The biggest innovations of the 21st century will be at the intersection of biology and technology. A new era is beginning
On the 11th of January 2020, China shared the genetic sequence of the coronavirus with the world. A mere 48 hours later, on the 13th of January, the biotechnology firm Moderna had used the genetic sequence to finalize the design of a vaccine that went on to reach efficacy levels of 94.5%. This remarkable fete was enabled by Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology. AI in recent years has been transforming the biotechnology sector leading to what is now being termed – The Bio Revolution.
McKinsey lists Bio Revolution as one of the top 10 tech trends that will shape the coming decade. Seven of the last ten Nobel Prizes in Chemistry have been awarded to advances in biochemistry. The Bio Revolution represents a convergence of biological science related to the study of chemical processes within and relating to living organisms and IT technologies such as automation and artificial intelligence. Biological science + AI = Bio Revolution. Apple’s Co-Founder Steve Jobs saw this coming a decade ago, when asked about the most disruptive developments he saw on the radar. His answer was: “The biggest innovations of the 21st century will be at the intersection of biology and technology. A new era is beginning.”
Editing Life
Health and nutrition are among the most basic needs of societies around the globe. It’s the definition of systemic relevance. Based on the converging worlds of genes, cells and data, the Bio Revolution leads to a new foundation for scientific breakthroughs in those areas
In 2020 Emmanuelle Charpentier and Jennifer Doudna shared the 2020 Nobel chemistry prize for their discovery of a game-changing gene-editing technique – CRISPR – a form of biotechnology that can “turn off” genes to study their impact with an aim of creating gene therapies. The technique can introduce specific mutations, study cancerous cells, people’s predisposition to diseases, create gene therapies and compose personalized medicines. It can also be used to alter the genes of plants and animals, to create resilient crops and meatier animals.
Bio Revolution is shaking up the very idea of what it means to be human. Werner Baumann, CEO of Bayer AG aptly summarised the relevance of Bio Revolution stating that “Health and nutrition are among the most basic needs of societies around the globe. It’s the definition of systemic relevance. Based on the converging worlds of genes, cells and data, the Bio Revolution leads to a new foundation for scientific breakthroughs in those areas”. Bio Revolution is editing the very life on earth. A worrying but exhilarating prospect.
AI & Automation – Pillars of Bio Revolution
CRISPR technology is powered by AI and automation. AI helps scientist model what happens in a cell after the DNA of that cell has been modified with CRISPR. When CRISPR is applied to a site in the genome, AI is helping predict what sort of mutations will be caused. The data to train the AI models come from experiments that target CRISPR to thousands of different sites in the genome and capture what sorts of mutations it can cause. The data produced includes hundreds of millions of actual DNA mutations. Using this unprecedented and valuable dataset on the types of mutations caused by CRISPR, AI algorithm are trained to identify and predict patterns.
Conclusion
Bio Revolution, with its convergence of science and technology, is promising to tackle some of the most critical challenges our world faces, from pandemics to chronic diseases, and feeding the ever-increasing population of our planet. Partnering with AI, Big Data, Automation and Quantum Computing it promises the potential to significantly improve our lives, our nutrition, and our health. However, to leverage the proven benefits of the Bio Revolution safely and ethically requires collaboration at a global level. The promise of the technology is appealing, however, substantial effort is required to mitigate the profound risks and issues associated with a technology that tinkers with the code of life. Perhaps this is another area where computer technology like the Blockchain can help.
