Google is developing a new technology that combines nanoparticles capable of detecting disease with a wristband sensor. The nanoparticles can be taken orally through a capsule and enter the patient’s bloodstream to detect slight changes in the body’s biochemical indicators to serve as an early warning system for diseases. This project is currently in the preliminary stage of development. Early diagnosis is the key to treating the disease. Many cancers, such as pancreatic cancer, can only be detected when they reach an incurable and fatal stage. In fact, cancerous tissue is very different from healthy tissue, so Google hopes to use continuous blood monitoring to detect the specific signs of cancer early and make an early diagnosis before any physical symptoms arise. This project is being handled by Google’s R&D division, Google X, which has been working on disruptive innovations with unlimited potential, and Google has recently made a number of new attempts in the medical field, including its previously developed blood glucose measuring contact lenses for diabetics, the acquisition of a company that makes shake-proof spoons for Parkinson’s patients, and the purchase of Calico, a company that develops anti-aging products and provides personal genetic testing kits. a company developing anti-aging products, and 23andMe, a company offering personal genetic testing kits. Swallowing a handful of nanoparticles? The project is led by molecular biologist Andrew Conrad. Andrew Conrad is leading the project. Conrad previously invented an inexpensive HIV test, which is now widely used. He said, “What we want to do is shift medicine from post-onset treatment to active prevention, and nanoparticles will enable us to understand the body’s condition at the molecular and cellular level.” Google is designing a series of nanoparticles that target biomarkers in different conditions. They could be attached to a cancer cell or a segment of cancer cell DNA, or they could be used to spot evidence of impending fatty plaques on the walls of blood vessels that could lead to a heart attack or stroke once they block blood flow. Another family of nanoparticles can continuously monitor chemicals within the bloodstream. Because high levels of potassium ions in the body are associated with kidney disease, Google thought it would be possible to create porous nanoparticles that would change color as the potassium ions passed through. Conrad describes, “Then you can use a magnetic field to bring these magnetic nanoparticles together, for example, in a superficial blood vessel at the wrist, and then you can view their color.” Unbound nanoparticles will move differently in a magnetic field than those wrapped around cancer cells. Theoretically, studying their dynamics using software would enable a diagnosis to be made. As part of the study, the researchers also explored various ways to use magnetic fields to bring nanoparticles together in the same place for short periods of time. the ultimate goal of Google is to create a wristband that can read the readings on nanoparticles by light and radio waves one or more times throughout the day. Will it lead to overtreatment? Paul Workman, a top executive from the Institute of Cancer Research in London, said that the company’s research has been working on a new approach to the treatment of cancer. Dr. Paul Workman said, “Theoretically this approach is good and any new force in the field that comes up with new ideas will be welcome. We need this kind of invention, if we can detect cancer or other diseases earlier, then we can intervene as early as possible through lifestyle changes or treatment. And it’s too early to say whether this is realistic or not, because it’s a very good idea, and now it’s time to do it in practice.” His team is studying cancer cells and cancer-related DNA in the blood as a new way to diagnose and plan treatments. He has warned Google that diagnosis increases anxiety and can lead to overtreatment, so careful and rigorous analysis is necessary before this blood monitoring method can be widely used. Google announced this plan because they were looking for partners. But Conrad doesn’t want people to think that Google wants to develop a search tool on the human body as well, in addition to a Web search engine. He said: “Although we invented this technology, but does not intend to commercialize it or use it to make money. We will license it to partners who will provide it to doctors and patients. This is not a consumer product, but a prescription medical device. We all know the doctor-patient relationship is one that requires confidentiality, so we won’t involve Google in that.” From searching the web to searching your blood, it’s clear that Google has an ambitious goal, but is it feasible? The basic principle is sound, and work is already underway around the world on it now. Many research groups are considering using small amounts of cancer cells in the blood as a better way to diagnose cancer and analyze which cancers are more likely to spread. But when a healthy person is diagnosed with the disease, Google will have to address the issue of “false positives. This problem is plaguing the PSA (prostate-specific antigen) test for prostate cancer, as PSA levels can increase dramatically in the absence of cancer. There is also the issue of overdiagnosis, i.e., if a condition is found, whether to treat it or not. For example, there has been controversy over the issue of breast cancer screening, where for every patient with severe breast cancer saved, three women are simultaneously treated for trauma due to a not-fatal breast cancer. The process of screening for disease is littered with risks, and if the process is not conducted carefully, everyone can become a suspect.