A few years ago, I attended a conference for pharmacists who specialize in working with medical cannabis. An expert on cancer and medical cannabis gave a presentation after the introductory speech. The lecture was intended for a general audience without prior experience in lab work. It is likely that he was able to secure substantial funding through his brilliant research, strong management skills, and ability to effectively deliver his ideas from brain to tongue. In addition to scientific findings of his team, his presentation was engaging in another aspect. There was a sense of confidence and persuasiveness in his presentation.

According to the presenter, his lab was capable of conducting 96 independent experiments simultaneously to test the hypothesis, namely whether Cannabis extracts inhibit tumor cell viability. His team found that Cannabis extracts with similar levels of (-)-Δ⁹–trans-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) had significantly different effects on tumor cell survival in vitro, and that tumors respond differently to cannabis extracts depending on their receptors [1]. It is currently mandatory to specify the route, concentration of cannabidiol and THC when prescribing medical cannabis to patients in Israel [2]. Based on this research it is critical to note, however, that even extracts with similar levels of THC affect tumor cell survival differently. As a result, more research is clearly needed to improve guidelines for prescribing cannabis for medical purposes.

So far, medical cannabis benefits are more based on the host and the product. There are no guarantees when it comes to anti-tumor properties for a specific tumor, especially with current knowledge, guidelines and products. It is no secret that products in the country are changing very rapidly. Basically, I don’t claim it works as anti-tumor agent, I don’t claim it doesn’t, but it is clear that more research is needed. For now, let’s put this aside.

However, what does it actually mean to be able to perform 96 different cell viability tests each time?

Was he right? Yes, he told the truth. Did it sound impressive to a general audience at that moment? I think so. This choice of words emphasizes repetition, adds a sense of quantity, and gives the listener a sense of trust in the data. But is it really that impressive? It’s doubtful… A simple 96-well plate is used to seed tumor cells, incubate them with viability agents, and then read them on a plate reader or using another method. Almost any Ph.D./M.S. student does these 96 experiments every day/week. Some people are naturally good at it, while others need to look carefully for ideas on how to present their work.

According to Austin Kleon in his book “Show Your Work! : 10 Ways to Share Your Creativity and Get Discovered”:

” Words matter. Artists love to trout out the tired line, ” My work speaks for itself”, but the truth is, our work doesn’t speak for itself. <…> The stories you tell about the work you do have a huge effect on how people feel and what they understand about your work affects how they value it”

I highly recommend it to anyone who needs a boost to start showing their work. Available via a link on Amazon. It was a personal recommendation, not a promotion. It’s thanks to Ali Abdaal that I got this book.

How important is it to speak up for your work?

Aside from academia, medicine, conferences, and pharmacy, we express ourselves at every job requiring human interaction. Often, we represent our workplace. Making meaningful connections, providing professional advice, and sometimes even persuading others to follow our expert advice depending on how we talk about what we do. The art of words may help us acquire funding or get published. We use it sometimes to express our appreciation to sponsors.

Recently I received an email from Technion informing me that my thank-you letter has been selected for delivery to Technion supporters for my Doctoral Fellowship in 2021/2022. Is it a big deal? Probably not, but knowing I can reach somebody to advocate for my work with a few keystrokes is pleasant. In the future, I hope that my son will be able to speak for his work or at least express himself in a way that touches other people’s souls no matter what field he chooses to pursue.

[1] Baram, L., Peled, E., Berman, P., Yellin, B., Besser, E., Benami, M., Louria-Hayon, I., Lewitus, G.M. and Meiri, D. (2019). The heterogeneity and complexity of Cannabis extracts as antitumor agents. Oncotarget, 10(41), p.4091. Available on Internet via link. Accessed on Internet [6 Feb 2023]

[2] Aviram, J., Lewitus, G.M., Vysotski, Y., Abu Amna, M., Ouryvaev, A., … & Meiri, D. (2022). The effectiveness and safety of medical cannabis for treating cancer related symptoms in oncology patients. Accepted to Frontiers in Pain Research.‬‬‬ Available on Internet via link. Accessed on Internet [6 Feb 2023].