Welcome back to Part 3 of our course. Over the first two parts, you learned about value chain mapping, technology readiness levels, and a framework to understand the investment, maturity, and application of emerging technologies.
Now we are going to lift our gaze a little further into the future and focus on some areas of technology that are at an even earlier stage of emergence.
You’ve already seen how tech feeds off tech - and the Metaverse looks like an excellent example of that in practice. We’ve also considered unexpected consequences when new technology meets real life.
So, in Part 3, we’re going to look at two areas in particular of emerging technology: synthetic biology and quantum computing. These are two hugely fascinating areas with potentially dramatic real-world implications - so let’s start with an overview of what each of these is - and, of course, how it fits with our three-point framework of analysis. And this time, it’s up to you to do the thinking!
Let’s kick things off with synthetic biology.
Get to Know Synthetic Biology
What do you get when you combine and innovate around the intersection of engineering, design, computer science, and biology? Why synthetic biology (SynBio), of course!
SynBio has emerged from the realization that cells contain codes, much like a computer - and the ability to decode and program those cells (again, much like a computer) has dramatic consequences.
At the heart of this is DNA, which contains all of the information that an organism needs in a complex molecule.
DNA is also the cornerstone of heredity. In other words, DNA and a small amount of adaptation inform everything passed down from generation to generation. So you might say that the imperfect copying of one generation to the next creates the opportunity for diversity, both good and bad. Nature does that, well, naturally.
However, by combining the understanding of the structure of DNA (and the messages contained within it), you can start manipulating the data in those cells.
Decoded DNA expresses itself in a kind of language - A-C-T-G, based on the four bases that form its structure. This is important because once expressed as language, DNA can be analyzed using NLP and generative programming (see Part 2, Chapter 2, about GPT-3).
For example, if you combine DNA mapping with NLP to understand what’s happening inside the cells, add generative language to create new sequences, then use a 3D printer to produce the results physically, you get the opportunity to conduct experiments in a computer simulation rather than using living organisms (a technique called in silico experimentation).
Emerging tech loves recombining and building on other existing or emerging technologies!
Apply Your Framework of Analysis to SynBio
Applying the three-point framework to analyze SynBio, you might find this:
Investment - In the 2010s, around $26 billion was invested in SynBio startups. The investment rate doubles each year as investors seek to unlock a market opportunity currently seeing compound annual growth rates of over 20% from a starting point that is already an 11- or 12-digit dollar figure.
Maturity - The term synthetic biology was first used in 1970, and MIT held the first conference on the subject in 2004. The Human Genome Project - Write (aka HGP-write) was set up in 2016. Over 50 years, SynBio has gone from a dream to something with real substance, but it remains in the early stages of its development.
Application - SynBio is being positioned as a field that can create new organisms and redesign existing genetic material. Applications considered include genetically modified foods to grow more efficiently and resistant to diseases; medication and other treatments for a wide range of diseases, such as cancers; prevention of genetically passed-on conditions; breaking down pollutants; and generating hydrogen for cleaner energy.
Build a Use Case for SynBio
As you learned, SynBio (synthetic biology) refers to the emergent fields at the intersection of engineering, design, computer science, and biology.
Much work has gone into cracking the DNA code (the building block of life), allowing it to be represented as a type of language. Therefore, we can now use the combination of those fields to predict, model, and put into practice changes in how organic matter exists by improving existing organisms or creating new ones.
Your task is to devise some ideas - some hypotheses for testing - on how SynBio can be used. In other words, think of one or more use cases where you can imagine SynBio being applicable, either in your organization or in an area that you find interesting. You may need to do a little investigation with the help of Google. 😉
Let’s Recap!
SynBio (synthetic biology) is a name given to innovation around the intersection of engineering, design, computer science, and biology.
Thanks to the ability to sequence the data stored in cells through DNA, we can combine these disciplines to redefine, improve, and even create different organic materials.
Because the code in DNA can be expressed in a type of language (A-C-T-G), experimentation can occur in silico or theoretically in a lab rather than on living organisms.
Extending our analysis of emerging technologies, in this chapter, you’ve seen how to apply the three-point framework to one major new area of emergence - SynBio - in order to create your own hypotheses. In the next chapter, it will be your turn to do it all again with quantum computing.
