Foresight 2024: A Glimpse Into Tomorrow

Science and Technology Part - A

Science and Technology

Science and Tech growth is only likely to increase in 2024. AI is dominating all fields including science. May it be new drugs or making existing ones better or may it be in the surgical and operational field, AI is everywhere. AI is handling operation theaters and helping doctors already. In space, too much is done with the help of AI. Satellite systems and radars are also functioning as per AI settings in many places. Communication and digital services are consuming AI fully. Hence, privacy is now more sacred than ever, and rights of privacy seem to be reserved only for the cream of cream or whom we call 'ultra-rich'.

Immuno-oncology 2024

The immuno-oncology field has seen tremendous growth in recent years. Already approved products for cancer treatments such as cytokines, vaccines, tumor-directed monoclonal antibodies, and immune checkpoint blockers are growing in market size and becoming more and more popular. Recently, Russia claimed that it is about to make a vaccine for Cancer. It's all in the news; if this happens, it will be a revolution in the medical and scientific fields.

Novel therapies

Novel therapies such as "TAC01-HER2" are conducting their clinical trials. This is a very new and unique therapy concept in which therapy uses autologous T cells, which would be genetically engineered so that they can incorporate with "T cell Antigen Coupler (TAC)" receptors that recognize human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) present on tumor cells and ensure to remove them. This could be a game-changer therapy.

CAR-T-cells based therapy

Another therapy is under process too, which will aim to use CAR-T cells against solid tumors in conjunction with a vaccine that will boost the immune system response. This immune-boosting therapy will help the human body to create more T host cells so that they can target other tumor antigens that are left and not killed by CAR-T cells.

Personalized "RNA neoantigen"

Another personalized therapy is the talk of the town, which is the development of a personalized "RNA neoantigen" vaccine based on uridine mRNA-lipoplex nanoparticles. This therapy was found effective for treating "pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC)". The most challenging part of immuno-oncology could be stated as therapy resistance, lack of predictable biomarkers, and tumor heterogeneity. These novel treatments could be a ray of hope and a cure for countless in the present and future.

The 'CRISPR' Has Arrived

Decades-long research and efforts finally made it possible. The first formal evidence of "CRISPR" as a therapeutic technological miracle is here for us to benefit from. FDA gave therapeutics clearance for its initial and most important phase. So the 3rd trial of a new drug for the treatment of "hATTR", using the same "Cas9 mRNA" got a new medicine to treat a different disease, angioedema. The treatment for angioedema was made possible by changing 20 nucleotides of the RNA guide. This clearly paved the way for CRISPR to be used as a therapeutic technology in the clinic.

CRISPR/Cas9 gene-edited therapy

Now CRISPR drug development technology and Vertex have announced the first "CRISPR/Cas9 gene-edited therapy, CASGEVY". This announcement was made by the United Kingdom MHRA. The treatment will be for sickle cell disease and transfusion-dependent beta-thalassemia. This is the first CRISPR-based therapy approved for human use and definitely a very big achievement in improving human health.

Also, CRISPR-based genome and transcriptome engineering along with CRISPR-Cas12a and CRISPR-Cas13a have the necessary characteristics to serve as robust detection tools for cancer therapy and its diagnosis.

The biosensing system of CRISPR-Cas has made it possible to precisely diagnose the early stages of cancer in the human body.

At MIT, engineers designed a new nanosensor for "urinary biomarkers" which will make possible the early diagnosis of cancerous proteins. This will also be able to detect the type of tumor and how to respond to treat it.

Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and ALST/FTD

To treat Parkinson's disease, a new drug is in the making. An injectable hydrogel brain implant will be used to treat Parkinson's patients. This injectable will be based on a reversible crosslink formed between chitosan, tannic acid, and gold nanoparticles. This will be a natural biomaterial that will be biocompatible and naturally derived from the ingredients, I mentioned.

Biomarkers play a key role in drug development, especially for Neurodegenerative Diseases.

