To detect diseases earlier, let's speak bacteria's secret language | Fatima AlZahra'a Alatraktchi

Translator: Leslie Gauthier Reviewer: Camille Martínez

譯者: Lilian Chiu 審譯者: 易帆 余

You don't know them.

你不認識它們。

You don't see them.

你看不見它們。

But they're always around,

但它們總是在你身邊，

whispering,

竊竊私語，

making secret plans,

暗中策劃，

building armies with millions of soldiers.

建造數百萬士兵的軍隊。

And when they decide to attack,

當它們決定進攻時，

they all attack at the same time.

它們會全體同時一起進攻。

I'm talking about bacteria.

我在說的是細菌。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

Who did you think I was talking about?

你們以為我在說誰？

Bacteria live in communities just like humans.

細菌和人類一樣，過著群體生活。

They have families,

它們也有家庭，

they talk,

它們也會交談，它們還會 規劃自己的活動。

and they plan their activities.

And just like humans, they trick, deceive,

它們也和人類一樣， 會耍詭計、會行騙，

and some might even cheat on each other.

有些細菌甚至會欺騙彼此。

What if I tell you that we can listen to bacterial conversations

如果我告訴各位， 我們可以傾聽細菌的談話，

and translate their confidential information into human language?

將它們的機密資訊 翻譯成人類語言，會如何？

And what if I tell you that translating bacterial conversations can save lives?

如果我告訴各位，翻譯細菌的談話 可以拯救人命，又會怎樣呢？

I hold a PhD in nanophysics,

我有奈米科學的博士學位，

and I've used nanotechnology to develop a real-time translation tool

我用奈米技術來開發即時翻譯工具，

that can spy on bacterial communities

它能夠用來監視細菌團體，

and give us recordings of what bacteria are up to.

幫我們把細菌的計畫給錄下來。

Bacteria live everywhere.

細菌無所不在。

They're in the soil, on our furniture

它們存在於土壤中、我們的家具上，

and inside our bodies.

及我們的身體中。

In fact, 90 percent of all the live cells in this theater are bacterial.

事實上，在這個劇院中 有九成的活細胞是細菌。

Some bacteria are good for us;

有些細菌對我們有益；

they help us digest food or produce antibiotics.

它們能協助我們消化食物 或是產生抗生素。

And some bacteria are bad for us;

有些細菌對我們有害；

they cause diseases and death.

它們會造成疾病和死亡。

To coordinate all the functions bacteria have,

細菌為了要協調 它們具有的各種功能，

they have to be able to organize,

它們必須要能夠組織和整合，

and they do that just like us humans --

而它們的做法和人類一樣——

by communicating.

透過溝通來做。

But instead of using words,

但，它們用的不是言語，

they use signaling molecules to communicate with each other.

它們用信號分子來和彼此溝通。

When bacteria are few,

當細菌數量很少時， 信號分子就會跑掉，

the signaling molecules just flow away,

like the screams of a man alone in the desert.

就像在沙漠中只有一個人在大叫。

But when there are many bacteria, the signaling molecules accumulate,

但，當細菌數量很多時， 信號分子就會累積起來，

and the bacteria start sensing that they're not alone.

細菌會開始感覺到它們並不孤單。

They listen to each other.

它們會傾聽彼此。

In this way, they keep track of how many they are

它們以這種方式追蹤數量有多少，

and when they're many enough to initiate a new action.

也能知道何時有足夠的數量 可以開始進行新的動作。

And when the signaling molecules have reached a certain threshold,

當信號分子到達了某個門檻時，

all the bacteria sense at once that they need to act

所有的細菌都會立刻 感受到它們必須要行動，

with the same action.

且採取相同的動作。

So bacterial conversation consists of an initiative and a reaction,

所以，細菌談話由倡議 和反應兩部分組成，

a production of a molecule and the response to it.

即產生分子和對分子的回應。

In my research, I focused on spying on bacterial communities

我的研究把焦點放在監視

人類體內的細菌團體。

inside the human body.

How does it work?

這是怎麼運作的？

We have a sample from a patient.

我們先從病人身上取得樣本。

It could be a blood or spit sample.

可以用血液樣本或唾液樣本。

We shoot electrons into the sample,

我們將電子射入這個樣本中，

the electrons will interact with any communication molecules present,

如果樣本中有任何溝通分子， 電子會和它產生交互作用，

and this interaction will give us information

這種交互作用能提供資訊給我們，

on the identity of the bacteria,

資訊內容包括細菌的身分、

the type of communication

溝通類型，

and how much the bacteria are talking.

