Bill Gates, Intellectual Ventures: The magic of modified blood cells |
Connect with TechFlash on our Facebook page for all the latest technology news headlines and commentary, plus information and access to special events, photos from events, promotions and more.
Today On Techflash
- Can Microsoft overcome the smartphone app gap?
- Hey recruiters: Here's an R&D lab run by, and for, students
- Microsoft, Apple speak out on patents amid mobile-technology wars
- Apps that waste your time (in a good way): Execs' addictions
- Analyst sees 7-inch iPad in Apple future
- Social bookmarking site Faves.com to shut down
Mass High Tech
- Microsoft Build: Windows 8 preview a hit, but are investors unhappy?
- Build an app in a day at Mobile App Hackathon
- Beefed-up Skype for Windows; Indie author joins Amazon's 'Kindle Million Club'
- Only solution to Xbox 360 update error is new console
- Ballmer: Windows Phone update 'Mango' has over 500 new features
Jeff Bezos Watch
- Jeff Bezos 'grateful' to be selling millions and millions of Kindles
- Nick Hanauer and others invest $3.1 million in Qliance
- Survey: Employees say it's just 'OK' to work at Microsoft
- Jeff and MacKenzie Bezos give $15M for Princeton brain center
- Newsmaker of the Year surprise: Savitt beats Bezos, Allen
Bill Gates, Intellectual Ventures: The magic of modified blood cells
We've written about several mind-bending patent filings from Intellectual Ventures, many of them resulting from the firm's brainstorming sessions involving Bill Gates, Nathan Myhrvold and other prominent people in technology and science. They've ranged from a high-tech beer keg to a hurricane-suppression system, and they provide an interesting glimpse into the discussions among Gates and his Intellectual Ventures friends.
The latest: A plan to introduce modified red blood cells into the body as an efficient means of diagnosing illness and delivering treatment for cancer and other disease. The concept is described in a patent application made public Feb. 18. We asked Intellectual Ventures how it works and what it's hoping to accomplish through the approach. Here's the explanation from Edward Jung, Intellectual Ventures' chief technology officer and one of its founders.
"Red blood cells are odd cells in the body because they have no nucleus. Thus they are 'stripped down' cells that cannot reproduce and cannot renew themselves; therefore they die quickly and must be constantly manufactured by special cells in the bone marrow. All these attributes make red blood cells interesting vessels for sensing devices and medicines. There is no risk of their reproducing thereby creating a hazard, nor is there a lot of machinery to run awry. The body has a natural mechanism to scavenge dead blood cells neatly, and the body’s immune system tolerates its own blood cells. This invention considers using blood cells to encapsulate diagnostic and therapeutic payloads and also tailoring them to seek out specific cells. In the future we hope that such an invention could allow companies of the future to build a more diverse set of therapeutics while worrying less about adverse side effects or more sensitive diagnostics that can get closer to the places of greatest interest to them."
The concept may sound familiar to people who follow this field. A similar approach was described by researchers from UC Santa Barbara and other universities in a paper published in December in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
The Intellectual Ventures patent application wasn't made public until last month (under the name of an affiliate, Searete LLC), but it was originally filed in August 2008. The filing cites several related patent Intellectual Ventures patent applications.
[Image: Red blood cells via Wikimedia Commons]
If you are commenting using a Facebook account, your profile information may be displayed with your comment depending on your privacy settings. By leaving the 'Post to Facebook' box selected, your comment will be published to your Facebook profile in addition to the space below.
TechFlash Team
Recent Sponsor Posts
Who's creating today's energy efficient buildings? Find out at the BetterBricks Awards, Feb. 16
BetterBricks Awards salute the individuals leading the way for high performance commercial buildings with an emphasis on energy efficiency. Join us as we recognize these standout green building professionals.
Award categories include: Advocate; Architect/Designer; Facility Manager/Operator; and Owner/Developer.
Keynote Speaker: Kevin Kampschroer, Director of U.S. GSA's Office of Federal High Performance Buildings. Kevin leads the U.S. General Services Administration's efforts in building sustainability and accelerating industry adoption of sustainable principles across all aspects of a building's life.
Register here by February 10!
If you are interested in buying a table, email Monica Alquist or call her at 206-876-5404.
The Triple Door Presents: The Atomic Bombshells "J'ADORE!: A Burlesque Valentine"
Seattle's reigning Burlesque super-troupe delivers a gorgeous and glittering VALENTINE featuring some of the Bombshells' most exhilarating acts to date. J'Adore! promises to celebrate l'amour with good humor, style, and a healthy dose of dazzle! Bring a friend, a lover, a family member, or a secret crush, and celebrate with the Valentine's Burlesque spectacular that will leave you shouting: "J'ADORE......The Atomic Bombshells!" The incomparable Jasper McCann emcees with high style and charm.
Please visit www.thetripledoor.net for a full schedule of future performances.
The Triple Door Presents: Bob Mould – See A Little Light: An Evening of Reading and Music
"Bob Mould. Those two words are synonymous with integrity. From Husker Du in the last century to right at this moment, Bob is the real deal, writing and playing music for music's sake. He's a great songwriter and performer. I have been a fan of Bob's for thirty years now with no end in sight." -Henry Rollins
Please visit www.thetripledoor.net for a full schedule of future performances.
Why Choose BDO for your SOC (previously SAS 70) Reports?
BDO’s experience in providing attestation services (SAS 70/SSAE 16, AT 101, AT 201, AT 601, etc.) to a broad range of industries, and our team of skilled professionals distinctly qualifies us to serve as your company’s Service Auditor. By leveraging the BDO global network of control specialists, we are poised to provide global services in more than 1,000 offices and across 119 countries. Many organizations find that investing in reports on controls may result in benefits, including:
• Increased client confidence
• Improved competitive advantage
• Minimization of frequent audits
• Streamlined business processes and controls
• Enhanced risk management
For detailed information contact Paul Martini at pmartini@bdo.com.
TechFlash Archive
- February 2012 (52)
- December 2011 (203)
- October 2011 (256)
- August 2011 (257)
- June 2011 (191)
- April 2011 (195)
- February 2011 (153)
- December 2010 (142)
- October 2010 (248)
- August 2010 (208)
- January 2012 (196)
- November 2011 (258)
- September 2011 (286)
- July 2011 (201)
- May 2011 (194)
- March 2011 (208)
- January 2011 (158)
- November 2010 (231)
- September 2010 (240)
- July 2010 (204)
