TED2015
Tal Danino: Programming bacteria to detect cancer (and maybe treat it)
Tal Danino: Podemos utilizar as bacterias para detectar o cancro (e quizais curalo)
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O cancro de fígado é un dos máis difíciles de detectar, mais o biólogo sintético Tal Danino tivo unha idea moi pouco convencional: Que pasaría se creamos unha probiótica, unha bacteria comestíbel que fose "programada" para atopar tumores de fígado? As súas descubertas suxiren algo que estamos empezando a comprender sobre as bacterias: o seu poder de percepción de quorum, ou faceren algo xuntas unha vez que son un número enorme. Danino, membro de TED, explica como funciona a percepción do quorum -- e que a cooperación entre as bacterias podería algun día cambiar o tratamento do cancro.
Tal Danino - Synthetic biologist
Tal Danino explores the emerging frontier of combining biology and engineering (and art). He is a 2015 TED Fellow. Full bio
Tal Danino explores the emerging frontier of combining biology and engineering (and art). He is a 2015 TED Fellow. Full bio
Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.
00:12
You may not realize this,
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Pode que non sexan conscientes disto,
00:14
but there are more bacteria in your body
than stars in our entire galaxy.
than stars in our entire galaxy.
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pero hai máis bacterias no voso corpo
ca estrelas en toda a galaxia.
ca estrelas en toda a galaxia.
00:20
This fascinating universe
of bacteria inside of us
of bacteria inside of us
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Este fascinante universo
de bacterias no noso interior
de bacterias no noso interior
00:23
is an integral part of our health,
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é unha parte esencial da nosa saúde,
00:25
and our technology is evolving so rapidly
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e a nosa tecnoloxía evoluciona tan rápido
00:27
that today we can program these bacteria
like we program computers.
like we program computers.
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que hoxe podemos programar estas bacterias
igual que programamos computadores.
igual que programamos computadores.
00:33
Now, the diagram that you see here,
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O diagrama que vemos aquí,
00:34
I know it looks like
some kind of sports play,
some kind of sports play,
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parece a xogada de algún deporte,
00:37
but it is actually a blueprint of
the first bacterial program I developed.
the first bacterial program I developed.
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mais é en realidade una mostra do
primeiro programa bacteriano que creei.
primeiro programa bacteriano que creei.
00:41
And like writing software,
we can print and write DNA
we can print and write DNA
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E o mesmo que escribir código,
podemos imprimir e programar ADN
podemos imprimir e programar ADN
00:44
into different algorithms
and programs inside of bacteria.
and programs inside of bacteria.
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en forma de diferentes algoritmos e
programas dentro das bacterias.
programas dentro das bacterias.
00:48
What this program does
is produces fluorescent proteins
is produces fluorescent proteins
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O que este programa produce
son proteínas fluorescentes
son proteínas fluorescentes
00:51
in a rhythmic fashion
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dun xeito rítmico
00:52
and generates a small molecule
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e xera unha pequena molécula
00:54
that allows bacteria
to communicate and synchronize,
to communicate and synchronize,
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que permite ás bacterias
comunicarse e sincronizarse,
comunicarse e sincronizarse,
00:57
as you're seeing in this movie.
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como poden ver neste filme.
00:59
The growing colony of bacteria
that you see here
that you see here
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A crecente colonia de
bacterias que ven aquí
bacterias que ven aquí
01:01
is about the width of a human hair.
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é do ancho aproximado dun pelo humano.
01:03
Now, what you can't see
is that our genetic program
is that our genetic program
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O que non poden ver é que
o noso programa xenético
o noso programa xenético
01:06
instructs these bacteria
to each produce small molecules,
to each produce small molecules,
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ensina a estas bacterias a produciren
cada unha pequenas moléculas,
cada unha pequenas moléculas,
01:09
and these molecules travel between
the thousands of individual bacteria
the thousands of individual bacteria
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e estas moléculas viaxan entre
as miles de bacterias individuais
as miles de bacterias individuais
01:13
telling them when to turn on and off.
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dicíndolles cando acenderse e apagarse.
