Synthetic Biology: Promising Better Medical Treatment
The past decade saw medical achievements that are almost impossible if not for incredible advances in synthetic biology. Entire body parts can now be transplanted if you are injured or crippled beyond healing. Organic body parts can now even be grown from scratch in the lab like retinas, skin tissues and more. New breakthroughs in treating and preventing cancer that do not harm healthy tissues using synthetic treatments. A degenerative organ can now be treated by manipulating its genetic makeup, like a reboot of the organic system, helping it recover, heal and function normally.
Large-Scale Transplants
Crippling injuries now have radical treatment options. If a body part or internal organ gets harmed or damaged beyond healing, a process where entire body parts can now be transplanted is now a real medical solution. In 2005, a French woman got a new face in the world’s first such transplant. In 2008, a German man got two new arms, also a first.
The Human Genome: Mapped
The three billion genetic base pairs for around 25,000 human genes were decoded, two and a half years ahead of schedule. The results were published in 2003 and will have a huge impact on research in molecular biology. Scientists and medical researchers can now copy genes to mimic healthy genes to replace damaged ones or replace regressive genes and introduce gene therapy to heal degenerative diseases.
Successful Gene Therapies
Clinical trials were successful for injecting a gene to replace a defective one in the retinas of six patients with a congenital retinal disease that causes blindness. The treatment has been very effective among younger patients.
Tissue Engineering
In 2008, researchers got a cadaver rat heart to beat on its own by stripping the organ of its cells and regrowing them with live stem cells from another animal. This method may be used for growing a patient replacement organs, using his own cells, then growing them on biological scaffolds. In the future there will be no need for donor organs.
Nano-med Miracles
There are radical new nano particle cancer treatments. One process has tumors getting injected with iron nano particles. The iron is agitated by a rapidly alternating magnetic field, raising the temperature and destroying the malignant cells while leaving healthy cells unharmed.
