Cancer is a lens in which to understand modern society and the acquisition of knowledge, argues Pulitzer-Prize winning author and oncologist Siddhartha Mukherjee. In this wide-ranging interview with journalist Dean Nelson, Dr. Mukherjee goes on to describe himself as a "sober optimist" about the future of cancer research as he urges the cancer community to demand more public support for cancer therapies, treatments and prevention. He was presented as part of the Exploring Ethics series convened around his best-selling book, "The Emperor of all Maladies: A Biography of Cancer" by the Center for Ethics in Science and Technology and the Helen Edison Lecture Series at UC San Diego Extension. (#25516)