednesday 17 January 2024, a memorial event in honour of Professor Jana Šmardová, molecular biologist whose home institution was the Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, took place in the Mendel Museum. The celebration also included the presentation of the English translation of her book "What tumors teach us" (published in Czech in 2021 under the title "Co nás učí nádory").

Many of her colleagues and students were on the podium. They honoured her memory with personal memories and words of thanks for her inspiring personality. The audience also listened to a recording of Lucie Endlicherová's interview with Jana Šmardová "Death is necessary for life" (Radio 7, programme "Zákoutí"). The interview gave the background to the creation of her unusually conceived book, which combines the world of biology and philosophy. Musical compositions performed by Šarka Mitevová and Hana Ulrychová were also dedicated to the memory of Professor Šmardová.

At the end of the ceremony Jan Žaloudík, Jana Koptíková, Markéta Munzarová, and Tomáš Kašparovský, together with Jan Šmarda and Alena Mizerová, presented the book to the English-speaking readers. May it be as much an inspiration to them as was its author.

The English edition was published with the support of the MU Faculty of Science and Roche and Life M.