以及細菌的交流數據。

But what is it like when bacteria communicate?

但，細菌的溝通是什麼樣子？

Before I developed the translation tool,

在我開發出翻譯工具之前，

my first assumption was that bacteria would have a primitive language,

我首先假設細菌有自己的原始語言，

like infants that haven't developed words and sentences yet.

就像尚未發展出字詞和句子的嬰兒。

When they laugh, they're happy; when they cry, they're sad.

當他們笑，就表示很快樂； 當他們哭，則表示悲傷。

Simple as that.

就這麼簡單。

But bacteria turned out to be nowhere as primitive as I thought they would be.

但，結果發現，細菌完全 不是我原先以為的那麼原始。

A molecule is not just a molecule.

分子不只是分子。

It can mean different things depending on the context,

在不同的情境下， 它可能有不同的意思。

just like the crying of babies can mean different things:

就像嬰兒的哭泣可能有不同的意思：

sometimes the baby is hungry,

有時是嬰兒餓了， 有時是嬰兒尿濕了，

sometimes it's wet,

sometimes it's hurt or afraid.

有時是嬰兒受傷了或感到害怕。

Parents know how to decode those cries.

父母知道如何解讀這些哭泣。

And to be a real translation tool,

真正的翻譯工具

it had to be able to decode the signaling molecules

要能夠解讀信號分子，

and translate them depending on the context.

並根據情境來翻譯它們。

And who knows?

誰知道呢？

Maybe Google Translate will adopt this soon.

說不定 Google 翻譯 很快就會把它納入。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

Let me give you an example.

讓我舉個例子。

I've brought some bacterial data that can be a bit tricky to understand

我帶來了一些細菌資料， 如果你沒受過訓練，

if you're not trained,

可能會覺得有點難了解，

but try to take a look.

但就試試看吧。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

Here's a happy bacterial family that has infected a patient.

這是一個快樂的細菌家族， 它們感染了一名病人。

Let's call them the Montague family.

咱們就把它們稱為蒙特鳩家族。

They share resources, they reproduce, and they grow.

它們會分享資源、繁殖，以及成長。

One day, they get a new neighbor,

有一天，他們的新鄰居出現了，

bacterial family Capulet.

卡帕萊特細菌家族。 （笑聲）（出自羅密歐與茱麗葉）

(Laughter)

Everything is fine, as long as they're working together.

當兩個家族能夠合作時， 一切都很好。

But then something unplanned happens.

但，接著，未預期的事情發生了。

Romeo from Montague has a relationship with Juliet from Capulet.

蒙特鳩家族的羅密歐 和卡帕萊特家族的茱麗葉相戀了。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

And yes, they share genetic material.

是的，它們會共享基因物質。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

Now, this gene transfer can be dangerous to the Montagues

對於蒙特鳩家族而言， 這種基因傳送十分危險，

that have the ambition to be the only family in the patient they have infected,

因為該家族的野心是要成為它們 所感染的病人體內唯一的家族，

and sharing genes contributes

而共享基因會導致卡帕萊特家族 發展出對抗生素的抵抗力。

to the Capulets developing resistance to antibiotics.

So the Montagues start talking internally to get rid of this other family

所以，蒙特鳩家族開始内部討論 打算要除掉另一個家族，

by releasing this molecule.

交談方式就是通過釋放這種分子。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

And with subtitles:

還有字幕：

[Let us coordinate an attack.]

【咱們安排一次進攻吧。】

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

Let's coordinate an attack.

咱們安排一次進攻吧。

And then everybody at once responds

接著，大家立刻回應，

by releasing a poison that will kill the other family.

回應方式是一起釋出 能殺死另一個家族的毒物。

[Eliminate!]

【消滅！】

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

The Capulets respond by calling for a counterattack.

卡帕萊特家族的回應， 就是號召反擊。

[Counterattack!]

【反擊！】

And they have a battle.

它們開始交戰。

This is a video of real bacteria dueling with swordlike organelles,

這支影片是真實細菌用 像劍一樣的細胞器在進行對決，

where they try to kill each other

它們試圖殺掉彼此，

by literally stabbing and rupturing each other.

