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LauraBoykin_2019T-_我们如何使用dna科技来帮助农民抵抗作物疾病_-
I get out of bed for two reasons. 我早上起床为了两个原因。
One, small-scale family farmers need more food. 第一,小规模农民家庭 需要更多的粮食。
small-scale:adj.小规模的;
It's crazy that in 2019 farmers that feed us are hungry. 2019年,为我们供应粮食的农民们 还要忍饥受饿,简直不可思议。
And two, science needs to be more diverse and inclusive . 第二,科学需要更多元化,更包容。
diverse:adj.不同的;多种多样的;变化多的; inclusive:adj.包括的,包含的;
If we're going to solve the toughest challenges on the planet, like food insecurity for the millions living in extreme poverty , it's going to take all of us. 如果我们要解决地球上 最艰难的挑战, 如拯救成千上万地瘠民贫 的粮食短缺, 就需要我们所有人的共同努力。
insecurity:n.不安全;不牢靠;无把握;心神不定; extreme:adj.极端的;极度的;偏激的;尽头的;n.极端;末端;最大程度;极端的事物; poverty:n.贫困;困难;缺少;低劣;
I want to use the latest technology with the most diverse and inclusive teams on the planet to help farmers have more food. 我要用最先进的科技, 和地球上最多元化 和包容的团队一起, 帮助农民们生产更多的粮食。
technology:n.技术;工艺;术语;
I'm a computational biologist . 我是一位计算生物学家。
computational:adj.计算的; biologist:n.生物学家;
I know -- what is that and how is it going to help end hunger? 你们可能会好奇,那是什么？ 它将如何杜绝饥饿？
Basically , I like computers and biology and somehow , putting that together is a job. 这么说吧,我喜欢计算机和生物学, 于是它们以某种方式结合 在一起就成了一项工作。
Basically:adv.主要地,基本上; biology:n.(一个地区全部的)生物;生物学; somehow:adv.以某种方法;莫名其妙地;
(Laughter) （笑声）
I don't have a story of wanting to be a biologist from a young age. 我没有从小 要成为一个生物学家的故事。
The truth is, I played basketball in college. 事实是,我在大学时是打篮球的。
And part of my financial aid package was I needed a work-study job. 我一部分的经济来源依赖半工半读。
financial aid:n.(高等院校的)助学金; work-study:n.工作效率研究;adj.半工半读的;
So one random day, 突然有一天,
random:adj.[数]随机的;任意的;胡乱的;n.随意;adv.胡乱地;
I wandered to the nearest building to my dorm room. 我漫步到了宿舍 旁边的建筑物,
dorm:n.(美口)宿舍;
And it just so happens it was the biology building. 那刚好是生物学系。
I went inside and looked at the job board. 我进去看到了招聘告示板。
Yes, this is pre-the-internet. 是的,那是在还没有互联网的时代。
And I saw a three-by-five card advertising a job to work in the herbarium . 我看到了一张明信片大小的卡片, 招募人员到植物标本室工作。
advertising:n.做广告;广告业;广告活动;v.做广告;(advertise的现在分词) herbarium:n.植物标本;腊叶集;干燥标本集;
I quickly took down the number, because it said " flexible hours," 我赶紧记下联络号码, 因为它说 工作时间灵活 ,
flexible:adj.灵活的;柔韧的;易弯曲的;
and I needed that to work around my basketball schedule . 我需要那个来配合 我的篮球时间表。
schedule:工作计划,日程安排
I ran to the library to figure out what an herbarium was. 然后我跑去图书馆查 什么是植物标本室。
(Laughter) （笑声）
And it turns out an herbarium is where they store dead, dried plants. 原来 植物标本室是来收藏 死了,干了的植物。
I was lucky to land the job. 我幸运地被录取了。
So my first scientific job was gluing dead plants onto paper for hours on end. 所以我的第一份科学工作 就是花上几个小时 将枯死的植物粘在纸上。
scientific:adj.科学的,系统的; gluing:n.粘合;胶合;
