Metabolismecentret > Events > The Chemistry of Life
From Monday 15 November, part of the Lobby at the Panum Building will be used as the backdrop for an exhibition that delves deep into the lengthy tradition for metabolic research, especially at the University of Copenhagen.
With The Chemistry of Life: Four Chapters in the History of Metabolic Research, Medical Museion is introducing 400 years of research into human metabolism, of which the new Center for Basic Metabolic Research is the latest embodiment.
"We have made a visually bold and colourful exhibition full of fascinating historical items and pictures. Among other things, American molecular biologist and artist David Goodsell has created a specially commissioned window mosaic depicting a muscle cell with insulin receptors, which will be displayed in the windows facing the gardens", reports Professor Thomas Söderqvist, Director of Medical Museion.
The exhibition takes us through the history of metabolism, from Santorio Santorio's attempt, in 17th century Padua, to measure the functions of the body, to Peter Panum in the 1800s and August and Marie Krogh in the 1900s. It ends with modern molecular metabolic research in the 21st century.
Help write the rest of the story
With authentic objects from the Medical Museion's rich historic collections supplemented with graphical collages of historic pictures and texts, the exhibition focuses on how historical developments of measuring instruments relate to our understanding of metabolism.
Despite appearing to be complete, the exhibition is designed to allow visitors to revise it. Over the next five months, Medical Museion will be inviting researchers, technicians and students at the Faculty of Health Sciences to collect objects from laboratories and clinics and join in a dialogue about how to interpret the recent history of metabolic research.
The exhibition has been made by:
Main curator: Adam Bencard, Medical Museion
Associate curator: Sven Erik Hansen, Medical Museion
Producers: Bente Vinge Pedersen and Thomas Söderqvist, Medical Museion
Architect: Mikael Thorsted, Studio 8
Graphic design: Helle Madsen, Frk Madsen
Collection management and conservation: Ion Meyer, Nanna Gerdes, and Niels Christian Vilstrup-Møller, Medical Museion
Graphic production: Exponent Stougaard A/S
More information
Read more about Medical Museion's development of the exhibition here and here (Both in danish)
Listen to a radio broadcast about th exhibition (In danish).
Read about an alternative use of the exhibition (In danish)