Google Ventures just laid its cards on the table over which life sciences technologies it thinks have the most investment appeal. Artificial intelligence, stem cell science and understanding the human microbiome hit the highlight reel. Here’s why:
We’re at the cusp of a major revolution in understanding the workings of the human body, writes Google Ventures President and Managing Partner Bill Maris in an op-ed on Medium. He outlines the top eight life sciences technologies that will transform medicine – and that the venture firm’s life sciences team is closely watching.
Google Ventures’ stake in the life sciences is growing immensely. The firm has about $2 billion under management. Last year, it invested about 36 percent of its fund on healthcare and life sciences startups – up from 9 percent two years ago, according to the Wall Street Journal. Maris writes:
When Investment Rhymes with Canada
Canada has a proud history of achievement in the areas of science and technology, and the field of biomanufacturing and life sciences is no exception.
For one, we’re not spending enough money. As an investor, Google Ventures has a responsibility to invest in important things, which is why we are so interested in life science. But many of these trends require massive investment—well beyond the scope of venture capital.
Maris also highlights the importance for scaling healthcare technologies – allowing medical treatments to have a global scope, so they’re not just concentrated among wealthier nations.
Here’s Maris’ take on the future of medicine – and Google’s life sciences investment interests:
1. Artificial intelligence
With the arrival of the $1,000 genome, we have a glut of potentially life-changing genomic data on our hands. And with artificial intelligence, there’s the potential for “learning systems that could help us diagnose thousands of diseases, well beyond the knowledge of any individual doctor,” Maris writes.
2. Understanding the brain
Our aging population is falling susceptible to diseases like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s – and we’re only just scratching the surface on understanding why. Maris is excited by the potential of the brain-machine interface – incorporating AI, again, in applications like traumatic brain injury, spinal cord damage and “countless other applications.”
3. Reinventing antibiotics
Maris cites the stagnation in creating new antibiotics – that as of February 2015, only 40 new antibiotics were being developed, as opposed to 770 cancer drugs. Big pharma has largely shifted away from antibiotics, but small biotech companies are still in the mix – and Google is watching.
4. Battling cancer
Google’s most interested in the genetic underpinnings of cancer – of understanding how to map out which gene mutations cause which cancers. Such understandings could lead to better therapies – and, ideally, early interventions that can stop cancer in its tracks. Maris writes:
Billions of dollars are spent every year on cancer research, but we need more resources, new approaches to research, more collaboration among researchers, and novel technology applications to finally win the battle against cancer. The ultimate cure is to prevent cancer from happening in the first place.
5. Genetic repair
All eyes are on CRISPR, and Google Ventures is no exception. “It’s one of the most exciting areas of research in the life sciences,” Maris writes. Despite the ethical conundrums attached to gene editing, the applications are boundless for potentially curing otherwise intractable genetic disease.
6. Understanding the microbiome
Maris is excited about understanding the delicate interplay of the bacteria in our microbiome – after all, some researchers call this bacterial ecosystem the “forgotten organ.” Fecal transplants and “reprogramming” naturally occurring bacteria for cancer treatment are just two examples of how harnessing the microbiome could have massive therapeutic potential.
7. Organ generation
There’s legitimate promise in 3D bioprinting, Maris says. While the immediate application is to “print” tissues to use for drug development, the ability to generate new organs remains very real.
8. Stem cells
The advent of induced pluripotent stem cells, in particular, are helping researchers step away from the tricky issues around embryonic stem cells and just focus on their therapeutic potential. Tapping into the regenerative potential of these cells still holds a whole world of opportunity in medicine, Maris says.
