FD2

Natalie Weber

8 March 2019

FD2

1288 Words

Biomimicry in Cancer Research

Biomimicry is the modeling and application of natural processes in order to help advance the modern world.  “Nature is arguably the best teacher for solving some of the world’s major problems because nature can be applied to many things. Nature is always evolving and we can get many solutions by mimicking it,” (Unno, Yukiko).  In 2013 Jeffrey Karp, a biomedical engineer at the University of Massachusetts, published innovative research regarding an advancement in biomimicry.  Karp successfully developed a microchip that uses tiny strands of DNA to grab hold of tumor cells roaming in the bloodstream. This microchip was inspired by jellyfish which possess the ability to extend their long tentacles to reach for food.  The microchip models jellyfish using strands of DNA to capture tumor cells, counting and sorting them in order to determine how well chemotherapy and/or cancer treatments are working. Medical professionals are then able to determine how resistant the tumor is or whether it is expected to appear elsewhere in the body.  This jellyfish-inspired microchip is one of the multitude of successful advancements in cancer research due to biomimicry. A study was recently published discussing the evolution of a “zombie gene” known as LIF6 (Leukemia Inhibitory Factor) in elephants. This gene makes elephants almost completely immune to cancer. Although LIF6 and the research surrounding it is relatively new, it is entirely possible that the recreation of this cell using biomimicry could be as successful as the jellyfish-inspired microchip, providing a cure for cancer.

Cancer is an aggressive and severe disease in which abnormal cells divide uncontrollably and destroy body tissue.  Cancer affects millions of individuals and families worldwide. In 2018 there were nearly two million new cases of cancer diagnosis and over six hundred thousand cancer deaths in the US alone (American Cancer Society, 2018).  Personally, I have lost various family members to the disease and believe my family, along with millions of others, would love nothing more than to hear that a cure has been developed for this unpredictable, unanticipated, unfair, and devastating disease.  Biomimicry could very likely be the leading frontier in cancer research and developing effective cancer treatments.

My paternal grandfather suffered from cancer twice in his lifetime, the latter of which was terminal.  “Papa,” as I referred to him, was one of the most healthy, strong, and intelligent individuals I’ve ever known.  He had always been a fitness fanatic, consistently eating healthy and exercising vigorously even throughout old age and cancer diagnosis.  It came as a surprise that someone as healthy as him could have been susceptible to such a horrible disease. After his first encounter and seemingly successful recovery from cancer, he began to devote the majority of his life to researching published cancer studies and developing “anti-cancer” habits.  You would think that an already healthy individual who actively attempted to combat a disease would be successful in reducing their chances of encountering it a second time. However, this was devastatingly not the outcome of my Papa’s hard work and self care. Although many types of cancer treatments have been developed in modern medicine, such as surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy, there is no established, absolute cure.  In 2012, my papa’s battle against cancer and chemotherapy came to an end. The tumorous cells had spread throughout his body and targeted vital organs.

Most diseases can be blamed on factors such as poor health, infections, or environment and cured by healthy habits and vaccines.  Cancer, on the other hand, is not so easily predicted, combated or cured. It remains a mystery as to why such a disease would occurs in even the healthiest, or youngest, or conscious individuals.  No matter how seemingly healthy or unsusceptible an individual may seem, they are still at risk of developing tumors and being diagnosed with cancer. Unlike other diseases, cancer is a mutation of genes that can not be stopped with a healthy lifestyle or antibiotics.  In addition, large-bodied organisms are more susceptible to gene mutations and tumors due to the increased amounts of cells that could potentially turn cancerous, imposing an increased risk of developing cancer.

However, on August 14 2018, “Cell Reports,” published an article regarding cancer free elephants, an extremely large-bodied species that has contradicted the theory of increased size resulting in increased cancer risk.  It was discovered that elephants contain a gene known as LIF6. LIF6 is one of the many forms of the non-functioning LIF gene present in nature. Further research regarding the species’ seemingly immunity to cancer revealed that elephants carry many non-functioning copies of the LIF gene and have evolved to effectively activate one of these copies, LIF6, in order to combat tumorous cells.  LIF6 acts in response to DNA damage and translocates to the mitochondria where it induces apoptosis, a biological process involving the death of cells as a controlled part of an organism’s internal functions.  As a result, elephants get cancer far less than expected considering their size and its damaging effect on their cells.

