Biomedifuturisme
Welkom bij Biomedifuturisme, waar de Masterstudenten Biomedische Wetenschappen van het Radboudumc jaarlijks op verkenning gaan naar de toekomst van de biomedische wetenschap. Hun verhalen zijn gebundeld in de publicatie Biomedifuturism. Mijn rol in dit project: docent, curriculumontwikkelaar.
Lees de biomedische toekomstverhalen gemaakt door de lichting Master-studenten van 2023.
Westerse wetenschap hecht immers veel waarde aan objectiviteit en rationaliteit. Maar om de kracht van de wetenschap te begrijpen, is het belangrijk te begrijpen hoe deze zich verhoudt tot de samenleving, hoe ze gerelateerd is aan andere vormen van kennis, en hoe wetenschappelijke bevindingen gedeeld en gecommuniceerd kunnen worden.
“Stories are powerful things: they create our reality as much as they explain it.”
Alex Evans, The Myth Gap
Verkennen van biomedische toekomsten
Wetenschappers hebben krachtige tools in handen om de wereld vorm te geven en het is belangrijk dat zij zich daar bewust en van hoe zij zich daar persoonlijk toe verhouden.
Gedurende twee weken worden masterstudenten uitgenodigd voor een tweedaagse reis naar de biomedische toekomst, een zoektocht om betere onderzoekers en communicatoren te worden.
Science fiction prototyping
Studenten wordt gevraagd volgens het scenario van ‘A Day in the Life’ een verhaal te schrijven dat zich afspeelt in het jaar 2083 volgens de methode science fiction prototyping. Het resultaat is een mozaïek van utopische en dystopische verhalen, van ziekten die voor altijd genezen zijn en technologie die misbruikt wordt voor financieel gewin. Lees hieronder fragmenten uit enkele verhalen.
from: Neural Synchrony
It is January 20th, 2083. Me and my grandson Hans have an appointment at the genome sequencing centre.
“Are you nervous?,” I asked Hans, while we were sitting in the waiting room of the genome sequencing centre. “A little” he said. The day finally came that we were called in for whole genome sequencing to determine which treatment or combination of treatments would be best for his ADHD.
The path up to this point has not been easy for the both of us. Oh, how have the times changed. I have struggled with ADHD my whole life, but luckily, I belong to the generation in which ADHD was finally recognized as a real disorder. Still, when I was young, I had to try multiple types of therapy and drugs to determine which treatment worked for me personally. This process took me several years, but fortunately I was able to receive the right medication and counselling.
(..)
Using whole-genome sequencing, the unique gene variant combination is identified. Machine learning, based on the sequence data, will then provide the best treatment options for individual patients.
I remember when I was learning about machine learning and whole-genome sequencing during my time as a biomedical sciences student. At that time, the combination of these techniques was seen as an interesting line for future research and a pivotal step towards personalized medicine. Therefore, it is truly amazing to see that this line of future research came true.
from: Live Smart, Stay Smart
“You know how the Sustained live?”
“Yeah, I saw it in the advertisements. They work for one hour a week where they write down ideas to give to the AI Mother. Those who went to college check whether the AI Mother still functions within the laws. The rest of the time they play games, watch films and eat unhealthy snacks (..).”
“Yes, those are the families who were once working on or investing in AI and now they have enough money for several lifetimes of luxury. Whenever their habits backfire and they suffer health issues, they pay for a fix to get healed and it works. (..). If we live healthy on the other hand, most of the time we don’t need inventions like those. We have so easily forgotten the wisdom Nona repeated. The people at the Rainbow wish to spread this knowledge among the Needy, but also among the Sustained.”
“Why? They don’t need it!”
“No, but if they would live healthier, the healthcare costs could fall, at least a little, and Needy could be treated as well.”
“So, dad could have lived?”
“Yes, and other dads, moms and children won’t die before they are actually old.”
“But will the Sustained listen to them?”
“We can try.”
from: The Depressing Happiness of Life
Dobby enters my room, wanting a clear answer. At the same moment, another hologram pops up of Dr. Kaeleen, who I reached out several times asking for help for my depression as she used to work as a psychiatrist. ”Stop bothering me and leave problems of the past in the past! You are probably just imagining this.” At this point, all my hopes have been shattered as she was the only human left who had work in this field previously. Unfortunately, all other prior mental health workers are not around anymore, meaning that there is no one else left who I can reach out to. I do not know what to do anymore, because I have searched all archives and contacted everyone who I could find. “Please Dobby, help me!” “Okay Scarlex, I will prepare dinner”, Dobby replies. I break out crying thinking my life could not possibly get worse. After I had two bites of my dinner, thinking it would make me feel a bit better, Dobby sends a reminder to my LCD that I need to leave in 20 minutes for my monthly anti-depressant probiotic pill compatibility check.
Ervaar complexiteit en interconnectiviteit terwijl je vaardigheden op het gebied van toekomstvaardigheid leert
Tijdens de colleges en tijdens het schrijven van hun sciencefictionverhalen worden studenten uitgedaagd om de complexiteit en onderlinge verbondenheid van mondiale ontwikkelingen gerelateerd aan de biomedische wetenschappen te verkennen. Toekomstvaardigheid is hierin verweven, omdat complexe en zogenaamde ‘wicked’ problemen zoals antibioticaresistentie en klimaatverandering langetermijn- en transdisciplinaire oplossingen nodig hebben. De studenten onderzoeken opkomende kwesties die verband houden met de biomedische wetenschap en brengen primaire en secondaire impacts in kaart door Toekomstwebben te creëren. Deze bevatten de kiem voor hun eigen toekomstverhalen.
De resulterende verhalen over biomedifuturisme onderzoeken niet alleen het biomedische perspectief, maar houden ook rekening met politiek, demografische transformaties en sociale dimensies. Studenten zoeken de de grenzen van de medische biologie op en onderzoeken de ethische, sociale en culturele kwesties die voortkomen uit de vervagende grenzen tussen mens (levend en bewust) en machine (niet-levend en onbewust). Met behulp van AI-tools creëren ze beelden en visies op utopische en dystopische toekomsten.
Download biomedifuturisme ‘23