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Ed Boyden: A new way to study the brain's invisible secrets
Ed Boyden: Unha nova forma de estudar os segredos invisíbeis do cerebro.
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O neuroenxeñeiro Ed Boyden quere saber como as diminutas biomoléculas do noso cerebro xeran emocións, pensamentos e sentimentos, e quere atopar os cambios moleculares que levan a trastornos como a epilepsia e o alzhéimer. En lugar de ampliar estas estruturas invisíbeis baixo un microscopio, pregúntase: E se as ampliásemos fisicamente e as fixésemos máis doadas de ver? Descubre como os mesmos polímeros usados para inflar os cueiros dos bebés poderían ser a clave para entender mellor os nosos cerebros.
Ed Boyden - Neuroengineer
Ed Boyden is a professor of biological engineering and brain and cognitive sciences at the MIT Media Lab and the MIT McGovern Institute. Full bio
Ed Boyden is a professor of biological engineering and brain and cognitive sciences at the MIT Media Lab and the MIT McGovern Institute. Full bio
Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.
00:12
Hello, everybody.
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Ola a todos.
00:14
I brought with me today a baby diaper.
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Hoxe trouxen un cueiro de bebé
00:18
You'll see why in a second.
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Nun segundo verán por que.
00:20
Baby diapers have interesting properties.
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Teñen propiedades interesantes,
00:22
They can swell enormously
when you add water to them,
when you add water to them,
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poden incharse enormemente
ó engadirlles auga.
ó engadirlles auga.
00:25
an experiment done
by millions of kids every day.
by millions of kids every day.
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Millóns de cativos
realizan este experimento cada día.
realizan este experimento cada día.
00:28
(Laughter)
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(Risas)
00:29
But the reason why
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Isto débese
00:30
is that they're designed
in a very clever way.
in a very clever way.
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a que teñen un deseño moi intelixente.
00:33
They're made out of a thing
called a swellable material.
called a swellable material.
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Están feitos dun material inchábel.
00:35
It's a special kind of material that,
when you add water,
when you add water,
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É un material especial que,
ó engadirlle auga,
ó engadirlle auga,
00:38
it will swell up enormously,
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ínchase enormemente,
00:40
maybe a thousand times in volume.
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quizais mil veces o seu volume.
00:42
And this is a very useful,
industrial kind of polymer.
industrial kind of polymer.
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É un polímero industrial moi útil.
00:45
But what we're trying to do
in my group at MIT
in my group at MIT
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No meu grupo do MIT tratamos
00:48
is to figure out if we can do
something similar to the brain.
something similar to the brain.
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de descubrir se podemos facer
algo similar co cerebro.
algo similar co cerebro.
00:51
Can we make it bigger,
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Podemos expandilo
00:52
big enough that you
can peer inside
can peer inside
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abondo como para ver dentro
00:54
and see all the tiny building blocks,
the biomolecules,
the biomolecules,
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os diminutos compoñentes esenciais,
as biomoléculas,
as biomoléculas,
00:57
how they're organized in three dimensions,
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a súa organización tridimensional,
00:59
the structure, the ground truth
structure of the brain, if you will?
structure of the brain, if you will?
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a estrutura, a verdadeira estrutura
do cerebro, por así dicilo?
do cerebro, por así dicilo?
01:02
If we could get that,
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Se a puidésemos obter,
01:03
maybe we could have a better understanding
of how the brain is organized
of how the brain is organized
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quizais poderiamos chegar a entender
como está organizado o cerebro
como está organizado o cerebro
01:07
to yield thoughts and emotions
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para xerar pensamentos, emocións,
01:09
and actions and sensations.
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accións e sentimentos.
01:10
Maybe we could try to pinpoint
the exact changes in the brain
the exact changes in the brain
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Tal vez poderiamos identificar
os cambios exactos no cerebro
os cambios exactos no cerebro
01:14
that result in diseases,
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que conducen a enfermidades
01:16
diseases like Alzheimer's
and epilepsy and Parkinson's,
and epilepsy and Parkinson's,
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como alzheimer, epilepsia e párkinson,
01:19
for which there are few
treatments, much less cures,
treatments, much less cures,
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para as que hai poucos
tratamentos e menos curas,
tratamentos e menos curas,
01:22
and for which, very often,
we don't know the cause or the origins
we don't know the cause or the origins
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e das que, moi a miúdo,
descoñecemos a causa ou a orixe
descoñecemos a causa ou a orixe
01:25
and what's really causing them to occur.
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que as produce en realidade.
01:28
Now, our group at MIT
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Agora, o noso grupo no MIT
01:30
is trying to take
a different point of view
a different point of view
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trata de velo desde
un punto de vista diferente
un punto de vista diferente
01:33
from the way neuroscience has
been done over the last hundred years.
been done over the last hundred years.
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ó que estudou a neurociencia
nos cen últimos anos.
nos cen últimos anos.
01:36
We're designers. We're inventors.
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Somos inventores, deseñadores.
