Google has begun developing miniscule nanoparticles that will be able to search the body for cancer and other diseases with a goal of providing patients with an early warning and initiating a proactive treatment strategy.
The particles will be less than 1/1000 the size of a red blood cell and attach to specific cells, proteins and other molecules, depending on what they're coated with. For example, Google could coat the molecules with a special antibody that would be able to recognize and attach to a protein on a tumor cell.
"What we are trying to do is change medicine from reactive and transactional to proactive and preventative," said Dr. Andrew Conrad, a molecular biologist who is leading the project and who has previously developed a cheap HIV test that is now widely used. "Nanoparticles... give you the ability to explore the body at a molecular and cellular level."
The other part to the system is a small wearable device that would be able to attract and count the particles, and would then alert the wearer if something were found. Despite this, Google admits that it still needs a better understanding of what a healthy level of disease-carrying molecules is and what would be of concern. Eventually the system could constantly monitor the body so people wouldn't need to wait until they feel sick to go see a doctor.
"Every test you ever go to the doctor for will be done through this system," continued Conrad. "That's our dream."
Conrad went on to mention that Google would not use the system to collect or store medical data but would license it to other companies.
"We're going to be inventors that work on the technology - disruptive, innovative technology - and then we're going to look for partners who will bring it forward," he said.
This is one of many big projects that Google has taken on in the past few years, through its experimental lab Google X. Google X is responsible for the likes of the Google driverless car and Google Glass, as well as a "smart" contact lens that monitors blood glucose levels. While an idea like this has the potential to make big money, Google X says that many big projects have been ditched before the public even knew about them.
The company has over 100 researchers and investigators working on the connection between health and technology.
Google has slowly but surely begun entering the health industry, coming up with the Android Fit platform for its Android phones and wearable devices.
