Challenges Threaten Sustainability of Life on Earth: U.S. Expert
2010-03-23 02:34:55 Xinhua Web Editor: Ma Ting
http://english.cri.cn/6966/2010/03/23/1722s558505.htmThere are tremendous advancements in science and technology that improve the facilities for life, but there are also great challenges that threaten the sustainability of life on planet Earth, according to a U.S. expert in bioengineering and medicine.
Shu Chien, director of the Institute of Engineering in Medicine at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD), told Xinhua in a recent interview that the highest priority for the human race is the maintenance and improvement of health and quality of life.
Chien, who is a pioneer in the growing field of bioengineering, said recent advances in this regard have been made possible by interdisciplinary collaborations in science, engineering and medicine. Thus, innovative concepts and technologies have been developed to improve the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of a variety of diseases, including cancer, cardiovascular, neurological, metabolic and many other maladies, as a result of the developments in genomics, systems biology, bioinformatics, imaging, nanotechnology, biotechnology, smart materials, non- invasive surgery, personalized medicine, telemedicine, wireless health, and other approaches.
He said there is an increasing recognition that it is important to apply these advancements to the maintenance of wellness, rather than only to focus on the treatment of sickness. The wellness of the people can prevent diseases, improve productivity, and benefit society and economy -- more importantly, it improves the quality of life.
Chien said advances in science, technology and medicine are closely coupled with society, economy, and culture.
"Novel developments in science and technology can lead to new medical advances, which improve the economy, benefit the society, and help to advance culture," said Chien.
He said a great society with a strong economy can provide the resources needed to further develop science, technology and health care, thus constituting a positive feedback system for the good of the people.
"The reverse of this is a vicious cycle that leads to poor science, sick people, weak economy, unstable society, and disintegrated culture," said the bioengineering expert.
He said the advancements of science and technology must be in pace with society and culture, because they are mutually dependent.
"A good example is the utilization of energy and handling of industrial waste. If these societal problems are not addressed, the lack of energy and the worsening of the environment will eventually limit the developments of science and technology, present health hazards to people, decrease our productivity, and threaten our sustainability," Chien noted.
According to Chien, in the human body, the essence of physiological regulation of body functions is the maintenance of the constancy of the internal environment, i.e., the physico- chemical properties of the fluids bathing the cells.
"This concept is called homeostasis. In the human race, the essence of our sustainability is the maintenance of the constancy of our external environment, i.e., the physico-chemical properties of the air, water and land we live in/on, which can also be referred to as the maintenance of homeostasis," Chien explained.
"Our biggest challenge today is to maintain the homeostasis of our external environment with the same dedication and wisdom used to maintain the homeostasis within our body," Chien stressed.
"We are beginning to recognize the seriousness of this problem; we must develop and implement effective solutions before it is too late. This requires the interdisciplinary collaboration of not only science, technology and medicine, but also society, government and industry. The stake is so large and the timing is so urgent that we must rise together to meet this grand challenge for our human race," said Chien.
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=what-is-homeostasisThe term was coined in 1930 by the physician Walter Cannon. His book, The Wisdom of the Body, describes how the human body maintains steady levels of temperature and other vital conditions
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