01:37
We're trying to figure out
how to build technologies
how to build technologies
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Tentamos descubrir
como construír tecnoloxía
como construír tecnoloxía
que nos permita analizar
e reparar o cerebro.
e reparar o cerebro.
01:40
that let us look at and repair the brain.
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01:42
And the reason is,
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A razón é
01:44
the brain is incredibly,
incredibly complicated.
incredibly complicated.
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que o cerebro resulta ser
extremadamente complicado.
extremadamente complicado.
01:47
So what we've learned
over the first century of neuroscience
over the first century of neuroscience
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Durante o primeiro século
da neurociencia aprendemos
da neurociencia aprendemos
01:50
is that the brain is a very
complicated network,
complicated network,
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que o cerebro é unha rede moi complicada,
01:52
made out of very specialized
cells called neurons
cells called neurons
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formada por células
moi especializadas, as neuronas,
moi especializadas, as neuronas,
01:55
with very complex geometries,
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con xeometrías moi complexas
01:56
and electrical currents will flow
through these complexly shaped neurons.
through these complexly shaped neurons.
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e correntes eléctricas que flúen
por esas neuronas de estrutura complexa.
por esas neuronas de estrutura complexa.
02:01
Furthermore, neurons
are connected in networks.
are connected in networks.
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Ademais, as neuronas
están conectadas en redes
están conectadas en redes
02:04
They're connected by little junctions
called synapses that exchange chemicals
called synapses that exchange chemicals
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por pequenas unións, as sinapses,
que intercambian substancias químicas
que intercambian substancias químicas
02:08
and allow the neurons
to talk to each other.
to talk to each other.
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que lles permiten falar unhas coas outras.
02:10
The density of the brain is incredible.
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A densidade do cerebro é sorprendente.
02:12
In a cubic millimeter of your brain,
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Nun milímetro cúbico de cerebro
02:14
there are about 100,000 of these neurons
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existen preto de cen mil neuronas
02:17
and maybe a billion of those connections.
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e mil millóns desas conexións.
02:20
But it's worse.
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Pero é peor.
02:22
So, if you could zoom in to a neuron,
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Se puidésemos ampliar unha neurona
02:24
and, of course, this is just
our artist's rendition of it.
our artist's rendition of it.
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e, por suposto,
esta é unha interpretación artística,
esta é unha interpretación artística,
02:27
What you would see are thousands
and thousands of kinds of biomolecules,
and thousands of kinds of biomolecules,
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poderiamos ver miles
e miles de tipos de biomoléculas,
e miles de tipos de biomoléculas,
02:31
little nanoscale machines
organized in complex, 3D patterns,
organized in complex, 3D patterns,
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pequenas máquinas a escala nanométrica
organizadas en complexos patróns 3D
organizadas en complexos patróns 3D
02:36
and together they mediate
those electrical pulses,
those electrical pulses,
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e en conxunto conectan
estes impulsos eléctricos,
estes impulsos eléctricos,
02:38
those chemical exchanges
that allow neurons to work together
that allow neurons to work together
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eses intercambios químicos que permiten
que as neuronas traballen xuntas
que as neuronas traballen xuntas
02:42
to generate things like thoughts
and feelings and so forth.
and feelings and so forth.
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para xerar pensamentos,
sentimentos, etcétera.
sentimentos, etcétera.
02:46
Now, we don't know how
the neurons in the brain are organized
the neurons in the brain are organized
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Pero non sabemos como
se organizan as neuronas no cerebro
se organizan as neuronas no cerebro
02:50
to form networks,
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para formar redes
02:51
and we don't know how
the biomolecules are organized
the biomolecules are organized
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e non sabemos como
se organizan as biomoléculas
se organizan as biomoléculas
02:53
within neurons
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dentro das neuronas
02:55
to form these complex, organized machines.
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para formar esas máquinas
organizadas e complexas.
organizadas e complexas.
02:57
If we really want to understand this,
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Se realmente queremos entender iso,
02:59
we're going to need new technologies.
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imos precisar de novas tecnoloxías.
03:01
But if we could get such maps,
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Pero se puidésemos obter estes mapas,
03:03
if we could look at the organization
of molecules and neurons
of molecules and neurons
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se puidésemos ver a organización
das moléculas e as neuronas,
das moléculas e as neuronas,
03:06
and neurons and networks,
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e as neuronas e as redes,
03:07
maybe we could really understand
how the brain conducts information
how the brain conducts information
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quizais poderiamos entender
como o cerebro leva a información
como o cerebro leva a información
03:11
from sensory regions,
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das rexións sensoriais,
03:12
mixes it with emotion and feeling,
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a mestura con emoción e sentimento
03:14
and generates our decisions and actions.
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e xera as nosas decisións e accións.
03:17
Maybe we could pinpoint the exact set
of molecular changes that occur
of molecular changes that occur
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Quizais poderiamos identificar ó detalle
tódolos cambios moleculares que ocorren
tódolos cambios moleculares que ocorren
03:20
in a brain disorder.
