Inspiration from the TEDMED Stage
by: Andrew A. Radin
CEO, twoXAR
As with many of my fellow Americans, I have been reflecting about events that have been highlighted in 2016 in the media. Racial strife, gun violence and a polarizing political environment were repeated themes throughout the year. Over dinners and social events, the conversations with friends and family have been morose at times, as many are wondering if society is taking a turn for the worse.
I’m here to tell you that isn’t the case — there is a dedicated group of talented individuals working quietly to make the world a better place.
As a recent speaker at TEDMED 2016, I was fortunate enough to meet dozens of these inspiring pioneers and watch them on stage answering the question… “What if?” The solutions that the speakers have developed are surprising, mind-boggling, and, frankly, amazing. The three from my session that I highlight below were particularly intriguing to me, and have had me considering how they could be applied in the context of twoXAR.
Ricky Solorzano, CTO of BioBots
Ricky and his team are working on a 3D printing technology to build biological structures on demand. This technology will allow scientists to one-day build entire organs at the press of a button. As a scientist who is interested in efficiency in drug development, the promise of this technology makes me a bit giddy inside. At twoXAR, after the computational research, we undergo extensive biological tests that can takes months to execute. With technology like BioBots, we could potentially print ourselves a human liver and test our latest liver cancer treatments in an afternoon.
Carolyn Edelstein, Director of Policy and Global Partnerships at OpenBiome
I’m fascinated by the OpenBiome method, which is one where “healthy” bacterial cultures are used to wipe out invasive bacterial infections that are the cause of disease. This novel approach of using bacteria to fight bacteria has massive potential given the growing problem of bacterial resistance to antibiotics. It has given me new ideas to consider in the science of twoXAR, as we explore naturally occurring molecules and nutraceuticals which have the potential to be effective medications in treating disease. Who knows, we could even add bacterial cultures to our data catalogs and examine how they might effect a myriad of diseases using our technology.
Nathaniel David, CEO of Unity Biotechnology
David and his team are working on medicines to target senescent cells, which play a role in aging and disease. In preclinical studies they have early evidence that this approach may help prevent or reverse a wide range of diseases including many that are under study at twoXAR. As we explore combination therapies at twoXAR, I’m encouraged that approaches such as the one at Unity could be coupled with other therapies to generate a more holistic and complete effect.
Printing organs, bacteria therapy and anti-aging medications all are examples of brilliant minds tackling hard problems with creative solutions. As we head into the holiday season, I hope the encouraging news behind these exciting projects brings you the same warmth and happiness it brings me.
