[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I64X7vHSHOE&feature=related"]Method of the Year 2010: Optogenetics - by Nature Video - YouTube[/ame] Amazing new technique for controlling neurons with light. I'm not sure what it says about me as a person, but the first thing I thought of when I watched this was how easily it could be exploited for mind control (cue conspiracy theorists). Then I thought about what other types of proteins you could insert into neurons with viruses. You could design channel proteins that are activated by common ligands and engineer viruses to selectively invade cells associated with, say, endorphin-release, turning essentially any inert chemical that can cross the blood-brain barrier into a potential psychoactive drug. But they'll probably waste this technology on controlling epilepsy and curing Parkinson's or some bullshit. Short-sighted, if you ask me. Anyway, cool science.
its not wasted on those diseases. those are severe problems, and work like this is meant for those problems? if we didnt have parkinsons, then this technology would be slower to get off the ground. medicine will be how the tech is first funded before it can be made for other things
Exactly this. I'm very interested to see how far they can take this. Who knows how big this will be when I finally complete school and get into working with Genetics.
I saw something a little while ago where they're using optogenetics to treat diabetes, as well as using it to make organic lasers. They create some cells and put em between two mirrors then shine some blue light on em and the light activates them and makes em emit a greenlight more powerful than the initial blue light
I was kidding, I thought that was obvious. But you're right, once these types of treatments are studied extensively for medical purposes, they'll open up for less serious and more commonplace uses.
Ed Boyden: A light switch for neurons | Video on TED.com absolutely amazing... never thought id see a day where we could cure blindness