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nun trastorno cerebral,
03:22
And once we know how
those molecules have changed,
those molecules have changed,
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e unha vez soubésemos
como cambian estas moléculas,
como cambian estas moléculas,
03:25
whether they've increased in number
or changed in pattern,
or changed in pattern,
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se aumentan o seu número
ou cambian de patrón,
ou cambian de patrón,
03:27
we could use those
as targets for new drugs,
as targets for new drugs,
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poderiamos usar isto
como obxectivo para novos fármacos,
como obxectivo para novos fármacos,
03:30
for new ways of delivering
energy into the brain
energy into the brain
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para novas formas de
darlle enerxía ó cerebro,
darlle enerxía ó cerebro,
03:33
in order to repair the brain
computations that are afflicted
computations that are afflicted
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para arranxar os cálculos
cerebrais afectados
cerebrais afectados
03:36
in patients who suffer
from brain disorders.
from brain disorders.
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en pacientes que sofren
de trastornos cerebrais.
de trastornos cerebrais.
03:39
We've all seen lots of different
technologies over the last century
technologies over the last century
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Vimos moitas tecnoloxías
diferentes no último século
diferentes no último século
que intentaban arranxar isto.
03:43
to try to confront this.
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03:44
I think we've all seen brain scans
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Creo que todos vimos imaxes do cerebro
tomadas con equipos
de resonancia magnética.
de resonancia magnética.
03:46
taken using MRI machines.
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03:48
These, of course, have the great power
that they are noninvasive,
that they are noninvasive,
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Esta ten a gran propiedade
de non ser invasiva,
de non ser invasiva,
03:51
they can be used on living human subjects.
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pódese empregar en seres humanos vivos,
03:54
But also, they're spatially crude.
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pero é basta, a nivel espacial
03:56
Each of these blobs that you see,
or voxels, as they're called,
or voxels, as they're called,
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Cada unha desas burbullas que ven,
chamadas voxels,
chamadas voxels,
pode conter millóns de neuronas.
03:59
can contain millions
and millions of neurons.
and millions of neurons.
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04:02
So it's not at the level of resolution
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Así que non está ó nivel de resolución
04:04
where it can pinpoint
the molecular changes that occur
the molecular changes that occur
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para precisar os cambios
moleculares que ocorren
moleculares que ocorren
04:06
or the changes in the wiring
of these networks
of these networks
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na cablaxe destas redes
04:09
that contributes to our ability
to be conscious and powerful beings.
to be conscious and powerful beings.
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que nos dan a capacidade de ser
conscientes e poderosos.
conscientes e poderosos.
04:13
At the other extreme,
you have microscopes.
you have microscopes.
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No outro extremo temos os microscopios.
04:17
Microscopes, of course, will use light
to look at little tiny things.
to look at little tiny things.
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Os microscopios empregan a luz
para mirar cousas diminutas.
para mirar cousas diminutas.
04:20
For centuries, they've been used
to look at things like bacteria.
to look at things like bacteria.
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Durante séculos, usáronse para
ollar cousas como bacterias.
ollar cousas como bacterias.
04:23
For neuroscience,
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En neurociencia,
grazas aos microscopios descubríronse
as neuronas por primeira vez,
as neuronas por primeira vez,
04:24
microscopes are actually how neurons
were discovered in the first place,
were discovered in the first place,
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hai uns 130 anos.
04:28
about 130 years ago.
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Pero a luz ten serias limitacións.
04:29
But light is fundamentally limited.
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04:31
You can't see individual molecules
with a regular old microscope.
with a regular old microscope.
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Non se poden ver moléculas individuais
co microscopio antigo.
co microscopio antigo.
04:35
You can't look at these tiny connections.
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Non se poden ver estas pequenas conexións.
04:37
So if we want to make our ability
to see the brain more powerful,
to see the brain more powerful,
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Polo tanto, se queremos
unha mellor visión do cerebro,
unha mellor visión do cerebro,
04:41
to get down to the ground truth structure,
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para introducirnos á verdadeira estrutura,
04:43
we're going to need to have
even better technologies.
even better technologies.
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imos necesitar ter incluso
mellores tecnoloxías.
mellores tecnoloxías.
04:47
My group, a couple years ago,
started thinking:
started thinking:
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O meu grupo, hai dous anos, pensou:
04:49
Why don't we do the opposite?
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E se facemos o contrario?
04:51
If it's so darn complicated
to zoom in to the brain,
to zoom in to the brain,
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Se é tan complicado
ampliar a vista do cerebro,
ampliar a vista do cerebro,
04:53
why can't we make the brain bigger?
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Por qué non ampliar o cerebro?
Nun principio comezamos
04:56
It initially started
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con dous estudantes do meu grupo,
Fei Chen e Paul Tillberg.
Fei Chen e Paul Tillberg.
04:57
with two grad students in my group,
Fei Chen and Paul Tillberg.
Fei Chen and Paul Tillberg.
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Agora moitos do meu grupo
están axudando neste proceso.
están axudando neste proceso.
