Genetically Engineering the future

People oftentimes ask, "What will the future be like?" Will we have flying cars, biological computers or superhuman intelligence? These ideas have fueled our imaginations for years and have been the bedrock for science fiction. But, what would "medical" science fiction entail? Will the role of Doctors, Pharmacists, Medical Technologists or Radiographers be obsolete or will they have to adjust their roles to become more of an engineer than just a medical professional? The simple answer is all professions will become engineered in some way. This is because the entire human race and existence will be bioengineered in some way. Humans will become either half machines (cyborgs) or full machines (robots). Medical Laboratories will play the role of genetically engineering humans and other biological systems for the future. The main focus of the medical technologists will be genetics which is the fastest growing discipline in Laboratory Medicine. Our human genetic code is like a computer programming language which can program a cell like a computer software. Hence, by editing human genetics, we can alter the functions of human cell biology and create superhumans like the X-Men published by Marvel Comics. This sounds like 'medical' science fiction. Sounds like Spiderman (Peter Parker) being bitten by a genetically engineered spider which changes his DNA thus giving him superhuman powers. WOW! Is this real?

Yes, it is science fiction but some science fact is in it. Humans that are genetically engineered might not have superhuman powers like Spiderman or Hulk, but genetic engineering can enhance certain biological features of both plants and animals. For example, Golden Rice was engineered to biosynthesize beta-carotene, a precursor of Vitamin A. Hence, Golden Rice was used to treat patients with Vitamin A deficiency. This is an example of genetic engineering doing good for humanity. To prepare for the future, we have to embrace engineering principles and combine them with genetics to operate effective Medical Labs. Biomedical Engineers could replace the role of Doctors and Medical Technologists with robotics and artificial intelligence. The intent is not to advance science fiction but to show us that fiction can easily become fact in the future. Thanks to genetics.

The Sci-Fi of Medical Laboratories

The future of Medical Laboratories lies in the hands of Biomedical Engineers. Automation is slowly replacing the role of the Medical Technologists whom will be redundant when robotics take over the world and humans become a multiplanetary species. The above sentence might sound like a weird sci-fi Elon Musk quote but colonizing other planets is possible. With genetic and software engineering built on the framework of artificial intelligence, the future of humans is predictable via statistical science. We as medical laboratory scientists can now embrace our imaginary instincts and make science fiction into science reality. My imagination of the Medical Laboratory in the future is one operated by machines only. There is a possibility that Humans and Machines could also be symbiotic in this future of medical labs but no pure bred human will be doing blood analysis.

Leaving Earth to reside on other planets will require humans to become half machines (hybrids) or fully biomedically engineered (mutants). This will involve editing of genes to reverse human aging, eliminate human disease as well as enhance human intelligence. Science Fiction has made a lot of predictions about healthcare and will continue to encourage imagination amongst the engineering geniuses of the future. One example is the Tricoder from the Star Trek series. The bottom line is that the Sci-Fi of Medical Laboratories will not involve humans but will be fully automated with artificial intelligence software and robotics hardware. Another example of Sci-Fi is COVID-19 which exemplifies a genetically engineered virus built in a medical laboratory. Science Fact might cause COVID-19 to wipe out the human race and/or change our genetics making us into machines.

Collecting Medical Laboratory Data

Data is the new oil. Companies are using data to drive decisions now more than ever. Collecting data from patients about the medical laboratory will be the foundation of technological advancements in Laboratory Medicine. Whether in the field of AI or Quantum Computing, there will be data collection at the epicenter of these advancements. Tools primarily used for data collection include: Surveys, Questionnaires and Interviews. With the internet, online businesses such as Google, Facebook and Amazon are swimming in an ocean of data. This data gives these internet companies power that not even the world government has. These companies know more about their customers than the customers know about themselves. They know your location, your preferences, where you were born and even your family members. This information is used as knowledge for marketers to target individuals with personalized products. This is AI at work.

Data will take us into the future when the robots take over the world. We will have hotels and bioengineered humans on Mars. At this point, cryptocurrencies will replace banks, brain-computer interfaces will be a reality, cars will be driverless, space travel will be like air travel and human cells will be biological computers that are genetically programmed. All of this will be part of the data revolution that we are now experiencing. Gav-Med wants to keep you informed and data-rich as these changes take place.  

Quantum Mechanics

Medical Laboratories will eventually have to adapt to new technologies in order to produce faster and more accurate health data to patients. One of these technologies is Quantum Computing which is built on the theories of quantum mechanics. Superposition and Entanglement are the main foundations of this new idea called qubits (quantum bits) which are similar to bits (0/1) in binary. In quantum mechanics, 0 and 1 can exist as both states at the same time. This is referred to as superposition. Very complex calculations that could take a classical computer decades to compute can take a small amount of time for a quantum computer to compute.

In Laboratory Medicine, the field of artificial intelligence and machine learning is slowly taking precedence. The use of health data to predict diseases is reducing health care cost and identifying high risk factors for disease. Diagnosis is become more accurate with the use of technology and is ushering in the age of information into the lives of all patients. Self diagnosis will soon become a reality for all with wearable health monitors such as a watch that monitors pulse or blood pressure. The internet will play an important role in the communication of data and this will be made faster and more accurate with quantum mechanics. This proves the impact of STEM related subjects on Laboratory Medicine. Science (Physics), Technology (AI), Engineering (Biomedical) and Mathematics (Statistics) will transform how Medical Laboratories operate. Quantum Mechanics and AI is at the forefront of a technological revolution that will affect every industry.