TEP Talk: Biotech Minds Meet for the Future of the Health Industry
With so much emphasis on, and advancements within, the biomedical industry, largely in part due to COVID-19, we wanted to get a better understanding of the current state – as well as the growth potential and future – of this specialized field. So, we invited four Tech Square ATL (TSQATL) Social Club members from Technology Enterprise Park (TEP), Centergy One, Tech Square Research Building (TSRB), and Square on Fifth (SQ5) to safely meet on a midtown rooftop over dinner last Thursday evening to exchange ideas and discuss the seemingly endless possibilities and opportunities.
Attendees of the Future Tech in Biotech Power Meal, which is an hour to gather over food and have thoughtful conversation with other community members, included David Massie (VERO Biotech), Mohammad “Nik” Nikbakht (Inan Research Lab, Georgia Tech), Sahil Arora (Graduate Student, Georgia Tech), and Jared Serfozo (TSQATL Social Club). Together they sat down to enjoy the city views offered by Six Feet Under Pub & Fish House and dove right into the discussion.
Collaboration is at the core of what we do, so it’s no wonder the evening started off around what other industries have worked with the biomedical field to ultimately lead to growth. The technology industry is an obvious answer, with “developments in artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) playing an increasingly influential role in the biotech space, driving the formation of new partnerships between the tech and healthcare industries. While big pharma is increasingly seeking collaborations with AI startups, major tech players such as Google, IBM and Microsoft are taking steps into the biotech space.”
Of course, our attendees elaborated with specific examples. For one, mentioned Nik, are Google’s (and other cloud services) data processing abilities, which allows for biotech companies to not have to build and store their own servers. Additionally, microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), which are essentially miniature sensors, have been used for all kinds of medical readings in human bodies, added the researcher. Sahil’s thinking was along the same lines, citing that artificial intelligence (AI) systems, such as Deep Mind, allow the medical field to process biomedical models very quickly. In fact, using AI for processing and modeling medical data has sped up both diagnoses and cures. David chimed in as well, mentioning how the robotics industry is being used more and more for surgeries as of late, and that, combined with 5G connectivity, is even enabling surgeons to conduct or monitor surgeries remotely. However, his response around super glue, was most interesting – it’s been used as an alternative to wound closures for quite some time now, and is even being researched for contraceptive use.
This new insight seamlessly transitioned into how other breakthroughs in the biomedical field could have the potential to spawn new companies. From telehealth systems (which have grown out of necessity due to pandemic) and complete medical kits that would allow for physicals and other routine checkups to occur remotely, to personal air quality sensors and audio monitoring devices, it seems the opportunities are endless. In fact, Nik mentioned a startup that was the epitome of this topic. Sensorscall offers unique solutions for the senior citizen community by turning smart devices into virtual caregiving – just another example of how these breakthroughs have resulted in new companies.
The notion of the ample amount of opportunities to create new companies ultimately led the group to discuss what else out there could be researched more in order to continue to help and grow the biomedical industry. Data visualization, and having a better understanding of the massive amount of data in the industry, along with more research into logistics, such as how to have a better deployment of vaccines and other medical devices with lower waste, were some suggestions. Preventative measures was another popular option: Having more public health education and tactics in place to help stop medical problems before they happen, as well as faster health monitoring, to avoid repeating the same situation we faced with COVID-19 would be beyond impactful.
As the Power Meal wrapped up, one thing became more and more evident – regardless of your background, education, or profession, individuals with varying involvement in a particular industry, such as biotech, can still join together to come up with creative solutions and meaningful convos. That’s what being a member of TSQATL Social Club is really all about.
DID YOU KNOW?
A 2019 survey of pharmaceutical and biotech professionals by ICON found that 80 percent of respondents were using, or planning to use, AI technologies.
What breakthroughs have you seen in the biotech industry or what research do you wish to see happen in the future? Let us know in the comments below.