The Global Synthetic Biology Revolution.
I have been writing about the impact of new technologies on society and jobs for over 7 years now but there are two technologies that are starting to push forward at alarming rates and we believe that future careers in these two fields are going to exponentially grow over the next 5 to 10 years.
You may have guessed that the first one is AI. The media is saturated with new AI apps, GPT technology and AI-human interfaces. So, forgive me for not regurgitating AI news here but I must recommend you watch some YouTube videos on Sam Altman, (the next Gates?) Perhaps.
The second one is synthetic biology.
As Pieter Diamandes writes, this technology is driven by the convergence of next-generation sequencing (NGS), CRISPR, gene-therapy delivery vehicles, the rise of personalized medicine, and the AI-led translation of significant portions of the clinical R&D process into zeroes and ones.
If genetic engineering proves safe and effective, it could treat, prevent, and eventually reverse all monogenic and all gene-mediated, age-related diseases. All of them!
Proponents suggest that somatic gene editing will soon become sufficiently advanced and demonetized to make a huge impact in medicine. For diseases that cannot be treated or prevented somatically, increased precision and better comprehension of genetic penetrance will ensure that even germline edits will one day be reversible by additional germline edits.
Physician and ethicist Leon Kass, claims the role of traditional medicine is not to augment humans considered healthy today, but to treat textbook illnesses.
What is true though is that while concepts of disease shift constantly, gene therapies are here to stay.
For example, last month a new CRISPR-based tool called “base editing” offered life-saving results to a 13-year-old girl whose leukemia was incurable by any traditional therapy.
This all-new technique, which used base-edited T-cells, allowed scientists to quickly alter a single DNA base (think changing the chemical letter G to A), offering Alyssa and her family a degree of hope that was previously unthinkable.
Another exciting example is a CRISPR edit injected into your body that permanently modifies the PCSK9 gene in your liver. This gene produces a protein responsible for producing LDL (the “bad-cholesterol”) in your bloodstream. A single injection has the potential to ultimately prevent heart disease and stroke, the number one and number three major killers in humans.
Multi-factorial genetic conditions, like aging, will increasingly be perceived as a solvable medical condition.
The synthetic biology revolution is fast arriving!
How will these technologies benefit you? What new careers are going to emerge and grow? If you’re a wealth advisor, will you advise your clients to plan for an age of 120 years-old instead of just 80? And how will we train the next generation of synthetic biological surgeons?
The world is changing. Really fast. If you would like to learn more about how to build your future career roadmap, get in touch with us at FutureproofMe.io
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