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Atlas of new professions-1. Biotechnology and medicine

On February 17, there was a presentation of the Atlas of New Professions - an unparalleled document, which was the result of the long work of the Agency for Strategic Initiatives and the Moscow School of Management SKOLKOVO, in which more than 2,500 Russian and international experts took part. The authors of the study tried to understand which professions would be in demand in the future. To get an idea of ​​how it was and why it is necessary, you can watch the promo video:



Atlas is a Russian product and made for Russia. Many professions that exist in it already exist in the world, but we still do not have much of it, it is worth bearing in mind.
Let's try to figure out what's inside the Atlas. In this post, let's see what creators see future professions in biotechnology and medicine.

Professions in the Atlas are divided into 2 time horizons - until 2020 and after 2020. Not too long to wait, just enough time to get additional education. In addition, the professions are divided by specialization in cross-industry and intra-industry - everything is clear. In addition, all professions are accompanied by a brief description and "super professional skills" that are necessary in order to master them.
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Biotechnology

Professions that will appear until 2020

System biotechnology. Specialist in replacing existing non-biotechnological solutions in various sectors with new products from the biotechnology industry (for example, biofuel instead of diesel fuel, building biomaterials instead of cement and concrete, etc.)
If the story of biofuels is roughly understood, then building biomaterials instead of cement seem fantastic. But no, here , for example, they tell about the successes in the development of biotechnological additives that improve the properties of concrete. On the whole, one can listen to the extremely useful lecture of Georgy Afanasyev about living cities.

City farmer. Specialist in the development and maintenance of agro-industrial farms (including the cultivation of food) on the roofs and walls of skyscrapers in major cities
You can listen to this approach in the same lecture of Afanasyev, but in general, vertical farms are an agenda for the near future. The first commercial vertical farm appeared in Singapore in 2012, currently there are plans to create vertical farms in South Korea, China, the United Arab Emirates, the United States, France and other countries.

Experimental site for city farming at MIT Medialab (photo by D. Peskov). One of the comments to the photo: “apparently, the main specialists today are de facto those who grow marivana houses, mushrooms, and also aquarists who hold aquariums with large fitofilters”

Urban environmentalist. The designer of new cities based on environmental biotechnology; specializes in the fields of construction, energy and pollution control.
In general, the interest of ecologists to cities has existed for a long time, in the late 1970s the first publications appeared on the subject, and in the mid-80s the ecology of large cities was first identified as a separate discipline. It seems that today in Russia this is more a story about freaks, but given the fact that the issue of efficient use of resources and comfortable life in cities is becoming ever more acute, experts predict an increase in demand for such specialists.

Biopharmacologist. Specialist in designing new biological products with desired properties or replacing artificially synthesized preparations with biological products.
By itself, the topic of biopharmaceutics is not new, since the mid-60s, when it became clear that it was difficult and expensive to isolate effective antibiotics, there was a transition from the search for new antibiotics to the modification of the structure of existing ones. In particular, already today, genetically modified bacteria that produce these substances are used to produce drugs such as penicillin, insulin and other vaccines.
And tomorrow, specialists capable of working in this area will need even more.

Professions that will appear after 2020

GMO agronomist. Specialist in the use of genetically modified products in agriculture; engaged in the introduction of biotechnological advances and obtaining products with desired properties.

( from here )
Despite all the controversy associated with GMOs, their use is constantly growing (as Wikipedia reports , in 2013 over 11% of the crop areas in the world are occupied by genetically modified crops, and in the US, 91% of soybeans, 88% of cotton and 85% of maize are genetically modified). In Russia, for the time being, it is possible to grow GM crops only in experimental plots; however, from July 1, 2014, the registration process for GM seeds will be opened , and according to experts, the first crop of genetically modified soybean will be harvested in 2016-2017. So the GMO agronomist after 2020 looks pretty popular.

The architect of living systems. Specialist in planning, designing and creating technologies of a closed cycle with the participation of genetically modified organisms, including microorganisms (for example, bioreactors, food production systems in urban environments, etc.)
Here again, it is worth referring to the lecture of Georgy Afanasyev, where he understands in detail why such closed-cycle technologies are necessary, how much they are possible and what exists already today as prerequisites for their development (for example, systems for processing organic waste into the earth for plants).

The medicine

Nowadays, in world medicine there is a transition from the treatment of specific diseases and dysfunctions to systemic work with health, preventive medicine and personal work with a person at the genome level. As the authors of the Atlas write, “The genetic code is not the most complex set of amino acids, but an outpatient card for life.”