05:00
Now many others in my group
are helping with this process.
are helping with this process.
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Decidimos descubrir
se podiamos tomar polímeros,
se podiamos tomar polímeros,
05:03
We decided to try to figure out
if we could take polymers,
if we could take polymers,
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como os dos cueiros dos bebés,
05:05
like the stuff in the baby diaper,
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e instalalos fisicamente no cerebro.
05:07
and install it physically
within the brain.
within the brain.
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Se puidésemos facelo ben,
e engadiramos auga,
e engadiramos auga,
05:09
If we could do it just right,
and you add water,
and you add water,
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poderiamos expandir o cerebro
05:11
you can potentially blow the brain up
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e poderíase distinguir esas pequenas
biomoléculas unhas das outras.
biomoléculas unhas das outras.
05:13
to where you could distinguish
those tiny biomolecules from each other.
those tiny biomolecules from each other.
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Poderíase ver estas conexións
e obter mapas cerebrais.
e obter mapas cerebrais.
05:17
You would see those connections
and get maps of the brain.
and get maps of the brain.
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05:19
This could potentially be quite dramatic.
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Isto podería ser moi drástico.
05:22
We brought a little demo here.
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Trouxemos unha pequena demostración.
05:25
We got some purified baby diaper material.
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Conseguimos material purificado
dos cueiros dos bebés.
dos cueiros dos bebés.
05:28
It's much easier
just to buy it off the Internet
just to buy it off the Internet
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É moito máis fácil a compra en liña
05:30
than to extract the few grains
that actually occur in these diapers.
that actually occur in these diapers.
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que extraer os poucos grans
que realmente teñen eses cueiros.
que realmente teñen eses cueiros.
05:33
I'm going to put just one teaspoon here
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Aquí vou poñer só unha culler de té
05:36
of this purified polymer.
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deste polímero purificado
05:39
And here we have some water.
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e aquí temos un pouco de auga.
05:41
What we're going to do
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Imos ver
05:42
is see if this teaspoon
of the baby diaper material
of the baby diaper material
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se esta culler de material dos cueiros
05:45
can increase in size.
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pode aumentar de tamaño.
05:48
You're going to see it increase in volume
by about a thousandfold
by about a thousandfold
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Van ver que aumenta de volume
ó redor de mil veces
ó redor de mil veces
05:52
before your very eyes.
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diante dos seus ollos.
06:01
I could pour much more of this in there,
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Podería verter moito máis aí dentro,
06:03
but I think you've got the idea
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pero creo que entenden
06:05
that this is a very,
very interesting molecule,
very interesting molecule,
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que esta é unha molécula moi interesante
06:07
and if can use it in the right way,
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e que usada correctamente
06:09
we might be able
to really zoom in on the brain
to really zoom in on the brain
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permítenos facer zoom no cerebro,
06:11
in a way that you can't do
with past technologies.
with past technologies.
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o que non é posible
coas tecnoloxías anteriores.
coas tecnoloxías anteriores.
06:15
OK. So a little bit of chemistry now.
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Ben, agora un pouco de química.
06:17
What's going on
in the baby diaper polymer?
in the baby diaper polymer?
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Que está pasando no polímero do cueiro?
06:19
If you could zoom in,
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Se puidésemos facer zoom,
06:21
it might look something like
what you see on the screen.
what you see on the screen.
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veriamos algo como
o que se ve na pantalla.
o que se ve na pantalla.
06:24
Polymers are chains of atoms
arranged in long, thin lines.
arranged in long, thin lines.
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Os polímeros son cadeas de átomos
dispostas en liñas longas e delgadas.
dispostas en liñas longas e delgadas.
06:28
The chains are very tiny,
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As cadeas son diminutas,
06:30
about the width of a biomolecule,
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do ancho dunha biomolécula
06:31
and these polymers are really dense.
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e estes polímeros son moi densos.
06:33
They're separated by distances
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Están separados por distancias
06:35
that are around the size of a biomolecule.
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do tamaño dunha biomolécula.
06:37
This is very good
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Isto é moi bo
06:38
because we could potentially
move everything apart in the brain.
move everything apart in the brain.
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porque poderiamos potencialmente
mover todo o cerebro.
mover todo o cerebro.
06:41
If we add water, what will happen is,
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Se engadimos auga, acontecerá que
06:43
this swellable material
is going to absorb the water,
is going to absorb the water,
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este material inchábel vai absorbela,
06:46
the polymer chains will move
apart from each other,
apart from each other,
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as cadeas de polímero
separaranse entre elas,
separaranse entre elas,
06:48
and the entire material
is going to become bigger.
is going to become bigger.
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e todo o material se expandirá.
06:51
And because these chains are so tiny
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Como estas cadeas son tan pequenas
06:53
and spaced by biomolecular distances,
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e separadas por distancias biomoleculares,
06:55
we could potentially blow up the brain
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potencialmente poderiamos inflar o cerebro
06:57
and make it big enough to see.