Neuroscientists study the nervous system as a whole. The brain and biology study along with analytical, cellular, and molecular biology helps develop mechanisms to explain and treat neurological diseases and disorders better. Researchers are working worldwide to bring about cures for Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and ALST/FTD. A new drug is in the experimental stage to help patients who are suffering from these diseases. So 2024 could be the biggest year for Dementia research and for finding cures for the sister diseases.

Space Medicine

Space medicine is in the making too. The Artemis program requires it, as astronauts will have to be protected from space travel hazards, which include microgravity and radiation exposure. Searching for space medicines will light the path for new scientific discoveries in therapeutic, medical, diagnostic, and countermeasures fields.

Material Sciences Progress

Soon, a revolution in material sciences will be seen as exposure to extreme space environments won't be possible for astronauts without the New, durable, safe, lightweight, and radiation-resistant material required to achieve this. This will also require joint efforts of aerospace, science, construction, and energy.

Consciousness

Consciousness is considered the most valuable and productive. To explain or understand true consciousness is not easy. In the neuroscience world, consciousness research never ends. Two large groups are now participating in a project to test two theories of neural-based consciousness. The group shared its data, and their discoveries made headlines in science magazines in 2023. Although both theories couldn't completely match the brain imaging data to the data they found. The second experiment of these two groups as part of the same research will be in 2024. This clinical research will pave the way for many new research in the future. To make supercomputers or chips to install these advancements will greatly help.

Supercomputers Period is Starting

In 2024, Europe's first exascale supercomputer will be introduced. The name of this supercomputer will be "Jupiter". These kinds of supercomputers will be able to perform "one quintillion computations" per second. Whoa, massive! Researchers are saying that these supercomputers will also be able to create a "digital twin of the human heart and the brain".

The story does not end here as these computers will also run "high-resolution simulation of the Earth's climate".

Surely, the quintillion computations per second is a totally insane number, and if it happened, it would change the world or move it to yet another bright direction in science in the future.

If digital twins of the human heart and brain are made possible, they can be used for medical purposes and will save countless lives.

Supercomputer Jupiter

Not only the supercomputer Jupiter is coming, which is made in Europe, but an American computer similar to Jupiter will make its entry too in 2024.

Supercomputers Frontier, Aurora and El Capitan

One upscale computer in the U.S. is already introduced. The name of this supercomputer is "Frontier". Not only this, but two more supercomputers are likely to be introduced by the U.S., "Aurora" and "El Capitan".

Aurora will be used for brain mapping and reading neural circuits, which are also known as the connectome. El Captain, on the other hand, will be used as a war tool. It will be used to simulate the effects of nuclear weapon explosions.

Rise of Biomaterials

The rise of Biomaterials is making headlines in 2024. New materials from biomaterials could revolutionize the medicine and health sector worldwide. Bioelectronic devices and the human body in the form of brain-computer interface systems are in the development process at Neuralink.

Green Revolution

The Green Revolution is already in progress. In 2024, the biggest advancements might be in predicting the environmental impact of new chemicals and processes. Researchers are developing new computational tools to ensure accuracy.

COP28 Climate Summit

Another significant news of 2024 is regarding the COP28 Climate Summit in Dubai. In this summit, the target was set that by 2050, countries will achieve a net-zero transition from fossil fuels and current energy systems.

The UN Plastic Treaty

The UN plastic treaty to preserve oceans will be effective from 2024. The goal is to end plastic pollution by 2050 completely. Worldwide, 460 million tonnes of plastic products are produced yearly, 85% of which are dumped into the sea after they become waste material. This plastic is polluting oceans and killing marine life.

Banning plastic products promptly is the only solution. A new value-driven approach by innovators such as MiTerro suggests the reuse of industrial by-products and biomass waste to ensure an eco-friendly and cheaper plastic alternative or replacement. Lowering the cost of these alternatives will ensure a lower plastic footprint, and the effects will be felt throughout the supply and demand chain of plastic products.

(Continued in Part - B)