Professions that will appear until 2020

IT physician. Specialist with a good knowledge of IT, creates a database of physiological data and manages them, creates software for medical and diagnostic equipment
The importance of the role of strong IT specialists in medicine is caused not only by the growing number of IT systems used in the industry, but also by the growing role of big data in medicine . So far, of course, we are talking about the United States and several other developed countries, but it is clear that this trend will not bypass Russia. This means that a significant number of specialists are required who are capable of solving such problems.

Medical equipment architect. A specialist in engineering and computer graphics, materials science, materials, machinery parts, electrical engineering, possesses spatial thinking, understands human anatomy and physiology, understands the biocompatibility of materials and devices, is an expert in medical and technical security.
Another profession that already exists in the world, but the demand for professionals exceeds supply. In a number of universities there are training programs, for example, on the basis of the Irish University of Art and Design NCAD, together with two other universities, there is a master’s program for the preparation of medical equipment architects ( Medical Device Design ).

Today, the main players in the Russian medical equipment market are Western companies, and if we are interested in import substitution in this sector, we will need such specialists.

Bioethics. A specialist who provides the regulatory and ethical framework for the activities of medical, diagnostic and bioengineering centers where transplantation and genetic modeling are carried out
The topic of bioethics itself is not new (the term appeared in 1970), but the development of medicine, genetics, etc. will inevitably lead to new disputes. Already now, in addition to philosophers and religious figures, sectoral specialists are involved in bioethics, in a number of Western universities there are programs on bioethics (for example, in Yale, at the medical faculty ). There are such programs in Russia , and although today it is not necessary to talk about this as a separate profession, in the future, a lot will change.

Genetic consultant. Conducts primary and planned genetic analysis in diagnostic centers, processes data from diagnostic devices, gives a conclusion and recommendations for further treatment regimens (detection of hereditary diseases, tumor markers, etc.).
Today, genetic counseling is known to us, mainly due to the company 23andMe , which offers genetic analysis of the genome to private customers. The company is curious, not so much because it offers a lot of interesting information for reasonable money (you can see, for example, here ) or that the founder of the company is Sergey Brin’s spouse, or that one of the investors in the company is Yuri Milner, co-owner of Mail .ru Group. Interestingly, the company is now following the path of external resistance by regulators, which probably reflects the common fate of new technologies: in November 2013, the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) ordered 23andMe to suspend sales of tests because the company violates the law , saying that based on her tests, more than 250 diseases can be identified. As the agency says authoritatively, this can be asserted only based on medical tests approved by the FDA. Let's see what will happen next, but it is clear that the request for primary genetic analysis will grow in the near future, which means that genetic advisers will be needed.

Clinical bioinformatics. In the case of a non-standard course of the disease, builds a model of the biochemical processes of the disease in order to understand the root causes of the disease (reveals abnormalities at the cellular and subcellular level)
Clinical bioinformatics in the West also exists not the first year. Today in the West, clinical bioinformatics (or translational bioinformatics) aims to maximize the use of all the baggage of accumulated information — genetic, biological, and medical — can be used to develop personalized therapy and patient trajectories. The basis of clinical bioinformatics is the use of IT-methods for the analysis of fundamental biomedical and genetic scientific information for use in clinical medicine. There is translational medicine in Russia, too, and experts predict the emergence of a large number of jobs in this area (for more information, see Sergey Rumyantsev’s story for PostScience )

Medical marketer. Specialist in market research in the field of pharmacology, medical services and medical equipment, develops marketing policy of an enterprise or research center
Another profession that has long existed in the world is quite new in Russia (and therefore in demand), because until relatively recently, all medicine was state-owned or near-state.

Professions that will appear after 2020

The operator of medical robots. Specialist in programming diagnostic, therapeutic and surgical robots.
Well, here everything is clear: cyborg flooded the entire planet . Sorry. Nevertheless, the topic of robots in healthcare is regularly covered quite a bit, everyone probably knows about Da Vinci , there are much more such robotic systems. They are purchased in Russia, there is some kind of program to create a domestic medical robot (although, judging by the Internet, only one person talks about it, which is alarming), and people write that the two main problems with the use of robotics in Russia today are expensive consumables and lack of qualified personnel. So, perhaps, this profession will appear until 2020.


