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NPR's 'All Things Considered' Reports on Microscopic Computer that Detects Symptoms, Dispenses Drugs
April 29, 2004
NPR's "All Things Considered"
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NPR's "All Things Considered"
on Wednesday reported on a microscopic computer built by scientists in
Israel that can detect disease symptoms and dispense drugs. The
computer measures the levels of four different substances present in
its environment and then produces a medication, NPR reports. Ehud
Shapiro of the Weizmann Institute of Science
said the computer can be programmed to release any short DNA or any
short RNA molecule, which in test tube simulations have acted against
prostate and lung cancer tumors. Shapiro said he has no idea whether
the computer would have an effect on an actual cancer and that he
"cannot even guess" how long it will take until the discovery has
medical implications. Ron Weiss of Princeton University
said that although "these are clearly early days for the field," the
potential for introducing the computers into the body to monitor cells
is "huge" (Harris, "All Things Considered," NPR, 4/28). |
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