真的去刺擊、撕裂彼此。

Whoever's family wins this battle becomes the dominant bacteria.

獲勝的那個家族 就會成為統治的細菌。

So what I can do is to detect bacterial conversations

所以，我能做的就是 去偵測細菌的談話，

that lead to different collective behaviors

了解造成不同集體行為的談話模式，

like the fight you just saw.

比如剛才例子中的對戰行為。

And what I did was to spy on bacterial communities

我所做的，就是監視

人類體內的細菌團體，

inside the human body

in patients at a hospital.

對象是醫院中的病人。

I followed 62 patients in an experiment,

我做了一項實驗， 追蹤了六十二位病人，

where I tested the patient samples for one particular infection,

檢測病人的樣本，在不清楚傳統 檢測結果是什麼的情況下，

without knowing the results of the traditional diagnostic test.

尋找某一種特定的感染病原。

Now, in bacterial diagnostics,

在細菌診斷中，

a sample is smeared out on a plate,

樣本會被抹在一個盤子上，

and if the bacteria grow within five days,

如果在五天之內細菌會成長，

the patient is diagnosed as infected.

就可以診斷病人受到感染。

When I finished the study and I compared the tool results

我完成研究之後，把我的工具 得到的結果拿來對照

to the traditional diagnostic test and the validation test,

傳統診斷檢測及驗證檢測的結果，

I was shocked.

我嚇了一跳。

It was far more astonishing than I had ever anticipated.

結果比我所預期的還要驚人許多。

But before I tell you what the tool revealed,

但，在我告訴各位 這項工具的發現之前，

I would like to tell you about a specific patient I followed,

我想要先跟各位談談 我追蹤的其中一位病人，

a young girl.

一位年輕的女孩。

She had cystic fibrosis,

她得了囊狀纖維化，

a genetic disease that made her lungs susceptible to bacterial infections.

這是一種遺傳疾病，會讓她的肺 很容易被細菌感染所影響。

This girl wasn't a part of the clinical trial.

這女孩並不是臨床實驗的一部分。

I followed her because I knew from her medical record

我追蹤她是因為我從她的病例發現

that she had never had an infection before.

她以前從來沒有受過感染。

Once a month, this girl went to the hospital

每個月，這個女孩要去一次醫院，

to cough up a sputum sample that she spit in a cup.

對杯子咳痰，作為樣本。

This sample was transferred for bacterial analysis

這個樣本會被送去做細菌分析，

at the central laboratory

由中央實驗室分析，

so the doctors could act quickly if they discovered an infection.

一旦發現感染， 醫生就可以儘快採取行動。

And it allowed me to test my device on her samples as well.

因此，我也可以用我的裝置 來檢測她的樣本。

The first two months I measured on her samples, there was nothing.

前兩個月，我在測量她的樣本時， 什麼都沒有發現。

But the third month,

但，在第三個月，

I discovered some bacterial chatter in her sample.

我發現她的樣本中 有些細菌開始竊竊私語了。

The bacteria were coordinating to damage her lung tissue.

這些細菌在協調， 打算要傷害她的肺部組織。

But the traditional diagnostics showed no bacteria at all.

但傳統的診斷結果卻顯示沒有細菌。

I measured again the next month,

下個月，我再做一次測量，

and I could see that the bacterial conversations became even more aggressive.

我發現細菌的談話變得更劇烈了。

Still, the traditional diagnostics showed nothing.

傳統診斷的結果仍沒有顯示。

My study ended, but a half a year later, I followed up on her status

我的研究就這樣結束了， 但半年後，我再追蹤她的狀況，

to see if the bacteria only I knew about had disappeared

想了解一下，那些只有我發現的細菌

是否在沒有醫療 介入的情況下消失了。

without medical intervention.

They hadn't.

結果沒有消失。

But the girl was now diagnosed with a severe infection

但那位女孩被診斷出

受到致命細菌的嚴重感染。

of deadly bacteria.

It was the very same bacteria my tool discovered earlier.

那種細菌，正是我的工具 先前發現的細菌。

And despite aggressive antibiotic treatment,

儘管採用積極的抗生素治療，

it was impossible to eradicate the infection.

仍然不可能根絕感染。

Doctors deemed that she would not survive her 20s.

醫生認定她無法活到三十歲。

When I measured on this girl's samples,

當我在測量這個女孩的樣本時，

my tool was still in the initial stage.

