Tal Danino: We can use bacteria to detect cancer (and maybe treat it)

譯者: Hans Chen 審譯者: Alan Wang

You may not realize this,

你可能沒有意識到 :

but there are more bacteria in your body than stars in our entire galaxy.

身體裡細菌的數量， 其實比整個銀河系的星星還要多。

This fascinating universe of bacteria inside of us

這個迷人的細菌宇宙，在我們的身體裡，

is an integral part of our health,

構成我們健康的一部分。

and our technology is evolving so rapidly

隨著科技快速地進步，

that today we can program these bacteria like we program computers.

今日，我們可以像在電腦裡 寫程式一樣設定這些細菌。

Now, the diagram that you see here,

現在，來看這張圖表：

I know it looks like some kind of sports play,

我知道這看起來有點像某種體育比賽，

but it is actually a blueprint of the first bacterial program I developed.

實際上，是我研發的第一支細菌程式的藍圖。

And like writing software, we can print and write DNA

就像寫軟體一樣，可以將DNA列印、撰寫成

into different algorithms and programs inside of bacteria.

細菌內不同的演算法或程式。

What this program does is produces fluorescent proteins

這個程序用富有節奏的方式，

in a rhythmic fashion

產生螢光蛋白質

and generates a small molecule

以及一個小分子，

that allows bacteria to communicate and synchronize,

讓細菌可以溝通、同步，

as you're seeing in this movie.

就像你在影片裡看到的那樣。

The growing colony of bacteria that you see here

這個成長中菌落的寬度

is about the width of a human hair.

大概和人類頭髮差不多。

Now, what you can't see is that our genetic program

現在，你沒有辦法看到我們的基因程式

instructs these bacteria to each produce small molecules,

命令這些細菌產生小分子，

and these molecules travel between the thousands of individual bacteria

這些分子在數千個獨立的細菌之間游走，

telling them when to turn on and off.

告訴它們什麼時候要開、關。

And the bacteria synchronize quite well at this scale,

細菌的同步在這個尺度下表現很好，

but because the molecule that synchronizes them together can only travel so fast,

但因這些讓細菌同步的分子傳導地很快，

in larger colonies of bacteria, this results in traveling waves

在比較大的菌落裡， 將導致細菌間產生傳導波，

between bacteria that are far away from each other,

讓細菌之間彼此遠離，

and you can see these waves going from right to left across the screen.

你可以看到這些軌跡 從螢幕的右邊一直傳到左邊。

Now, our genetic program relies on a natural phenomenon

我們的遺傳程序仰賴於一種稱作

called quorum sensing,

「群聚感應」的自然現像，

in which bacteria trigger coordinated and sometimes virulent behaviors

一但菌落達到臨界密度， 細菌之間就會開始相互協調，

once they reach a critical density.

甚至會產生致命的反應。

You can observe quorum sensing in action in this movie,

你可以觀察「群聚感應」 在這部影片中正在起作用，

where a growing colony of bacteria only begins to glow

成長中的菌落在達到高密度 或臨界密度後

once it reaches a high or critical density.

才會開始發光。

Our genetic program

我們的基因程序

continues producing these rhythmic patterns of fluorescent proteins

在菌落向外成長時， 用這種富有節奏的樣式

as the colony grows outwards.

持續製造螢光蛋白質。

This particular movie and experiment we call The Supernova,

我們稱這個特別的影片和實驗作「超新星」，

because it looks like an exploding star.

因為這看起來很像星星爆炸。

Now, besides programming these beautiful patterns,

除了編譯這些美麗的樣式外，

I wondered, what else can we get these bacteria to do?

我開始想：這些細菌還能做什麼?

And I decided to explore how we can program bacteria

我決定探索如何編譯細菌

to detect and treat diseases in our bodies like cancer.

去偵測和治療身體的疾病，像是癌症。

One of the surprising facts about bacteria

關於細菌的其中一個驚人事實是

is that they can naturally grow inside of tumors.

細菌可以在腫瘤裡自然地生長。

This happens because typically tumors

這現像會發生是因為基本上腫瘤

are areas where the immune system has no access,

是免疫系統鞭長莫及的區域，

and so bacteria find these tumors

所以當細菌發現這些腫瘤時，

and use them as a safe haven to grow and thrive.

細菌會將腫瘤當作避風港， 並在此茁壯、成長。

We started using probiotic bacteria

我們開始使用一種益生菌，

which are safe bacteria that have a health benefit,

一種安全且對身體有益的細菌。

and found that when orally delivered to mice,

我們發現，當老鼠口服時，

these probiotics would selectively grow inside of liver tumors.

這些益生菌會選擇生長在肝臟的腫瘤裡。

We realized that the most convenient way

我們了解到，最方便

to highlight the presence of the probiotics,

標出益生菌，

and hence, the presence of the tumors,

也就是，讓腫瘤現形的方法

was to get these bacteria to produce a signal

是讓這些細菌產生

that would be detectable in the urine,

可以在尿液中被偵測到的訊號，

and so we specifically programmed these probiotics

所以我們特別編譯了這些益生菌，

to make a molecule that would change the color of your urine

讓分子可以改變你尿液的顏色

to indicate the presence of cancer.

以檢驗是否患有癌症。

We went on to show that this technology

我們接著證明這項技術

could sensitively and specifically detect liver cancer,

可以敏感地偵測出肝癌，

one that is challenging to detect otherwise.

如果用傳統方法檢測， 並不容易偵測到。

Now, since these bacteria specifically localize to tumors,

既然這些細菌能專門定位癌症位置，

we've been programming them to not only detect cancer

我們將它們編譯成不只偵測癌症，

but also to treat cancer

也能治療癌症。

by producing therapeutic molecules from within the tumor environment

藉由從腫瘤內部環境產生治療性分子，

that shrink the existing tumors,

讓現有的腫瘤萎縮，

and we've been doing this using quorum sensing programs

而我們我們已經在用群聚感應程序實作了，

like you saw in the previous movies.

就像之前影片中看到的一樣。

Altogether, imagine in the future taking a programmed probiotic

想像一下，未來可以服用這些編譯過的細菌

that could detect and treat cancer,

來偵測、治療癌症，

or even other diseases.

甚至其他的疾病。

Our ability to program bacteria

我們這編譯細菌

and program life

以及編譯生命的能力

opens up new horizons in cancer research,

在癌症研究上開闢了新的視野。

and to share this vision, I worked with artist Vik Muniz

為了分享這個願景， 我和藝術家維克穆尼茲，

to create the symbol of the universe,

共同創造了這個完全由細菌和癌症細胞

made entirely out of bacteria or cancer cells.

所組成的宇宙符號。

Ultimately, my hope is that the beauty and purpose of this microscopic universe

最終，我希望這個美麗的微觀宇宙，

can inspire new and creative approaches for the future of cancer research.

能夠在未來的癌症研究中 啟發新穎和創意的方法。

Thank you.

謝謝。

(Applause)

(掌聲)