Health IT
Mobile medicine - potential possibilities
This reminds me of an interesting recent TED talk by biochemist Joe DeRisi talks about amazing new ways to diagnose viruses (and treat the illnesses they cause) using DNA. His work may help us understand malaria, SARS, avian flu -- and the 60 percent of everyday viral infections that go undiagnosed.
http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/joe_derisi_hunts_the_next_killer_virus.html
The diagnostic microchip glass which he talks about seems like it could be integrated into a scaled-down device programmed with the viral definition reading software and diagnose viruses DNA signatures rapidly. If a handheld version of such a device could be manufactured the ramifications for global health practitioners and resource poor settings could be limitless. Such as allowing for taskshifting from primary diagnosis for viral infections in clinics, etc.
I don't see any reason why root sequenced bacterial strains couldn't be coded for and identified by such a device in the future.
Cheers, thanks for the article. Seems this technology and vision are in good supply, the implementation and political will need to be fully addressed by the global health community.
Nicholas Connor, MSc.
Unemployed Researcher,
Global Health (Specializing in GH Management and Nutrition)
Trained at The School of Medicine Trinity College Dublin.
Attached resource:
Joshua Nesbit
In case you missed it, see this Change.org piece, "The Cellphone That Could Change The World" and the discussion that follows. http://tinyurl.com/9njhhb
There is a ton happening in this space, and 2009 is already being dubbed 'the year of the mobile.'
Josh
www.jopsa.org
2:50 AM, 5 Feb 2009 | Permalink