Topic Research Presentation Response - Group C5 -­ Computers in Medicine

Topic Research Presentation Response

Group C5 - ­ Computers in Medicine (Bioinformatics, Medical Devices, etc.) 

I think Group C5 covered the subject in a very interesting way.

Some of the points that caught my attention:

I was familiar with the International Classification of Diseases, but they gave me a new point of view of how helpful its use can be in areas as preventing epidemics, supporting new treatments discovery, and so on.

Models of Infectious Diseases Agent Study (MIDAS) was something new to me.  Informatics and research teams collaboration to develop computational models of disease spread, of interaction with hosts, and to elaborate prediction models compose an amazing innovative and powerful tool to promote health.

(see more details at http://www.nigms.nih.gov/Research/SpecificAreas/MIDAS/Pages/default.aspx )

Robotic surgery, in the way they reported, with completely autonomous robot acting, was also new to me.  And, despite it is still incipient, we can tell that this will be a groundbreaking technology.

Exoskeletons was not unknown to me – they´ve been showed at the Soccer World Cup opening, in Brazil.  Not just the demonstration happened in Brazil, the exoskeleton itself has been developed by Brazilian neuroscientist Miguel Nicolelis.  This exoskeleton uses a “brain-machine interface”, in which Nicolelis is working since 1999.  With this interface, the user can control the exoskeleton with his brain.  If the user is able to feel his arms (if he is, for example, paraplegic, not quadriplegic) the skeleton can provide haptic feedback – the user can fell, in his arms, when the feet touch the ground.

I have a handicapped friend, and he shared with me that this kind of equipment, able to support the person on his feet, provides not only a great improvement in his health, as a whole – due to improvements in blood circulation, muscular tonus, and so on – but also a big psychological wellbeing, since the handicapped person can stand on his feet and look any one in the eyes.

Some scientists think that stem cells can provide a cheaper and simpler – and much more natural – way to help handicapped people.  But I feel that any effort to help people walk again is worthwhile.

(see http://g1.globo.com/ciencia-e-saude/noticia/2014/06/jovem-paraplegico-usa-exoesqueleto-chuta-bola-na-abertura-da-copa.html and http://veja.abril.com.br/noticia/ciencia/demonstracao-do-exoesqueleto-decepciona-na-cerimonia-de-abertura for details).

Bionics and artificial organs are similar to this exoskeleton, in the sense they can end the need of waiting for organ donations.  A brave new world is being discovered!

On line, real time, patient monitoring – and also actually providing medication – is other tool that is helping save lives and improving life quality.

I want sincerely say thanks to my classmates for explaining these fascinating subjects in such an interesting way.

Regarding medical data, I would like to mention the use of Big Data in searching a cure for cancer.  Specifically, there is a company called Flatiron (which received 100 million dollars investment from Google), working on that.  You can find more details in a Fortune´s article – “Can Big Data Cure Cancer?” at http://fortune.com/2014/07/24/can-big-data-cure-cancer/ .