Since 2001, the MIT Science and Technology Review has published “Top 10 Breakthrough Technologies”, namely TR10 (Technology Review 10), and predicts its potential for large-scale commercialization and its significant impact on human life and society.

These technologies represent the development frontier and future development direction of the current world science and technology, and reflect the new characteristics and new trends of the world's science and technology development in recent years, and will lead the research direction for the future. Many of these technologies have already entered the market, leading the development of industrial technology, and greatly promoting economic and social development and technological innovation.

As Jason Pontin, editor-in-chief of the MIT Technology Review, said, the definition of breakthrough technology is very simple, that is, it can bring people high-quality technology solutions. Some technologies are the crystallization of engineers' genius ideas, while others are the masters of many attempts by scientists to solve problems that have long plagued them (such as deep learning). The purpose of the selection of “Top 10 Breakthrough Technologies” is not only to show people new innovations, but also to emphasize that human intelligence has enabled these innovative technologies.

Therefore, the author will screen for scientific breakthroughs in the medical field from 2012 to 2016. Due to the rapid change of technology, it only combed within the last 5 years. In view of the length of the article, it will be divided into two parts, each introducing seven techniques. This article is the first one. These technologies are created to solve problems and will greatly expand the potential of human beings. They may also change the face of the world and deserve special attention in the future.

1. Nanopore sequencing (2012)

Flow chart of nanopore sequencing

It can read longer gene fragments, which helps to understand the complex regions of the genome.

Maturity: at least 10 years later

Breakthrough point: Pull single-stranded DNA through the protein pores to detect small changes in conductance when bases pass through

Importance: Genomic sequencing is faster, cheaper, and more convenient, opening the era of personalized medicine

The main player in the field: Oxford Nanopore

In the development of longitudinal observation technology, no technology is as slow as nanopore sequencing. In 1996, Daniel Branton of Harvard University, David Deamer of the University of California, and colleagues, published an article in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, PNAS, that the use of membrane channels to detect polynucleotide sequences. The idea of ​​sequencing using nanopores is very straightforward: let DNA bases pass through the nanopore one by one, while quickly identifying each base. Compared with other DNA sequencing methods, it does not require the use of fluorescent reagents to identify bases or knock out DNA molecules or amplified fragments, and can quickly detect gene translocations.

In 2005, Oxford Nanopore, founded by Bayley, Gordon Sanghera and Spike Wilcocks, validated the commercial capabilities of nanopore sequencing. The technology provides a way to make genome sequencing faster, cheaper, and more convenient, allowing doctors to create the era of personalized medicine as the most common sequencing method, but the accuracy rate needs to be improved.

Especially in 2012, Oxford Nanopore introduced MinION, a handheld nanopore sequencer that is easy to carry and inexpensive. It can read longer gene fragments. The average reading length of this platform is about 5kb, and the longest can reach 20kb, which helps to understand the complex regions of the genome. MinION can also be plugged into the laptop's USB port to display the data generation process on the screen. Recent studies have shown that MinION is quite practical, can accurately sequence small genomes (such as bacteria and yeast genomes), distinguish between closely related bacteria and viruses, and read complex regions of the human genome.

This year, Jingyue Ju of Columbia University and Professor George Church of Harvard University jointly developed a nanopore-based single-molecule synthesis-sequence (SBS) system to upgrade this sequencing technology to create high-throughput Single molecule nanopore sequencing platform. But scientists are currently improving the accuracy of this sequencing by slowing the speed of DNA sequences through the nanopore. After all, the technology is not yet mature.

2. Ovipositen stem cells (2012)

Harvard University reproductive biologist Jonathan Tilly

Humans also have an egg-like stem cell like an animal such as a mouse, or can be an endless source of eggs.

Maturity: questioned

Breakthrough point: precise cell sorting technology, separation of oogonia stem cells from adult ovaries

Importance: A large number of ovarian stem cells are cultivated in the laboratory to treat female infertility and even delay premature ovarian failure

Major players in the field: Massachusetts General Hospital, OvaScience, Jonathan Tilly

Jonathan Tilly, a reproductive biologist at Harvard University, who also directed a reproductive biology center at the Massachusetts General Hospital, proved that humans also have an egg-like stem cell like an animal such as a mouse, or can become endless. The source of the egg. Because for a woman, after 40 years of age, the number and quality of eggs will decline, the discovery of "egg stem cells" is expected to provide a new method for the treatment of female infertility, and even delay the premature ovarian failure.

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