Despite the great strides that modern technology has given us, there are still incredible discoveries that humanity has not yet made. Among them is the solution to live a lot longer in a very healthy body. This article looks at five of these advancements.
1. Genetic Anti-Aging Tools
Several approaches to gene editing are being developed by scientists around the world. These technologies allow genetic material to be added, removed or altered in particular locations in the genome to replace worn out DNA.
One of the latest developments involves injecting a special gene into the human body in the hope that it completely changes the rules by which the human body operates. This approach looks at extending the maximum number of cell divisions and ensuring a longer life.
There are two distinct ways gene editing can be used in humans. Gene therapy, or somatic gene editing, changes the DNA in cells of a human to treat disease or provide enhancement in some way. The changes made in these somatic (or body) cells would be permanent for the person being treated. One way this is already being done is by editing a person’s immune cells to help them better fight cancer. Clinical trials using CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced palindromic repeats) whereby blood cells are edited have proved very successful in recent clinical trials, particularly for those with blood disorders.
The second, and much more controversial way that human gene editing could be used is germline modification. This involves changing the DNA of embryos, eggs, or sperm. Because germline DNA is passed down to all future generations, any changes (whether they be beneficial or harmful) would be as well. Some have proposed that germline editing could be used to prevent inherited diseases. Human germline editing has not only scientific or technical issues, it has many implications for society as a whole, not just individuals. Decisions about whether to permit germline modification need to be taken very seriously.
2. Stem Cell Therapy
Stem cell treatments are showing a great deal of promise in terms of injury repair and renewal, disease cures and control. Almost all stem cell clinical trials and therapy utilize and/or use adult stem cells (these are stem cells that reside in our own bodies after we are born) and they do not have the controversy that is associated with embryonic stem cells. The global stem cell market is projected to grow at 8.8% from 2021 to 2028 to reach USD 18.41 billion by 2028. Regenerative medicine holds the largest market share of growth at 89.1%. This growth is due to the ever-increasing approval of stem cell clinical trials targeting many different diseases.
Scientists worldwide acknowledge that stem cell treatment can significantly enhance the performance and repair of the human body. This is why so many athletes turn to stem cell therapy as it is non-evasive and provides a very quick recovery period compared to surgery.
Cell activation and cultivation does not allow you to live forever, but it significantly slows down aging. Active, healthy stem cells (defined as “adult stem cells” that reside in your bone marrow, blood, tissue, muscle, and organs) have amazing qualities. Adult stem cells are capable of providing strong immunity, as well as reconstructing and repairing membrane structures. By activating and replacing old or dying cells, it is possible to maintain human health for a much longer period of time.
Stem Cell Worx is the world’s only patent approved stem cell supplement in an intraoral spray. Its immediate absorption rate of 95% enables the pure, natural nutrients to get directly into the bloodstream to activate one’s own stem cells. This liquid spray rapidly provides the onset of benefits that include building the immune system, rapid repair and renewal, more energy and less inflammation.
3. 3D Printing
3D printers are now used in a number of Hospitals to ensure moldings are exact to provide a customized fit for the patient. Not only are they used to construct customized prosthetics for patients, they also print other medical items including surgical scaffolds, tools, tissues and organoids.
3D printers are also getting closer to being able to produce organs. In 2018, researchers at the University of Utah became the first to produce ligaments and tendons by extracting stem cells from a patient’s body fat, printing them in 3D onto a layer of hydrogel, allowing time for the cells to form the required connective tissue outside the body and then implanting where needed. This important breakthrough led the way for more recent advancements as injuries to tendons and ligaments had in the past proven to be difficult to treat.
Dental professionals have been one of the first professions to use scanning and printing technology to create customized dental implants, prosthetics and braces. This equates to a much more efficient and timely in-house service. There are no bounds to what 3D printers will bring to healthcare in the near future.
4. Cryo-freezing
Cryonics is the process of freezing until the time comes when scientists find the secret of resurrection.
The most well-known and longest operating cryonics facility, Alcor is in Scottsdale, AZ, U.S.A. A number of patients and pets are housed at this facility. The dead person is frozen to stop tissue necrosis and this leaves the brain cells unchanged. Like anything frozen, frostbite or damage is a real risk. Alcor’s website says it has improved its technology and discovered breakthroughs in organ banking that will reduce damage or injury from the freezing process. Meanwhile, cryonics research and technology development is growing with other storage facilities in Michigan, Miami, Oregon, and countries China and Russia.
Reviving whole bodies has challenges as organs need to commence function homogeneously and there needs to be no cell damage. Another huge hurdle for cryonics is to not only repair the damage incurred due to the freezing process but also to reverse the damage that led to death and in such a manner that the individual resumes conscious existence. This procedure also requires a lot of funds and resources. A cryo capsule is needed to store the patient and this takes space and needs constant control. A successful cryosleep is yet to be attempted but scientists in this field are confident it will be attempted in the next 20 years.
5. Reconstruction of Consciousness
When a body becomes unsuitable for life, there is a hope that with the help of neuroscience, scientists will be able to transmigrate human consciousness into a new shell. At this stage, there are three options for a potential shell that are being explored.
The first option is where consciousness can potentially be transferred to another human body. The new body is a ready and working shell. But two people cannot exist in one body, which means that the old host must be destroyed or a new body must be grown artificially.
The second option is cloning an organism for further use as a backup shell in case something happens to the main one. Such technologies are very difficult and resource intensive. Cloning experiments are very hard to get off the ground as this practice is widely considered unethical on many levels.
The third option is to create a cyborg. This is one of the most breakthrough approaches to date. Already, thousands of people use robotic limbs in their lives. The creation of implants is not as expensive as the previous two. Human modifications can become more effective than the originals and can greatly improve human life with strict regulations in place.
Watch this space as these developments progress.
Tags: healthcare advancements