(Laughter) （笑声）
It's so glamorous . 它是如此的风光啊。
glamorous:adj.迷人的,富有魅力的;
This is how I became a computational biologist. 这就是我如何成为了 计算生物学家。
During that time, genomics and computing were coming of age . 在那个时候, 基因组学和计算学如日方升。
genomics:n.基因组学;基因体学; computing:n.计算;计算机技术;信息处理技术;v.计算;求出;(compute的现在分词) coming of age:n.成年;成熟;
And I went on to do my masters combining biology and computers. 毕业后我开始攻读结合 生物学和计算机的硕士。
During that time, 当时,
I worked at Los Alamos National Lab in the theoretical biology and biophysics group. 我在拉斯阿拉莫斯国家实验室 理论生物学和生物物理学组工作。
Alamos:n.偶氮磷; theoretical:adj.理论的;理论上的;假设的;推理的; biophysics:n.生物物理学;
And it was there I had my first encounter with the supercomputer , and my mind was blown. 就在那里,我初次见证了超级计算机, 真是惊为天人。
encounter:v.遭遇,邂逅;遇到;n.遭遇,偶然碰见; supercomputer:n.[计]巨型计算机,超级计算机;
With the power of supercomputing , which is basically thousands of connected PCs on steroids , we were able to uncover the complexities of influenza and hepatitis C. 借助超级计算机, 也就是数千台联网电脑的力量, 我们能够发现流感病毒 和丙性肝炎的复杂性。
supercomputing:n.[计]超级计算; steroids:n.甾族化合物;类固醇;(steroid的复数) uncover:v.揭开盖子;发现;揭露;揭发; complexities:n.复杂性(complexity的复数);错综复杂的事物; influenza:n.[内科]流行性感冒(简写flu);家畜流行性感冒; hepatitis:n.肝炎;
And it was during this time that I saw the power of using computers and biology combined, for humanity . 正是这时候我看到了利用计算机 和生物学相结合来造福人类的力量。
humanity:n.人类;人道;仁慈;人文学科;
And I wanted this to be my career path. 我想把这当作终生事业。
career:n.职业;事业;生涯;经历;
So, since 1999, 所以,从1999年开始,
I've spent the majority of my scientific career in very high-tech labs , surrounded by really expensive equipment. 我大部分的科学生涯都在 非常高科技的实验室里度过, 周围都是非常昂贵的设备。
majority:n.大部分:大多数:多数票:成年人: high-tech:adj.高科技的,高技术的;仿真技术的;n.高科技; labs:n.实验室;实验大楼;(lab的复数)
So many ask me how and why do I work for farmers in Africa. 很多人问我, 我为什么,又是如何 为非洲的农民工作的。
Well, because of my computing skills, in 2013, a team of East African scientists asked me to join the team in the plight to save cassava . 由于我的计算技能, 在2013年,一个东非科学家小组 邀请我加入拯救木薯的队伍。
plight:n.困境;境况;誓约;vt.保证;约定; cassava:n.木薯(等于cassawa);
Cassava is a plant whose leaves and roots feed 800 million people globally. 木薯的叶子和根部 能养活全球8亿人,
And 500 million in East Africa. 有5亿人在东非。
So that's nearly a billion people relying on this plant for their daily calories . 差不多有十亿人 依靠这种植物来供应 他们每天的卡路里。
relying:v.依赖;信任;指望(rely的现在分词); calories:n.[物]卡路里(热量单位,calorie的复数);
If a small-scale family farmer has enough cassava, she can feed her family and she can sell it at the market for important things like school fees, medical expenses and savings . 如果一个小型家庭农场主 有足够的木薯, 她就可以养活她的家人, 并在市场上售卖这些木薯, 换取重要的东西,如学费, 医疗费用和储蓄。
expenses:n.费用;价钱;开销;开支;花费;(expense的复数) savings:n.节省物;节省;节约;储蓄金;存款;(saving的复数)
But cassava is under attack in Africa. 但是,木薯的种植在非洲受到了冲击。
