The inaugural lecture of Prof. Sophie Servais entitled “Being and shaping tomorrow’s doctors: At the crossroads of science, care and society” will take place on Monday 07 July on Belval campus.
Presentation
In an era shaped by unprecedented scientific advances, digital transformation, economic pressures, and shifting societal expectations, the role of the physician is being redefined. Particularly in oncology—where the precision of cutting-edge therapies meets the raw complexity of human suffering, and where medical decisions carry profound ethical and economic weight—the profession stands at the crossroads of intellectual challenge, human engagement, and shared responsibility. Physicians today must navigate the tensions between data and empathy, technology and touch, knowledge and meaning. From the molecular intricacies of cancer biology to the systemic challenges of health equity and professional burnout, modern medicine calls for more than technical expertise: it demands ethical clarity, emotional resilience, and a deep commitment to both individual patients and the broader community. Prof. Servais offers this inaugural lecture as an opportunity to share her own experience of being a doctor in the 21st century and to reflect with the audience on the evolving mission of medicine and the university’s essential role in shaping the physicians of tomorrow. At a time when the University’s young medical faculty is still being built, we have a rare opportunity to imagine and design the model of medical education we truly believe in.
Biography
Sophie Servais is a hematologist with specialised expertise in hemato-oncology and cellular therapies. She graduated from the University of Liège, where she also earned a PhD in Medical Sciences, with research focusing on hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and cellular immunotherapies. Her academic and clinical trajectory has been shaped by international training and collaborations, including at the University of Montreal Hospital Center and Saint-Louis Hospital in Paris. She subsequently served for nearly eight years as a supervising physician in the transplantation unit of the University Hospital of Liège (CHU Liège) and contributed to research supported by the Belgian Foundation Against Cancer. In late 2024, she moved to Luxembourg, where she currently practices at the Centre Hospitalier de Luxembourg and, since 2025, holds the position of Associate Professor of Oncology at the University of Luxembourg.
Programme
- 17:30 Welcome speech – Pascal Bouvry, Dean of the Faculty
- 17:35 Lecture “Being and shaping tomorrow’s doctors: At the crossroads of science, care and society” – Sophie Servais, Associate professor in Medical Oncology
- 18:15 Q&A
- 18:30 Cocktail