The Next Biotech Breakthroughs (written in 2014)
Genetically Engineered FoodIt might not be pretty, but it is the future. Few wonder what kind of conditions a chicken lived in before it turned up in their sandwich. Most kids love to see the caged animals, out of the natural environment, in zoos. And what about that canary, who once flew so freely in the wild, that now sits on his perch in Aunt Mabel’s living room cage.
Debates will continue to rage, while scientists continue their work at the behest of governments, all of which are looking for cost savings and experimental technology. |
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Gene Therapy
Gene therapy treatments for cancer and cardiovascular disease have already been approved in China and Russia. It is likely to be as common a medical treatment in the very near future as antibiotics are now.
By the end of 2013, both Europe and the US are likely to approve their first gene therapy treatments. You can read more about the progress of gene therapy. Article Link |
Stem Cell Research
In 2012, Drs. Gurdon and Yamanaka received the Nobel Prize in Medicine for their work on reprogramming normal body cells to make stem cells – it is known as induced pluripotent stem cells.
The progress in stem cell research has been rapid in recent years and it is sure to be at the forefront of medical research and advancements for the coming years. Article Link |
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The latest bionic leg
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Bionic TechnologyAdvanced Bionics have received approval for their cochlear implant technology.
Article Link As so many military personnel have lost limbs in worldwide conflicts in recent years, the advances in replacement limb technology is not just improving all the time, but is under pressure to advance. While we wouldn’t want to sound cynical, spending money in this area makes for good headlines for politicians. Although there is clearly a long way to go, if these artificial limbs become standard supply, you can only imagine how quickly the technology is moving on. Article Link An indicator of the status the research is at in early 2013, a hand has been developed that can touch and feel. Article Link |
Transplant Technology
3D Bio Printing has developed dramatically in the past couple of years. This video is from a 2010 TV news item. Keith Murphy, CEO of Organovo a breakthrough three-dimensional biology research centre, said this in early 2013, "Scientists and engineers can use the 3D bio printers to enable placing cells of almost any type into a desired pattern in 3D. Researchers can place liver cells on a preformed scaffold, support kidney cells with a co-printed scaffold, or form adjacent layers of epithelial and stromal soft tissue that grow into a mature tooth. Ultimately the idea would be for surgeons to have tissue on demand for various uses, and the best way to do that is get a number of bio-printers into the hands of researchers and give them the ability to make three dimensional tissues on demand."
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