Whiteflies and viruses are devastating cassava. 粉虱和病毒在摧毁着木薯。
Whiteflies:n.[昆]粉虱; devastating:adj.毁灭性的; v.毁灭; (devastate的现在分词)
Whiteflies are tiny insects that feed on the leaves of over 600 plants. 粉虱是体型微小的昆虫, 以超过600种植物的树叶为食。
They are bad news. 它们不请自来,
There are many species; they become pesticide resistant; and they transmit hundreds of plant viruses that cause cassava brown streak disease and cassava mosaic disease. 有很多种类, 具有抗药性, 还能传播数百种植物病毒, 导致木薯患上棕色条纹病 和木薯马赛克病。
pesticide:n.杀虫剂; transmit:v.传送;发射;播送;传播;传染; streak:n.条纹,线条;倾向;v.飞跑,疾驶;加上条纹; disease:n.病,[医]疾病;弊病;vt.传染;使…有病; mosaic:adj.摩西的;拼成的;嵌花式的;n.马赛克;镶嵌;镶嵌细工;
This completely kills the plant. 这会彻底杀死作物。
And if there's no cassava, there's no food or income for millions of people. 如果没有木薯, 那数百万人就没有食物或收入。
It took me one trip to Tanzania to realize that these women need some help. 我去了一趟坦桑尼亚, 意识到那里的妇女需要一些帮助。
These amazing, strong, small-scale family farmers, the majority women, are doing it rough. 这些了不起的,坚强的, 小型家庭农场主, 大多数是妇女, 他们的生活苦不堪言。
They don't have enough food to feed their families, and it's a real crisis . 他们没有足够的食物来养活家人, 这是一场真正的危机。
crisis:n.危机;危险期;决定性时刻;adj.危机的;用于处理危机的;
What happens is they go out and plant fields of cassava when the rains come. 现实情况是, 当雨季来临的时候,她 们到木薯田里耕种。
Nine months later, there's nothing, because of these pests and pathogens . 九个月之后, 什么都没有,都是因为 这些害虫和病原体。
pathogens:n.[基医]病原体;病原菌;[基医]致病菌;
And I thought to myself, how in the world can farmers be hungry? 我不禁心想, 这世界上怎么还有食不果腹的农民呢？
So I decided to spend some time on the ground with the farmers and the scientists to see if I had any skills that could be helpful. 所以我决定花一段时间在田里, 跟着农民和科学家们, 看看我是否有帮得上忙的技能。
The situation on the ground is shocking. 当地局势令人震惊。
The whiteflies have destroyed the leaves that are eaten for protein , and the viruses have destroyed the roots that are eaten for starch . 粉虱毁坏树叶为摄取蛋白质, 病毒摧毁根部为摄取淀粉。
protein:n.蛋白质; starch:n.淀粉;刻板,生硬;vt.给…上浆;
An entire growing season will pass, and the farmer will lose an entire year of income and food, and the family will suffer a long hunger season. 在整个生长季节过去后, 农民将失去整整一年 的收入和食物, 他们的家庭将遭受 一个漫长的饥饿季节。
growing season:n.(植物的)生长季节;
This is completely preventable . 这完全是可以预防的。
preventable:adj.可预防的;可阻止的;可防止的;
If the farmer knew what variety of cassava to plant in her field, that was resistant to those viruses and pathogens, they would have more food. 如果农民知道 在她的田里种植什么品种的木薯 可以抵抗这些病毒和病原体, 她们就会有更多的食物。
variety:n.多样;种类;杂耍;变化,多样化; resistant:adj.抵抗的,反抗的;顽固的;n.抵抗者;
We have all the technology we need, but the knowledge and the resources are not equally distributed around the globe. 我们拥有我们需要的所有科技, 但这些知识和资源 在全球的分布非常不均衡。
resources:n.[计][环境]资源; v.向…提供资金(resource的第三人称单数); distributed:adj.分布的;分散的;v.分发;分配;使分布(distribute的过去分词和过去式)