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e expandilo ata que sexa visible.
07:00
Here's the mystery, then:
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Aquí está o misterio:
07:01
How do we actually make
these polymer chains inside the brain
these polymer chains inside the brain
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Cómo construír estas cadeas
de polímero no interior do cerebro
de polímero no interior do cerebro
07:04
so we can move all the biomolecules apart?
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para separar as biomoléculas?
07:07
If we could do that,
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Se puidésemos facelo,
07:08
maybe we could get
ground truth maps of the brain.
ground truth maps of the brain.
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quizais poderiamos mapear
realmente o cerebro.
realmente o cerebro.
Poderiamos ver a cablaxe.
07:10
We could look at the wiring.
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Poderiamos ollar para dentro
e ver as moléculas que hai.
e ver as moléculas que hai.
07:12
We can peer inside
and see the molecules within.
and see the molecules within.
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07:15
To explain this, we made some animations
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Para explicalo, fixemos unhas animacións
07:18
where we actually look
at, in these artist renderings,
at, in these artist renderings,
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onde realmente se ve,
nestas representacións,
nestas representacións,
07:21
what biomolecules might look
like and how we might separate them.
like and how we might separate them.
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qué aspecto terían as biomoléculas
e como poderiamos separalas.
e como poderiamos separalas.
07:24
Step one: what we'd have
to do, first of all,
to do, first of all,
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Paso 1: en primeiro lugar teriamos
07:27
is attach every biomolecule,
shown in brown here,
shown in brown here,
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que anexar cada biomolécula,
aquí aparecen en marrón,
aquí aparecen en marrón,
07:30
to a little anchor, a little handle.
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a unha pequena áncora, unha pequena asa.
07:32
We need to pull the molecules
of the brain apart from each other,
of the brain apart from each other,
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Temos que separar as moléculas
do cerebro unhas das outras,
do cerebro unhas das outras,
07:35
and to do that, we need
to have a little handle
to have a little handle
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e para facelo, necesitamos
ter unha pequena asa
ter unha pequena asa
07:38
that allows those polymers to bind to them
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que lles permita ós polímeros
unirse a eles
unirse a eles
07:40
and to exert their force.
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e exercer a súa forza.
07:43
Now, if you just take baby diaper
polymer and dump it on the brain,
polymer and dump it on the brain,
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Pero se poñemos o polímero
do cueiro do bebé no cerebro,
do cueiro do bebé no cerebro,
loxicamente, situarase na parte superior.
07:46
obviously, it's going to sit there on top.
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Necesitamos topar a forma
para poñer o polímero dentro
para poñer o polímero dentro
07:48
So we need to find a way
to make the polymers inside.
to make the polymers inside.
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07:51
And this is where we're really lucky.
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e aquí é onde temos moita sorte.
07:52
It turns out, you can
get the building blocks,
get the building blocks,
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Podemos obter os compoñentes esenciais,
07:55
monomers, as they're called,
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chamados monómeros,
07:56
and if you let them go into the brain
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e deixalos entrar no cerebro,
07:58
and then trigger the chemical reactions,
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e logo, desencadear as reaccións químicas,
08:00
you can get them to form
those long chains,
those long chains,
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para chegar a formar esas longas cadeas,
08:03
right there inside the brain tissue.
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alí, no interior do tecido cerebral.
08:05
They're going to wind their way
around biomolecules
around biomolecules
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Abriranse camiño ó redor
08:07
and between biomolecules,
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e entre as biomoléculas,
08:08
forming those complex webs
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formando esas redes complexas
08:10
that will allow you, eventually,
to pull apart the molecules
to pull apart the molecules
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que permitirán, finalmente,
separar as moléculas,
separar as moléculas,
unhas das outras.
08:13
from each other.
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E cada vez que unha destas pequenas asas
estea ó redor,
estea ó redor,
08:14
And every time one
of those little handles is around,
of those little handles is around,
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08:17
the polymer will bind to the handle,
and that's exactly what we need
and that's exactly what we need
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o polímero poderá unirse a ela
e iso é exactamente o que necesitamos
e iso é exactamente o que necesitamos
08:21
in order to pull the molecules
apart from each other.
apart from each other.
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para tirar das moléculas
e separalas unhas das outras.
e separalas unhas das outras.
08:23
All right, the moment of truth.
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Moi ben, o momento da verdade.
08:25
We have to treat this specimen
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Temos que tratar este espécime
08:27
with a chemical to kind of loosen up
all the molecules from each other,
all the molecules from each other,
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con produtos químicos
para soltar as moléculas entre si,
para soltar as moléculas entre si,
08:31
and then, when we add water,
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e, a continuación, ó engadir auga,
08:32
that swellable material is going
to start absorbing the water,
to start absorbing the water,
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o material inchábel empezará a absorbela,
as cadeas de polímero separaranse,
08:35
the polymer chains will move apart,
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08:37
but now, the biomolecules
will come along for the ride.
will come along for the ride.
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pero agora, as biomoléculas acompañaranas.
