Short Wave A Deeply Personal Race Against A Fatal Brain Disease
Nov 21, 2022
Sonia Vallabh, a dedicated researcher, is on a mission to eliminate genetic prion disease that took her mother's life. Along with her husband, Eric Minikel, they transitioned from law and urban planning to founding a lab at MIT and Harvard, driven by a personal urgency due to Sonia’s own genetic mutation. They share insights on managing their research with family life, the complexities of developing treatments, and the touching conversations about clinical trials with their children. Their story is one of courage, love, and hope in the face of daunting challenges.
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Morning Routine
- Sonia and Eric's morning routine revolves around their children.
- Eric makes elaborate breakfasts, and they tag-team childcare before work.
Running a Lab Together
- Running a prion science lab involves fundraising, planning, managing staff, and lab work.
- Sonia and Eric view their partnership as essential for managing the workload.
Racing Against Time
- Sonia and Eric aim to cure or treat prion disease, facing an unknown deadline due to Sonia's genetic predisposition.
- The urgency has increased as Sonia has gotten older and had children.