So what I mean specifically is, the older genomic technologies that have been required to uncover the complexities in these pests and pathogens -- these technologies were not made for sub-Saharan Africa. 我想强调的是, 传统的基因组技术 被用于揭露这些害虫和病原体 的复杂性—— 这些技术不是为 南非撒哈拉地带而设的。
specifically:adv.特别地;明确地; technologies:n.技术;科技(technology的复数); sub-Saharan:撒哈拉以南地区;
They cost upwards of a million dollars; they require constant power and specialized human capacity . 它们的花费在一百万美元以上, 需要不断的电力供应 和专门的技术人员操作。
upwards:adv.向上;在上部;向上游; specialized:adj.专业的; v.专门研究(或从事); (specialize的过去式和过去分词) capacity:n.能力;容量;资格,地位;生产力;
These machines are few and far between on the continent , which is leaving many scientists battling on the front lines no choice but to send the samples overseas . 这些机器在非洲大陆上寥寥无几, 让许多在前线战斗 的科学家不得不 把样品送到海外。
few and far between:稀少;彼此相距很远;不常发生; continent:n.大陆,洲,陆地;adj.自制的,克制的; overseas:adv.在海外,海外;adj.海外的,国外的;
And when you send the samples overseas, samples degrade , it costs a lot of money, and trying to get the data back over weak internet is nearly impossible. 当你把样品送到海外时, 样品会降解,花费很昂贵, 而且在糟糕的互联网中取回数据 几乎是不可能的。
degrade:v.降低…身份;使受屈辱;(使)退化,降解;分解;降低;
So sometimes it can take six months to get the results back to the farmer. 所以有时可能需要六个月 的时间把结果送回农民手里。
And by then, it's too late. 那时已经太晚了。
The crop is already gone, which results in further poverty and more hunger. 作物已经被摧毁, 造成持续的贫困和更多的饥饿。
We knew we could fix this. 我们知道我们可以解决这个问题。
In 2017, we had heard of this handheld , portable DNA sequencer called an Oxford Nanopore MinION . 在2017年, 我们听说了这个叫做 Oxford Nanopore MinION 的 手持便携式DNA测序仪。
handheld:adj.掌上型;手持型; portable:adj.便携式的;手提的;轻便的;n.便携机;(尤指)手提电脑; sequencer:n.程序装置,[计]定序器; MinION:n.奴才;宠臣;adj.娇美的,美雅的;
This was being used in West Africa to fight Ebola . 它曾在西非抗击埃博拉时功不可没。
Ebola:n.埃博拉病毒;
So we thought: 因此,我们认为:
Why can't we use this in East Africa to help farmers? 为什么不用这个在东非帮助农民呢？
So, what we did was we set out to do that. 于是,我们要做的就是开始着手行动。
At the time, the technology was very new, and many doubted we could replicate this on the farm. 当时,这项科技非常新颖, 许多人怀疑我们能否在 农地里复制相似的结果。
replicate:vt.复制; vi.重复; adj.复制的; n.复制品;
When we set out to do this, one of our " collaborators " in the UK told us that we would never get that to work in East Africa, let alone on the farm. 当我们开始这样做时, 我们有个英国的 合作伙伴 告诉我们,这永远都不会发生在东非, 更别说在农田里了。
collaborators:n.[劳经]合作者;投敌者(collaborator的复数); let alone:更不必说;听任;不打扰;
So we accepted the challenge. 因此,我们接受了挑战。
This person even went so far as to bet us two of the best bottles of champagne that we would never get that to work. 这个人甚至和我们打赌 两瓶最好的香槟, 说我们永远不会实现的。
so far as:只要;就…而言;在…范围内; champagne:n.香槟酒;香槟酒色;
Two words: pay up. 三个字: 买单吧。
(Laughter) （笑声）
(Applause) （掌声）
Pay up, because we did it. 买单吧,因为我们做到了。