Biomimicry and continued research of this gene could lead to a successful replication.  “You could look at nature as being like a catalog of products, and all of those have benefited from a 3.8-billion-year research and development period. And given that level of investment, it makes sense to use it,” (Pawlyn, “Using Nature’s Genius in Architecture.”)  If nature can successfully combat cancer, biomimicry would allow for the same success rate in humans. Medical professionals would be able to introduce LIF6 into humans via a process similar to vaccination. Vaccination is the administration of antigenic material to stimulate a human’s immune system to develop adaptive immunity to a pathogen. Vaccines can prevent or ameliorate infectious disease.  Similarly, the introduction of LIF6 to a human immune system would allow the human immune system to recognize cancerous mutations and DNA damage and utilize LIF6. Successful biomimicry of LIF6 would allow it to activate in the human immune system and respond to DNA damage in human the same way it does in elephants; by translocating to the mitochondria of cancerous cells and inducing apoptosis.

The search for a cure to cancer may seem very daunting and unlikely to the oblivious reader, but due to biomimicry and medical advancements it is more possible than it seems.  “If I could reveal anything that is hidden from us, at least in modern cultures, it would be to reveal something that we’ve forgotten, that we used to know as well as we knew our own names. And that is that we live in a competent universe, that we are part of a brilliant planet, and that we are surrounded by genius. Biomimicry is a new discipline that tries to learn from those geniuses, and take advice from them, design advice,” (Benyus, “Biomimicry in Action.”)   Due to the natural world’s genius and modern advancements in technology, scientists in modern medicine have successfully created vaccines and scientists who practice biomimicry have successfully imitated natural processes.  If they were to apply biomimicry principles to vaccines, the result would be the successful recreation of the LIF6 gene as a vaccine that combats cell mutations and DNA damage could be the cure to cancer. Nature has provided us with a potential solution and it is in our best interest to implement biomimicry and modern technology to defy cancer.  “Even though nature has the potential to be a great resource, the power of its teaching only goes so far. In order for significant solutions to be created and implemented, humans have to be willing to learn from nature,” (Miller, Courtney).  If a mammal three times the size of the average human is able to defy the odds of cancer susceptibility, it is entirely possible that humans can too through the application of biomimicry.

Works Cited

Benyus, Janine. “Biomimicry in Action.” TED, TEDGlobal, July 2009, http://www.ted.com/talks/janine_benyus_biomimicry_in_action?language=en.

“Cancer Facts & Figures 2018.” American Cancer Society, 2018, http://www.cancer.org/research/cancer-facts-statistics/all-cancer-facts-figures/cancer-facts-figures-2018.html

“Discovery News: Jellyfish-Inspired Tentacles Capture Cancer.” The Karp Lab, The Karp Lab, 3 Jan. 2013, http://www.karplab.net/news/discovery-news-jellyfish-inspired-tentacles-capture-cancer.html

Miller, Courtney. “Paper 2 Discussion 1 2/15” Laulima Discussion, Kapiolani Community College, 12 February 2019. Web. 6 March 2019.

Pappas, Stephanie. “How Do Vaccines Work?” LiveScience, Purch, 1 June 2010, http://www.livescience.com/32617-how-do-vaccines-work.html.

Pawlyn, Michael. “Using Nature’s Genius in Architecture.” TED, TEDSalon London, Nov. 2010, http://www.ted.com/talks/michael_pawlyn_using_nature_s_genius_in_architecture.

Vazquez, Juan Manual. “A Zombie LIF Gene in Elephants Is Upregulated by TP53 to Induce Apoptosis in Response to DNA Damage.” Cell Reports, Cell Reports, 14 Aug. 2018, http://www.cell.com/cell-reports/fulltext/S2211-1247(18)31145-8.

Unno, Yukiko. “Paper 2 Discussion 1 2/15” Laulima Discussion, Kapiolani Community College, 12 February 2019. Web. 6 March 2019.