IT geneticist. Specialist who is engaged in programming the genome for specified parameters, including the treatment of hereditary diseases and other genetic problems in children.
The last decade one of the rapidly developing areas in medicine has been gene therapy - the introduction of changes in the human genetic apparatus to fight diseases. So far, of course, they use mainly animals, but there are already successful cases of the use of gene therapy for people. In 2010, they reported on the successful use of gene therapy for treating beta-thalassemia , in 2011, two out of three participants in a pilot study in the United States were cured of chronic lymphocytic leukemia, and in 2014 in the UK they announced that in 6 patients suffering from chloraderemia (a hereditary genetic disease, present incurable and leading to blindness), as a result of gene therapy improved vision . But this is only the first step.
The second step is direct modification of the genome. Until recently, such experiments with DNA were carried out first only in petri dishes, then on small rodents and zebrafish. However, at the end of January 2014, an article describing the Chinese experiment was published in the journal Cell, which resulted in the birth of two twin monkeys, which had two genes purposefully modified. According to researchers, the young are still too small to understand how much the modification of the genes influenced their physiology and behavior, they are still being watched. But now it is clear that such studies will continue, which means that IT genetics will be needed. Unless, of course, bioethics are allowed.

Cyber ​​prosthetics specialist. Will be engaged in the development and implantation of functional artificial devices (cyber prostheses) and organs compatible with living tissues. T.N. "Advanced neurosurgeon".
Currently, active work is underway to create neuroprostheses. Even today, a cochlear implant , which allows hearing to return, is relatively common in the world; a bioimplant, which works like an artificial eye , has recently been created; work is underway to create full-fledged limb work (in February, Habré wrote about a bionic prosthesis that returns tactile sensations). It is clear that more will continue.

Crystallography Specialist. A professional with a good knowledge of the diagnostic and clinical aspects of the use of crystals in medicine (diagnosis of tumors, bone tissue replacement, design of medical instruments).
Crystallography has not been used in medicine for the first year, but there are not enough specialists in this field.

Designer of life of medical institutions. Professional development of the life cycle of a medical institution and its manager - from design to closure.
Today, a hospital (as the most common type of medical institution) is no longer just a place where a range of medical services is provided. In addition, activities related to R & D, education and training, and mastering new technologies are beginning to play an increasing role in them. So in order to manage such complexes, the appropriate specialists will be required.

An expert in personalized medicine. A specialist analyzing a patient's genetic map, developing individual programs for its maintenance (diagnostics, prevention, treatment) and offering appropriate insurance medical products.
About the general trend towards the transition to preventive and personalized medicine has already been mentioned above, it is clear that there are no two people alike, which means that the treatment must be individual. And the best thing is to do it altogether so that there was no need to heal (this is expensive for the entire health care system and for the individual). Here, it seems to me an important aspect related to the fact that this specialist should be well-versed in both patient trajectories and insurance products, such specialists do not yet exist, but it is clear how and why they may be in demand.

Consultant for a healthy old age. A specialist in the medical and social sphere who develops optimal solutions for the problems of an aging population, for example, lifestyle, nutrition, exercise, etc.
Overseas programs for healthy old age are also not new . People began to live longer, however with age both the brain and the body wear out, therefore there is more request for treatment. Therefore, it is more profitable for health care for people of age to eat right, to lead a healthy lifestyle, the prevention of falls is a separate topic (older people often fall and this often ends poorly). Thus, such consultants are needed to reduce people's health care costs and the burden on medical institutions and insurance companies.

Network doctor. High-end diagnostician, who owns information and communication technologies, capable of making diagnoses online. Focuses on the diagnosis of pre-disease, prevention. It is these doctors who can be included in the process of mass distance medical examination or will serve the data processing centers of personal diagnostic devices, health portals, etc.



In my opinion - the typical doctor Gregory House.In principle, the first steps to this have already been taken: for example, in the Netherlands an Internet service was launched that analyzed the complaints of visitors and issued automatic recommendations (in 85% of cases, however, these were recommendations to contact a doctor). Nevertheless, it is clear that with the increasing number of data and the automation of their processing, direct prerequisites may appear for the mass appearance of such network doctors.

Now 19 branches are represented in the Atlas, it is clear that this is not the limit, because the creators of the Atlas are planning to develop this product. The 130 professions that are described in it are also not an exhaustive list, but rather examples of possible future professions that will appear in connection with important changes in the industries.

Full text of the Atlas .
Who is interested in the research methodology, herepresentation of the results , where it is described in detail.

Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/214101/


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