01:15
And the bacteria synchronize
quite well at this scale,
quite well at this scale,
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E as bacterias sincronízanse
bastante ben a esta escala,
bastante ben a esta escala,
01:19
but because the molecule that synchronizes
them together can only travel so fast,
them together can only travel so fast,
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mais debido a que a molécula que as sincroniza
só pode viaxar a unha determinada velocidade,
só pode viaxar a unha determinada velocidade,
01:23
in larger colonies of bacteria,
this results in traveling waves
this results in traveling waves
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en colonias maiores de bacterias,
isto resulta en ondas viaxando
isto resulta en ondas viaxando
01:26
between bacteria that are
far away from each other,
far away from each other,
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entre bacterias que están
lonxe unhas de outras,
lonxe unhas de outras,
01:29
and you can see these waves going
from right to left across the screen.
from right to left across the screen.
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e poden ver estas ondas viaxando
de dereita a esquerda na pantalla.
de dereita a esquerda na pantalla.
01:33
Now, our genetic program
relies on a natural phenomenon
relies on a natural phenomenon
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O noso programa xenético
depende dun fenómeno natural,
depende dun fenómeno natural,
01:36
called quorum sensing,
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coñecido como a percepción do quórum,
01:37
in which bacteria trigger coordinated
and sometimes virulent behaviors
and sometimes virulent behaviors
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no cal as bacterias causan comportamentos
cooperativos e virulentos
cooperativos e virulentos
01:40
once they reach a critical density.
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ao alcanzaren unha densidade crítica.
01:43
You can observe quorum sensing
in action in this movie,
in action in this movie,
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Vexan a percepción do quórum
en acción nesta película,
en acción nesta película,
01:46
where a growing colony of bacteria
only begins to glow
only begins to glow
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onde a crecente colonia de
bacteria só brilla
bacteria só brilla
01:49
once it reaches a high
or critical density.
or critical density.
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cando acada unha
densidade alta ou crítica.
densidade alta ou crítica.
01:52
Our genetic program
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O noso programa xenético
01:54
continues producing these
rhythmic patterns of fluorescent proteins
rhythmic patterns of fluorescent proteins
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produce patróns rítmicos
de proteínas fluorescentes
de proteínas fluorescentes
01:57
as the colony grows outwards.
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a medida que a colonia crece.
01:59
This particular movie and experiment
we call The Supernova,
we call The Supernova,
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Esta película e experimento
recibe o nome de A Supernova,
recibe o nome de A Supernova,
02:03
because it looks like an exploding star.
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porque semella una estrela estoupando.
02:06
Now, besides programming
these beautiful patterns,
these beautiful patterns,
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Ademáis de programar
estes fermosos patróns,
estes fermosos patróns,
02:08
I wondered, what else can we get
these bacteria to do?
these bacteria to do?
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Pregúntome, que máis podemos
obter destas bacterias?
obter destas bacterias?
02:11
And I decided to explore
how we can program bacteria
how we can program bacteria
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E decidín explorar como podemos
programar as bacterias
programar as bacterias
02:13
to detect and treat diseases
in our bodies like cancer.
in our bodies like cancer.
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para detectarmos e tratarmos
doenzas coma o cancro.
doenzas coma o cancro.
02:18
One of the surprising facts about bacteria
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Un dos feitos máis
sorprendentes das bacterias
sorprendentes das bacterias
02:20
is that they can naturally grow
inside of tumors.
inside of tumors.
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é que poden crecer de maneira
natural dentro de tumores.
natural dentro de tumores.
02:23
This happens because typically tumors
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Isto ocorre porque os tumores
02:25
are areas where the immune system
has no access,
has no access,
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son áreas onde o sistema
inmunitario non ten acceso
inmunitario non ten acceso
02:27
and so bacteria find these tumors
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e así as bacterias atopan estes tumores
02:29
and use them as a safe haven
to grow and thrive.
to grow and thrive.
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e os usan como lugar protexido
para crecer e multiplicarse.
para crecer e multiplicarse.
02:33
We started using probiotic bacteria
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Comezamos usando bacterias probióticas
02:35
which are safe bacteria
that have a health benefit,
that have a health benefit,
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que son bacterias inócuas
con beneficios saudables,
con beneficios saudables,
02:38
and found that
when orally delivered to mice,
when orally delivered to mice,
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e descubrín que, ao seren
inxeridas oralmente por ratos,
inxeridas oralmente por ratos,
02:40
these probiotics would selectively
grow inside of liver tumors.
grow inside of liver tumors.
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estas probióticas crecían selectivamente
dentro de tumores de fígado.
dentro de tumores de fígado.
