Week 4 Medicine + Art

In this week, the professor Vesna explains various topics, which include medical instruments, anatomy, genetics and plastic surgery. I learn how the science historically influences the medicine, and how we become involved in the culture.   

Especially, I had interests for the relationship between the medical science and the art (imagination). The development of medicine gives us many opportunities to improve our society as the Human Genome Project.

According to the Vesna’s lecture, the goal of this project was the identification of 20,000-25,000 genes in human DNA, and then it judged the order of the 3 billion chemical base pairs which is for human DNA. This project was planned for 15 years.

 

This project makes me recall “iPS cell”. It was created by the team of Shinya Yamanaka at Kyoto University. He got the 2012 Nobel Prize in this project. iPS cell has many potentialities in order to change into "various cell" such as organs and tissues. It can lead to the solution of intractable diseases.  

From 20,000 – 25,000 genes, Yamanaka fortunately found four factors (Yamanaka factors) which make up for iPS cell. So, this project was based on the Human Genome Project. Even though iPS cell still has some troubles like the moral value, I assume that we can overcome them as the Hippocratic Oath, which changed the classical concepts into the modern one over the times (Tyson).

For me, it is the fantastic world for the relationships between the Human Genome Project and the iPS cell. If the United States did not plan for the Human Genome Project, iPS cell was not generated. At that time, unless Yamanaka has creativity to find out Yamanaka factors (4 genes) from much DNA, we would not see iPS cell.

Throughout week 4’s lecture,“imagination” must be very significant for not only “the art” but also “the medical world”. Without imagination or creativity, our society cannot be developed. I hope that my creativity can grow up by this class.

Reference

1. UConlineprogram. “Medicine pt1.” YouTube. YouTube. 21 Apr. 2012. Web. 25 Apr. 2015.

2. Sharma, Madhuri. “Human Genome Project.” GuruKPO. 22 Aug. 2012. Web. 25 Apr. 2015.

<http://www.blog.gurukpo.com/human-genome-project >

3. “The Human Genome Project, Part 1 What is the Human Genome Project?” Knowledgene. Web. 25 Apr. 2015. < http://www.knowledgene.com/ >

4. “JST Basic Research Programs Yamanaka iPS Cell Project.” iPS Trend. Japan Science and Technology Agency. Web. 25 Apr. 2015.

< http://www.jst.go.jp/ips-trend/en/network/summary/ipsproject.html >

5. SceilYou. “iPS Cell revolution.” YouTube. YouTube. 04 Jul. 2013. Web. 25 Apr. 2015.

< https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xj63nYl7h3E&spfreload=1>  

6. “Embryology History- Shinya Yamanaka.” UNSW Embryology. Web. 25 Apr. 2015.

<https://embryology.med.unsw.edu.au/embryology/index.php/Embryology_History_-_Shinya_Yamanaka>

7. Tyson, Peter. "The Hippocratic Oath Today." PBS. PBS, 27 Mar. 2001. Web. 25 Apr. 2015.

8. “Activate Your Imagination.” Unlearning 101. 10 Feb. 2011. Web. 26 Apr. 2015.

< http://www.unlearning101.com/fuhgetaboutit_the_art_of_/imagination/ >