ABSTRACT
Martin Caidin’s novel Cyborg became a bestseller when it was first published in 1972. In 1974, it was turned into the TV series The Six Million Dollar Man, followed by The Bionic Woman in 1976.When astronaut Steve Austin is severely injured in the crash of an experimental aircraft, he is “rebuilt” in an operation that costs $6 M. His right arm, both legs, and left eye are replaced with bionic implants, which enhance his strength, speed, and vision far above human norms: He can run at speeds of 60 mph, and his eye has a 20:1 zoom lens and infrared capabilities, while his bionic limbs all have the power of a bulldozer. The show’s opening catch-phrase “We can rebuild him ... we have the technology” could serve as a description of the future of nanomedicine.Forty years later, we have not yet achieved the bionic improvements enjoyed by Steve Austin, but we have made the first baby steps toward that goal. The bionic eye of 2015 is not yet
superior to the human eye, but it already provides basic capabilities helping blind persons. Above all, nanomedicine shows promise in using science and technology to-sometime in the not so distant future-help patients with heart disease, cancer, diabetes, cognitive dysfunction, spinal cord injuries, etc.Another important conclusion is the realization that breakthroughs in nanomedicine require a truly interdisciplinary approach, involving physics, chemistry, biology, botany, zoology, anthropology, materials science, information technology (IT), etc. We need to keep an open mind and we need to keep studying what works and what does not. Botany and zoology are included because there is so much we can learn by studying plants and animals. Mendel arrived at his genetic laws by studying peas. We know that birds of prey have superior vision, that our dogs have a far superior sense of smell, that lizards can regenerate their broken tails, and that overweight pigs don’t develop diabetes despite a serious lack of exercise. We need to keep studying the world around us and perhaps catch new ideas, while staying true to bioethical rules.By covering science, business, law, commercialization, policy, ethics, etc., in this volume, it is hoped that a convincing case has been made for public and private investment in both basic and applied biomedical research that can be translated into nanomedical breakthroughs. The numbers showing the impact of the Human Genome Project (HGP) and the impressive and stimulating role played by the US National Institutes of Health (NIH) and similar organizations in other countries should convince everyone that public investment in research is money well spent. Those investments must continue and public-private partnerships should be encouraged to drive innovation.Big research budgets-such as the US NIH budget-must be managed in an effective and transparent way. If not, there will be a risk that opportunistic politicians will step in and make up new rules that invariably will shift the balance from long-term vision and funding decisions based on scientific merit to narrow-mindedness, political bias, and short-term thinking. It is the nature of science that breakthroughs cannot be planned-but the impact of such work can be managed. By referring frequently to the work done by outstanding individuals that earned awards such as the Nobel Prize, the important role of basic research is emphasized. However, to create true innovation it is equally
important to translate basic research results into benefits for patients and society. There is a current trend to partly offset or complement budget cuts with donations made by wealthy individuals. Although there may be a risk that personal tragedy shifts the focus away from the greatest needs for humanity to the greatest needs for the wealthy donor, contributions to worthy causes are always welcome.
