Professor Jan Vincents Johannessen, MD, PhD, Drhc, is a true Renaissance man. He is not only a professor emeritus of Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, but also a scientist, best-selling author, Multi-Platinum Award–winning songwriter, painter, photographer and much more.

He has written more than 200 scientific papers and literature on topics ranging from autopsy techniques to cancer research and electron microscopy. And his book Kunsten å Leve (The Art of Living) has sold more than 200,000 copies in Norway, making it the country’s top-selling nonfiction. Its English adaptation, Life Is a River, was published by Viking in 2013.

Professor Johannessen is also recognized for his work in the arts. Among his most famous musical compositions is the official 1994 Winter Olympics song, a duet performed by Sissel Kyrkjebø and Plácido Domingo. His paintings, too, have been exhibited worldwide, while his photographs have been published in major magazines, including Life, Time, Paris Match and Stern.

Currently, he serves as chairman of the InterNational Foundation and Sørlandets Kunstmuseum, as well as CEO of the Norwegian Radium Hospital Research Foundation and the Montebello Center.