08:40
And much like drawing
a picture on a balloon,
a picture on a balloon,
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Igual ca ao debuxar algo nun globo,
08:42
and then you blow up the balloon,
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e despois, inflalo,
08:44
the image is the same,
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a imaxe é a mesma,
08:45
but the ink particles have moved
away from each other.
away from each other.
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pero as partículas de tinta
separáronse entre si.
separáronse entre si.
08:48
And that's what we've been able
to do now, but in three dimensions.
to do now, but in three dimensions.
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Iso é o que fixemos agora,
pero en tres dimensións.
pero en tres dimensións.
08:51
There's one last trick.
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Hai un último truco.
08:53
As you can see here,
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Como poden ver,
08:54
we've color-coded
all the biomolecules brown.
all the biomolecules brown.
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coloreamos as biomoléculas en marrón.
08:56
That's because they all
kind of look the same.
kind of look the same.
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Isto débese a que todas se ven igual.
08:59
Biomolecules are made
out of the same atoms,
out of the same atoms,
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2105
As biomoléculas teñen os mesmos átomos,
09:01
but just in different orders.
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pero en distinta orde.
09:03
So we need one last thing
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Necesitamos unha última cousa
09:05
in order to make them visible.
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para facelas visibles:
09:06
We have to bring in little tags,
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pequenas etiquetas
09:08
with glowing dyes
that will distinguish them.
that will distinguish them.
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con colorantes brillantes
para distinguilas.
para distinguilas.
09:11
So one kind of biomolecule
might get a blue color.
might get a blue color.
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Así, un tipo de biomolécula
podería ter unha cor azul,
podería ter unha cor azul,
09:14
Another kind of biomolecule
might get a red color.
might get a red color.
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outra unha cor vermella,
09:16
And so forth.
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etcétera.
09:17
And that's the final step.
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E ese é o paso final.
09:19
Now we can look at something like a brain
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Agora podemos analizar un cerebro
09:21
and look at the individual molecules,
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e mirar moléculas individuais,
09:23
because we've moved them
far apart enough from each other
far apart enough from each other
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porque as separamos o suficiente
09:26
that we can tell them apart.
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e podemos distinguilas.
09:27
So the hope here is that
we can make the invisible visible.
we can make the invisible visible.
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Esperamos poder facer visible o invisible.
09:30
We can turn things that might seem
small and obscure
small and obscure
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Podemos cambiar as cousas
pequenas e escuras
pequenas e escuras
09:33
and blow them up
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1151
e inflalas
09:34
until they're like constellations
of information about life.
of information about life.
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ata que sexan constelacións
de información sobre a vida.
de información sobre a vida.
09:37
Here's an actual video
of what it might look like.
of what it might look like.
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2375
Este é un vídeo real, do
aspecto que poderían ter.
aspecto que poderían ter.
09:40
We have here a little brain in a dish --
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Aquí temos un cerebro pequeno nunha placa,
09:42
a little piece of a brain, actually.
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en realidade, un pequeno anaco.
09:44
We've infused the polymer in,
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Colocamos o polímero,
09:45
and now we're adding water.
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e agora engadimos auga.
09:47
What you'll see is that,
right before your eyes --
right before your eyes --
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Verán, xusto diante dos seus ollos
09:49
this video is sped up about sixtyfold --
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--nun vídeo acelerado sesenta veces--
09:51
this little piece of brain tissue
is going to grow.
is going to grow.
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579803
2725
como este anaco
de tecido cerebral vai medrar.
de tecido cerebral vai medrar.
09:54
It can increase by a hundredfold
or even more in volume.
or even more in volume.
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Pódese aumentar cen veces
ou incluso máis, en volume.
ou incluso máis, en volume.
09:57
And the cool part is, because
those polymers are so tiny,
those polymers are so tiny,
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O interesante é que,
dado que os polímeros son tan pequenos,
dado que os polímeros son tan pequenos,
10:00
we're separating biomolecules
evenly from each other.
evenly from each other.
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estamos separando biomoléculas
unhas das outras.
unhas das outras.
10:03
It's a smooth expansion.
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É unha expansión suave.
10:04
We're not losing the configuration
of the information.
of the information.
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Non estamos perdendo
a configuración da información.
a configuración da información.
10:07
We're just making it easier to see.
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2700
Estámola facendo máis doada de ver.
10:11
So now we can take
actual brain circuitry --
actual brain circuitry --
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Así tomariamos circuítos reais do cerebro
10:13
here's a piece of the brain
involved with, for example, memory --
involved with, for example, memory --
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--unha parte del implicada,
por exemplo, coa memoria--
por exemplo, coa memoria--
10:16
and we can zoom in.
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e poderiamos facer zoom.
10:17
We can start to actually look at
how circuits are configured.
how circuits are configured.
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Poderiamos empezar a avaliar
como se configuran os circuítos.
como se configuran os circuítos.
10:20
Maybe someday we could read out a memory.
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1968
Quizais así poderíamos ler un recordo.
