Goal 2: Vision of Society in 2050 (Illustration)
What will society look like in 2050?
An illustrated guide on what society might look like in 2050 if Goal 2 is realized
Predicting and preventing diseases through interpretation of networks among organs and tissues
Diseases such as cancer, dementia and diabetes can be treated much more effectively if detected in early or pre-symptomatic stages. Genetic testing has made it possible to assess the risk of developing these diseases, but many patients still develop them regardless of genetic factors. More recent studies have shown that signs of these diseases can appear decades before they develop, and since the organs throughout the body form a complex network, the signs are often found in organs other than those actually targeted by the diseases.
Therefore we are developing a whole body network simulator: a technology that uses data analysis and mathematical modeling to visualize the relationship between inter-organ and inter-tissue networks and diseases. By the year 2050 it will be common practice to predict and prevent diseases before they occur, by monitoring everyday physical condition and using a whole body network simulator to “disease forecast”.
More data means more accuracy
From genome information at birth to the state of growth and development in childhood, it is important to keep monitoring physical condition at healthy (pre-illness) times. Collecting a large amount of data for whole body network simulators will not only improve the accuracy of predicting diseases from genomic information and trends in various data, but will also be useful in developing drugs and preventive methods. By 2050 people will be able to extend their healthy life expectancy, spending 100 years in good health through the daily exchange of information with their whole body network simulator.
Everyday objects will become sensors
We now know that diseases are affected not only by blood pressure, body temperature and blood components, but also by sleep quality and the type of flora in our intestines. In the society of 2050, sensors will be installed in the things we wear, in furniture and toilets, and data on the body will be collected daily for whole body network simulators. In addition, home appliances that work with your simulator will advise you on proper exercise and eating habits according to your physical condition, and automatically adjust lighting and music to help you feel better when you are stressed or have poor sleep quality.
Contact
Goal 2 Secretariat
Department of Moonshot Research and Development Program, Japan Science and Technology Agency
e-mail moonshot-goal2
jst.go.jp