The scientific method
In the late 18th century, the physician Luigi Galvani applied electrical shocks to the legs of a dissected frog and observed how the muscles contracted violently. That experiment not only demonstrated, for the first time, the effects of electricity on the nervous system, but also escaped the confines of the laboratory to inspire popular culture—right up to the present day.
That “living electricity” became the natural principle that led Mary Shelley to bring Frankenstein to life, creating a foundational work of science fiction and bringing scientific debate closer to the general public.
But the true paradigm shift that emerged at that time was methodological. Galvani, along with thousands of researchers over the centuries, was refining and testing something that would become fundamental to modern science: the scientific method. Without that standardized and rigorous framework—without observation, hypothesis formulation, and laboratory experimentation—our current reality would be unattainable.
All these elements are part of a long process that has been standardized over centuries and, thanks to its effectiveness, has expanded the frontiers of knowledge and technology. Without the scientific method, we would not have the knowledge needed to unravel the mysteries of quantum mechanics, map the human mind through neuroscience, or simulate our own cognition through artificial intelligence.
All of today’s technology is, in essence, the amplified echo of those first questions asked at a laboratory bench.
From fiction to reality: “Zombosomes”
If Dr. Frankenstein used body parts to create life, our own brains seem to have a microscopic version of this concept. A recent study published in Cell Reports has revealed the existence of “zombosomes.”
Imagine tiny vehicles inside your head. Normally, astrocytes (the cells that support and protect your neurons) create these nucleus-free bodies (hence the “zombie” nickname) to clean up cellular debris. However, it has been observed that in diseases such as Parkinson’s, this process can malfunction and cause problems.
Like something out of a horror story, these vehicles are “hijacked”: instead of cleaning, they become loaded with toxic molecules and actively travel to infect healthy cells, spreading the disease. This discovery is crucial because it helps us understand the “what” and the “why” of the pathology, opening the door to future treatments.
A miracle in the lab: The end of pancreatic cancer (in mice)
At times, results emerge that seem almost miraculous. The team led by Dr. Mariano Barbacid, supported by CRIS Against Cancer, has achieved what once seemed unattainable: the complete and lasting disappearance of pancreatic cancer in experimental models.
What is remarkable is not only that the tumor disappeared, but that it did so without any recorded side effects in the mice. This success marks a milestone in the preclinical phase, the controlled environment where the safety and efficacy of treatments are tested before they are even considered for human use.
If we have already cured the mouse, what remains before these treatments can be requested?
It is not that simple. This process is known as translational medicine. A mouse is not a miniature human; our biology is far more complex. What cures a rodent may be toxic to us—or simply ineffective.
Before reaching patients, these findings must pass through three rigorous clinical phases in humans, from testing safety in a small group of volunteers to confirming efficacy in thousands of patients.
Crossing this bridge between the promise of the laboratory and the reality of hospitals is no easy task. It requires years of meticulous work, massive investment, and unwavering patience from both the scientific community and the society that supports it.
So, what do Frankenstein’s monster, lab mice, and modern researchers have in common? They are all links in the same chain, driven by human curiosity: the relentless need to decode life.
bibliography
Dakhel, A., Beretta, C., Mothes, T., Hakhverdyan, S., Michno, W., Rostami, J., & Erlandsson, A. (2026). Zombosomes are anucleated cell couriers that spread $\alpha$-synuclein pathology. Cell Reports, 45, 116831. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2025.116831
Conde, M. A. (LinkedIn). Publicación sobre el avance del equipo del Dr. Mariano Barbacid y la importancia del liderazgo ("True Leadership") en la investigación financiada por CRIS Contra el Cáncer.
CRIS Contra el Cáncer (LinkedIn). Publicación oficial detallando la eliminación del cáncer de páncreas en modelos de ratón y la necesidad de financiación para fases clínicas