02:44
We realized that the most convenient way
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Decatámonos de que o xeito máis conveniente
02:46
to highlight the presence
of the probiotics,
of the probiotics,
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de salientar a presenza das probióticas,
02:48
and hence, the presence of the tumors,
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e, por tanto, a presenza dos tumores,
02:50
was to get these bacteria
to produce a signal
to produce a signal
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era facermos que as bacterias
emitisen un sinal
emitisen un sinal
02:52
that would be detectable in the urine,
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que sería detectable na urina,
02:55
and so we specifically
programmed these probiotics
programmed these probiotics
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e así programamos
específicamente estas probióticas
específicamente estas probióticas
02:57
to make a molecule that would change
the color of your urine
the color of your urine
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para facermos unha molécula que
cambiase a cor da urina
cambiase a cor da urina
03:00
to indicate the presence of cancer.
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para indicar a presenza de cancro.
03:03
We went on to show that this technology
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Demostramos que esta tecnoloxía
03:05
could sensitively and specifically
detect liver cancer,
detect liver cancer,
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podería detectar o cancro de fígado
de forma sensible e específica,
de forma sensible e específica,
03:08
one that is challenging
to detect otherwise.
to detect otherwise.
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un cancro que é difícil
de atopar doutro xeito.
de atopar doutro xeito.
03:11
Now, since these bacteria
specifically localize to tumors,
specifically localize to tumors,
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Pois ben, xa que estas bacterias
se adhiren a tumores,
se adhiren a tumores,
03:14
we've been programming them
to not only detect cancer
to not only detect cancer
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estamos a programalas
non só para detectarmos o cancro
non só para detectarmos o cancro
03:17
but also to treat cancer
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senón tamén para tratarmos o cancro
03:19
by producing therapeutic molecules
from within the tumor environment
from within the tumor environment
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producindo moléculas terapéuticas
dende o interior do tumor
dende o interior do tumor
03:22
that shrink the existing tumors,
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que reducen os tumores existentes,
03:24
and we've been doing this
using quorum sensing programs
using quorum sensing programs
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e fixémolo con programas
que usan a percepción do quórum
que usan a percepción do quórum
03:27
like you saw in the previous movies.
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como viron en anteriores filmes.
03:29
Altogether, imagine in the future
taking a programmed probiotic
taking a programmed probiotic
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Imaxinen inserirmos no futuro
unha probiótica programada
unha probiótica programada
03:33
that could detect and treat cancer,
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que poida detectar e tratar o cancro,
03:35
or even other diseases.
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e incluso outras enfermedades.
03:38
Our ability to program bacteria
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A habilidade de programarmos bacterias
03:40
and program life
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e programar vida
03:42
opens up new horizons in cancer research,
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abre novos horizontes na
investigación do cancro,
investigación do cancro,
03:45
and to share this vision,
I worked with artist Vik Muniz
I worked with artist Vik Muniz
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para compartir esta visión,
traballei co artista Vik Muniz
traballei co artista Vik Muniz
03:47
to create the symbol of the universe,
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para crearmos o símbolo do universo,
03:49
made entirely out of bacteria
or cancer cells.
or cancer cells.
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feito enteiramente de bacterias
ou células canceríxenas.
ou células canceríxenas.
03:53
Ultimately, my hope is that the beauty
and purpose of this microscopic universe
and purpose of this microscopic universe
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A Miña esperanza é que a beleza e
propósito deste universo microscópico
propósito deste universo microscópico
03:58
can inspire new and creative approaches
for the future of cancer research.
for the future of cancer research.
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poida inspirar enfoques novos e creativos
na investigación do cancro.
na investigación do cancro.
04:03
Thank you.
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Grazas.
04:06
(Applause)
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(Aplausos)
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Tal Danino - Synthetic biologistTal Danino explores the emerging frontier of combining biology and engineering (and art). He is a 2015 TED Fellow.
Why you should listen
Tal Danino's research explores the emerging frontier of combining biology, engineering and medicine. His work as a synthetic biologist focuses on reprogramming bacteria to detect and treat diseases in our bodies such as cancer.
Originally from Los Angeles, Danino received B.S. degrees from UCLA in Physics, Chemistry and Math, and received his Ph.D. in Bioengineering from UCSD. He did a postdoctoral fellowship at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and is currently an assistant professor at Columbia University in New York.
Danino's work has been published in scientific journals and highlighted in several popular press venues. He actively develops "Bio-Art" projects that share perspectives and stories about science with recent projects featured in the New York Times, WIRED, and the Wall Street Journal.
Tal Danino | Speaker | TED.com