Cognitive Labs

It's been a great year for the jellyfish, first, it was speculated that one species might be immortal in some instances. (the exercise is below)

Now, Caltech researchers in a new study make a fascinating claim - that the oceans are 'mixed' by the actions of billions of jellyfish. The data thus points out a symbiosis between biological organism and its environment - in this case, liquid water, which is the most prevalent substance on the earth's surface, creating a powerful feedback loop. The net impact of jellyfish activity matches that of tidal forces and wind.

Apparently, the results reveal a mixing mechanism first hypothesized by Charles Darwin's grandson, Charles Galton Darwin, a theoretical physicist also interested in long-range prediction using vast datasets. Overall, it is estimated that trillions of watts of energy are contributed by jellyfish and microscopic organisms towards oceanic mixing.


Physicist Charles Galton Darwin 1887-1962

"We've been studying swimming animals for quite some time," said John Dabiri, a Caltech assistant professor of aeronautics and bioengineering. "The perspective we usually take is that of how the ocean — by its currents, temperature, and chemistry — is affecting the animals. But there have been increasing suggestions that the inverse is also important — how the animals themselves, via swimming, might impact the ocean environment."

Video of this topic.

The Turritopsis test...

Labels: caltech, dabiri, darwin, galton, jellyfish

Brain Activation in 3 Dimensions - MRI

Caltech researchers led by Dr. Todd Hare using MRI have examined dieters and non-dieters and found that those with the ability to inhibit choice showed differential response in the brain from those who appear immediately susceptible to the allure of food rich in sugar and fat. From Ars technica, originally published in Science.

Labels: caltech, hare

Dr. Leroy Hood, former Bill Gates professor of Biomedical Sciences at Washington, and who runs the Institute for Systems Biology, is calling for a Genome-based approach to healthcare.

Rather than treating symptoms after they begin occurring, why not get an alert about possible issues and be proactive?

More knowledge about genes makes this possible.

Hood is also on the advisory board of Taiwan Genome Sciences, a company which has proposed an extensive partnership with us (Cognitive Labs) before.

Wired reports on the several components of Hood's vision...

Predictive

The vision
Using genome sequencing and blood tests, a doctor will be able to determine a patient's probability of developing certain diseases. The price of these tests is dropping and will soon be less than $1,000 — the same as a CT scan today.

The challenge
Physicians will have to be trained to use the technology ethically. Patients will have to make sense of new kinds of choices.

Preventive

The vision
Based on an individualized risk profile, you could start therapies in advance to cut the likelihood of illness. Drugs could be designed to blunt the desire to overeat, drink, or smoke. Average lifespan could be extended by 10 to 30 years.

The challenge
What qualifies as a disease? Will we have fewer football players if we quiet the genes that drive aggression?

Personalized

The vision
With billions of data points for every patient, drug therapies can be created to suit each genome. This would eliminate the trial-and-error approach doctors use today.

The challenge
Having your genome on Google could be a huge privacy risk. With so much information around, data security will become an important field in the health care industry.

Participatory

The vision
People will maintain their own health, not just by treating existing illnesses but by learning about their own predispositions.

The challenge
How to explain biomarkers to someone with little grasp of science? Hood proposes games that teach health concepts, and his Institute for Systems Biology is working with school districts to develop top-notch science curricula.

Labels: caltech, genome, hood, taiwan, wired