10:22
Maybe we could actually look
at how circuits are configured
at how circuits are configured
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Quizais poderiamos ver
como configurar circuítos
como configurar circuítos
para procesar emocións,
10:25
to process emotions,
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como está organizada
a cablaxe actual do cerebro
a cablaxe actual do cerebro
10:26
how the actual wiring
of our brain is organized
of our brain is organized
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10:29
in order to make us who we are.
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para facer de nós quen somos.
10:32
And of course, we can pinpoint, hopefully,
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E, por suposto, precisar, con sorte,
10:34
the actual problems in the brain
at a molecular level.
at a molecular level.
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os problemas moleculares reais do cerebro.
10:37
What if we could actually
look into cells in the brain
look into cells in the brain
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E se en realidade puidésemos
ollar dentro do cerebro
ollar dentro do cerebro
10:40
and figure out, wow, here are the 17
molecules that have altered
molecules that have altered
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3083
e, uau, descubrir
as dezasete moléculas alteradas
as dezasete moléculas alteradas
10:43
in this brain tissue that has been
undergoing epilepsy
undergoing epilepsy
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neste tecido cerebral que tivo epilepsia,
10:46
or changing in Parkinson's disease
256
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ou cambios no párkinson
10:48
or otherwise being altered?
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ou noutras enfermidades?
10:50
If we get that systematic list
of things that are going wrong,
of things that are going wrong,
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3043
Se conseguimos a lista sistemática
das cousas que van mal,
das cousas que van mal,
esas converteranse en
obxectivos terapéuticos.
obxectivos terapéuticos.
10:53
those become our therapeutic targets.
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10:55
We can build drugs that bind those.
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Crear fármacos que se unan a elas.
10:57
We can maybe aim energy
at different parts of the brain
at different parts of the brain
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Poder apuntar a enerxía
a diferentes partes do cerebro
a diferentes partes do cerebro
10:59
in order to help people
with Parkinson's or epilepsy
with Parkinson's or epilepsy
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para axudar a persoas
con párkinson, epilepsia
con párkinson, epilepsia
ou outras patoloxías que afectan
a máis de mil millóns de persoas
a máis de mil millóns de persoas
11:02
or other conditions that affect
over a billion people
over a billion people
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11:04
around the world.
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en todo o mundo.
11:07
Now, something interesting
has been happening.
has been happening.
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Agora, ocorreu algo interesante.
11:09
It turns out that throughout biomedicine,
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Resulta que en biomedicina,
11:12
there are other problems
that expansion might help with.
that expansion might help with.
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a expansión podería axudar
noutros problemas.
noutros problemas.
11:14
This is an actual biopsy
from a human breast cancer patient.
from a human breast cancer patient.
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3234
Esta é a biopsia real dunha paciente
con cancro de mama.
con cancro de mama.
11:18
It turns out that if you look at cancers,
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Resulta que se analizamos os cancros
11:20
if you look at the immune system,
270
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1611
e o sistema inmunolóxico,
11:22
if you look at aging,
if you look at development --
if you look at development --
271
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2513
se estudamos o envellecemento
e o desenvolvemento
e o desenvolvemento
11:24
all these processes are involving
large-scale biological systems.
large-scale biological systems.
272
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--estes procesos involucran
sistemas biolóxicos a grande escala.
sistemas biolóxicos a grande escala.
11:29
But of course, the problems begin
with those little nanoscale molecules,
with those little nanoscale molecules,
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Pero por suposto, os problemas comezan
con estas pequenas moléculas a nanoescala,
con estas pequenas moléculas a nanoescala,
11:33
the machines that make the cells
and the organs in our body tick.
and the organs in our body tick.
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as máquinas que compoñen as células
e órganos do corpo.
e órganos do corpo.
11:37
So what we're trying
to do now is to figure out
to do now is to figure out
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685351
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Agora imos tentar descubrir
11:39
if we can actually use this technology
to map the building blocks of life
to map the building blocks of life
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3466
se podemos utilizar esta tecnoloxía
para mapear os compoñentes esenciais da vida
para mapear os compoñentes esenciais da vida
11:43
in a wide variety of diseases.
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1745
nunha ampla gama de enfermidades.
11:44
Can we actually pinpoint
the molecular changes in a tumor
the molecular changes in a tumor
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2896
Podemos sinalar os cambios
moleculares nun tumor,
moleculares nun tumor,
11:47
so that we can actually
go after it in a smart way
go after it in a smart way
279
695776
2369
ir tras el de forma intelixente
11:50
and deliver drugs that might wipe out
exactly the cells that we want to?
exactly the cells that we want to?
280
698169
3944
e subministrar fármacos que poderían
acabar só coas células que queiramos?
acabar só coas células que queiramos?
11:54
You know, a lot of medicine
is very high risk.
is very high risk.
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702137
2335
Gran parte da medicina
é de moi alto risco.
é de moi alto risco.
11:56
Sometimes, it's even guesswork.
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1782
Ás veces, empregamos conxecturas.