我的工具還在研發的初期。

I didn't even know if my method worked at all,

我當時甚至不知道 我的方法是否可行，

therefore I had an agreement with the doctors

因此，我和醫生們約定

not to tell them what my tool revealed

我不會告訴他們 我的工具發現了什麼，

in order not to compromise their treatment.

這樣才不會影響到他們的治療。

So when I saw these results that weren't even validated,

所以，當我看到這些 還沒有被驗證的結果時，

I didn't dare to tell

我完全不敢說出來，

because treating a patient without an actual infection

因為治療沒有真正受到感染的病人

also has negative consequences for the patient.

也會對病人造成不良的後果。

But now we know better,

但，現在我們懂得更多了，

and there are many young boys and girls that still can be saved

還有很多年輕的男孩、 女孩可以得救，

because, unfortunately, this scenario happens very often.

因為，很不幸的， 這種情況經常發生：

Patients get infected,

病人被感染，

the bacteria somehow don't show on the traditional diagnostic test,

不知怎麼的，傳統診斷 檢測不會發現細菌，

and suddenly, the infection breaks out in the patient with severe symptoms.

突然間，感染在病人體內爆發， 引起嚴重的症狀。

And at that point, it's already too late.

到那個時候，一切就太遲了。

The surprising result of the 62 patients I followed

回到我追蹤的六十二位病人， 剛才提到的驚人結果

was that my device caught bacterial conversations

就是我的裝置 在至少一半用傳統方法

in more than half of the patient samples

診斷為陰性的病人樣本中， 捕捉到細菌談話。

that were diagnosed as negative by traditional methods.

In other words, more than half of these patients went home thinking

換言之，這些病人當中， 有超過一半回到家裡，

以為自己沒有受到感染，

they were free from infection,

although they actually carried dangerous bacteria.

其實他們身上卻帶有危險的細菌。

Inside these wrongly diagnosed patients,

在這些被誤診的病人體內，

bacteria were coordinating a synchronized attack.

細菌正在協調要進行同步進攻。

They were whispering to each other.

它們彼此竊竊私語。

What I call "whispering bacteria"

我所謂的「竊竊私語細菌」

are bacteria that traditional methods cannot diagnose.

就是傳統方法無法 診斷出來的細菌。

So far, it's only the translation tool that can catch those whispers.

目前，只有這一種翻譯工具 能夠捕捉到這些竊竊私語。

I believe that the time frame in which bacteria are still whispering

我相信，當細菌仍然 在竊竊私語的期間，

is a window of opportunity for targeted treatment.

就是個機會之窗， 可以進行標靶治療。

If the girl had been treated during this window of opportunity,

如果當時那個女孩能在 機會之窗期間接受治療，

it might have been possible to kill the bacteria

還在初始階段的細菌 是有可能被治療殺死的，

in their initial stage,

before the infection got out of hand.

感染的狀況就不會失控。

What I experienced with this young girl made me decide to do everything I can

關於這個女孩的這段經驗， 讓我決心要盡一切努力，

to push this technology into the hospital.

將這項技術推廣到醫院。

Together with doctors,

我已經在和醫生合作， 將這項工具導入到診所中，

I'm already working on implementing this tool in clinics

to diagnose early infections.

來診斷早期的感染。

Although it's still not known how doctors should treat patients

雖然，我們還不清楚 在這個竊竊私語階段

during the whispering phase,

醫生該如何治療病人，

this tool can help doctors keep a closer eye on patients in risk.

但這項工具能協助醫生 更留心有風險的病人。

It could help them confirm if a treatment had worked or not,

它能協助醫生確認 治療的結果是否有效，

and it could help answer simple questions:

它也能協助回答簡單的問題：

Is the patient infected?

病人是否受到感染？

And what are the bacteria up to?

細菌有什麼打算？

Bacteria talk,

細菌會交談，

they make secret plans,

它們會在背後秘謀，

and they send confidential information to each other.

它們會向彼此發送機密資訊。

But not only can we catch them whispering,

但，我們不僅能捕捉到 它們的竊竊私語，

we can all learn their secret language

大家都能學會它們的秘密語言，

and become ourselves bacterial whisperers.

讓我們自己也會說細菌的暗號。

And, as bacteria would say,

就如同細菌所說的：

"3-oxo-C12-aniline."

「3-oxo-C12-苯胺。」

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

(Applause)

（掌聲）

Thank you.

謝謝。