In this episode of In Vivo, I sit down with systems and single-cell biologist Dr. Arjun Raj (University of Pennsylvania) to explore one of the most provocative ideas in modern biology: that individual cells can form memories and adapt in ways that go far beyond their genetic code.
We dive into Raj’s groundbreaking research on cellular learning and non-genetic memory, including how melanoma cells can “learn” to resist cancer drugs without acquiring new mutations. Drawing from his 2024 Heilmeier Award lecture “Can a Cell Learn?”, we unpack the difference between genetic destiny and cellular agency, the role of the transcription factor AP-1, and what it means for a cell to remember past experiences.
This conversation sits at the intersection of rigorous molecular biology and deep philosophical questions about determinism, free will, and what it means to learn.
Dr. Arjun Raj’s lab website: https://rajlab.seas.upenn.edu/
Watch Arjun Raj’s full Heilmeier Award lecture “Can a Cell Learn?”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gs_a_MFb8Ts
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