11:58
My hope is we can actually turn
what might be a high-risk moon shot
what might be a high-risk moon shot
283
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3875
Espero poder transformar o que podería
ser un gran soño de alto risco
ser un gran soño de alto risco
12:02
into something that's more reliable.
284
710525
1769
en algo máis fiable.
12:04
If you think about the original moon shot,
285
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2055
Se pensan no soño lunar orixinal,
o que nos levou á Lúa,
12:06
where they actually landed on the moon,
286
714397
1898
baseouse en fundamentos sólidos.
12:08
it was based on solid science.
287
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1444
12:09
We understood gravity;
288
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1603
Entendiamos a gravidade,
12:11
we understood aerodynamics.
289
719414
1341
a aerodinámica
e sabiamos construír foguetes.
12:12
We knew how to build rockets.
290
720779
1395
12:14
The science risk was under control.
291
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2468
O risco da ciencia estaba baixo control.
12:16
It was still a great, great
feat of engineering.
feat of engineering.
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2753
Aínda era unha grande obra de enxeñería.
12:19
But in medicine, we don't
necessarily have all the laws.
necessarily have all the laws.
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2645
Pero na medicina,
non seguimos todas as leis.
non seguimos todas as leis.
12:22
Do we have all the laws
that are analogous to gravity,
that are analogous to gravity,
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3109
Cumprimos todas as leis da gravidade
12:25
that are analogous to aerodynamics?
295
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2344
e da aerodinámica?
12:27
I would argue that with technologies
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1730
Diría que coas tecnoloxías
12:29
like the kinds I'm talking about today,
297
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1872
das que estou falando hoxe,
12:31
maybe we can actually derive those.
298
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1693
quizais poidamos derivalas.
12:33
We can map the patterns
that occur in living systems,
that occur in living systems,
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741004
2857
Poderiamos trazar os patróns
existentes nos sistemas vivos
existentes nos sistemas vivos
12:35
and figure out how to overcome
the diseases that plague us.
the diseases that plague us.
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e atopar a maneira de superar
enfermidades que nos aflixen.
enfermidades que nos aflixen.
12:41
You know, my wife and I
have two young kids,
have two young kids,
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A miña muller e eu temos dous nenos,
e unha das miñas esperanzas como
bioenxeñeiro é facerlles a vida mellor
bioenxeñeiro é facerlles a vida mellor
12:43
and one of my hopes as a bioengineer
is to make life better for them
is to make life better for them
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12:46
than it currently is for us.
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do que hoxe é para nós.
12:48
And my hope is, if we can
turn biology and medicine
turn biology and medicine
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Espero que poidamos converter
a bioloxía e a medicina
a bioloxía e a medicina
12:52
from these high-risk endeavors
that are governed by chance and luck,
that are governed by chance and luck,
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de alto risco, que se rexe
polo azar e a sorte
polo azar e a sorte
12:56
and make them things
that we win by skill and hard work,
that we win by skill and hard work,
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en algo que gañemos con
capacidade e traballo duro.
capacidade e traballo duro.
13:00
then that would be a great advance.
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Iso sería un grande avance.
13:02
Thank you very much.
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Moitas grazas.
13:03
(Applause)
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(Aplausos).
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Ed Boyden - NeuroengineerEd Boyden is a professor of biological engineering and brain and cognitive sciences at the MIT Media Lab and the MIT McGovern Institute.
Why you should listen
Ed Boyden leads the Synthetic Neurobiology Group, which develops tools for analyzing and repairing complex biological systems such as the brain. His group applies these tools in a systematic way in order to reveal ground truth scientific understandings of biological systems, which in turn reveal radical new approaches for curing diseases and repairing disabilities. These technologies include expansion microscopy, which enables complex biological systems to be imaged with nanoscale precision, and optogenetic tools, which enable the activation and silencing of neural activity with light (TED Talk: A light switch for neurons). Boyden also co-directs the MIT Center for Neurobiological Engineering, which aims to develop new tools to accelerate neuroscience progress.
Amongst other recognitions, Boyden has received the Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences (2016), the BBVA Foundation Frontiers of Knowledge Award (2015), the Carnegie Prize in Mind and Brain Sciences (2015), the Jacob Heskel Gabbay Award (2013), the Grete Lundbeck Brain Prize (2013) and the NIH Director's Pioneer Award (2013). He was also named to the World Economic Forum Young Scientist list (2013) and the Technology Review World's "Top 35 Innovators under Age 35" list (2006). His group has hosted hundreds of visitors to learn how to use new biotechnologies and spun out several companies to bring inventions out of his lab and into the world. Boyden received his Ph.D. in neurosciences from Stanford University as a Hertz Fellow, where he discovered that the molecular mechanisms used to store a memory are determined by the content to be learned. Before that, he received three degrees in electrical engineering, computer science and physics from MIT. He has contributed to over 300 peer-reviewed papers, current or pending patents and articles, and he has given over 300 invited talks on his group's work.
Ed Boyden | Speaker | TED.com