Do Single Cells Possess Agency? Learning and Memory Without a Brain | Dr. Arjun Raj | In Vivo Ep. 43

<p>Can a single cell learn?</p><p><br /></p><p>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.</p><p><br /></p><p>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. </p><p><br /></p><p>This conversation sits at the intersection of rigorous molecular biology and deep philosophical questions about determinism, free will, and what it means to learn.</p><p><br /></p><p>Dr. Arjun Raj’s lab website: https://rajlab.seas.upenn.edu/</p><p><br /></p><p>Watch Arjun Raj’s full Heilmeier Award lecture “Can a Cell Learn?”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gs_a_MFb8Ts</p><p><br /></p><p>In Vivo on X - https://x.com/InVivoPodOnX</p><p><br /></p><p>In Vivo on Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/@InVivoPodcast</p><p><br /></p><p>In Vivo on Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/in-vivo/id1775578563</p><p><br /></p><p>In Vivo on Amazon Podcasts - https://music.amazon.ca/podcasts/1ac4dbec-df46-4d1f-b0a1-742e9656ef44/in-vivo</p>