Zetountes Lecture Dr Llewellyn Cox, OR 1988-1996

The first Zetountes Lecture of the year took place this week and this had an international flavour as scholars and Sixth Form scientists attended an online session with Dr Llewellyn Cox. An Associate Professor in the Keck School of Medicine at the University Southern California, Dr Cox teaches courses in pharmaceutical commercialization and science communications.

A pupil at King’s School between 1988 and 1996, Llewellyn’s passion for scientific enquiry took him to Los Angeles via Sheffield University, the University of Wales (where he was capped for Wales at Korfball) and the Cornell Medical School in New York. His research into cell and molecular biology led to the discovery PLC-zeta: the “Spark of Life” that awakens the senescent egg immediately following fertilization by a sperm cell.

The breakfast call from USA (Pacific Daylight Time) offered a fascinating insight into this science and Dr Cox’s work in LA’s biotech start-up community. The co-founder of Lab Launch which provides laboratory space for research and development, this unique public-private venture has helped support projects creating water from air and pioneer work around a cure for Type-1 Diabetes.

Following his talk, Professor Cox took questions from the group, providing some significant messages around the collaborative nature of Science, the different routes that scientific careers can follow and the singular importance of seeking after knowledge, an attitude which is central to the Zetountes Society’ aims.  The pupils were privileged to hear from Dr Cox and his fascinating work, launched at King’s School.