We took the entire high-tech molecular lab to the farmers of Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda , and we called it Tree Lab. 我们把整个高科技分子实验室 带给了坦桑尼亚,肯尼亚 和乌干达的农民们, 我们称它为 树实验室 。
molecular:adj.[化学]分子的;由分子组成的; Uganda:n.乌干达(非洲国家);
So what did we do? 那我们做了什么？
Well, first of all , we gave ourselves a team name -- it's called the Cassava Virus Action Project. 首先我们给自己取了一个队名—— 叫做木薯病毒行动项目。
first of all:adv.首先;
We made a website, we gathered support from the genomics and computing communities , and away we went to the farmers. 我们制作了一个网站, 从基因组学和计算社区中召集支持, 然后去农民那里。
communities:n.社区;社会;团体;共有(community的复数)
Everything that we need for our Tree Lab is being carried by the team here. 树实验室 所需的一切 由团队携带着来到这里。
All of the molecular and computational requirements needed to diagnose sick plants is there. 所有分子和计算学需要用来 诊断植物病理的条件都准备就绪了。
diagnose:vt.诊断;断定;vi.诊断;判断;
And it's actually all on this stage here as well. 实际上,所有这些 全都在这个舞台上。
We figured if we could get the data closer to the problem, and closer to the farmer, the quicker we could tell her what was wrong with her plant. 我们认为,如果我们能 使数据更贴近问题, 更贴近农民, 我们就能更快地判断 她的植物出了什么问题。
And not only tell her what was wrong -- give her the solution . 不仅能诊断出问题—— 还能给她解决方案。
solution:n.解决方案;溶液;溶解;解答;
And the solution is, burn the field and plant varieties that are resistant to the pests and pathogens she has in her field. 解决办法就是, 烧掉那片田地,并种上 对害虫和病原体具有 抵抗力的植物品种。
So the first thing that we did was we had to do a DNA extraction . 所以,我们必须做的第一件事 是进行DNA提取。
extraction:n.取出;抽出;拔出;抽出物;出身;
And we used this machine here. 我们在这里用的是这台机器,
It's called a PDQeX, which stands for "Pretty Damn Quick Extraction." 叫做 PDQeX , 代表“死快死快的提取 。
Damn:v.谴责;该死;n.诅咒;adj.可恶的;
(Laughter) (笑声)
I know. 有意思吧。
My friend Joe is really cool. 我的朋友乔真的很酷。
One of the biggest challenges in doing a DNA extraction is it usually requires very expensive equipment, and takes hours. 最大的挑战之一是进行DNA提取, 它通常需要非常昂贵的设备, 需要几个小时。
But with this machine, we've been able to do it in 20 minutes, at a fraction of the cost. 但是有了这台机器, 我们在二十分钟内就能完成, 而且成本低廉,
fraction:n.分数;小部分;小数;少量;
And this runs off of a motorcycle battery . 只需要摩托车的电池供电。
battery:n.[电]电池,蓄电池;n.[法]殴打;n.[军]炮台,炮位;
From there, we take the DNA extraction and prepare it into a library, getting it ready to load on to this portable, handheld genomic sequencer, which is here, and then we plug this into a mini supercomputer, which is called a MinIT. 我们将提取的DNA存入序列库, 准备加载到 这个便携式手持基因组测序仪中, 就是这个装置, 然后我们将它连上一台 微型超级计算机, 称为 MinIT 。
plug:n.插头;塞子;栓;v.塞住;用插头将与电源接通;
And both of these things are plugged into a portable battery pack. 这两个装置由便携式电池供电。
plugged:v.堵塞;封堵;补充;供给;推广;(plug的过去分词和过去式)
So we were able to eliminate the requirements of main power and internet, which are two very limiting factors on a small-scale family farm. 这样一来,我们就能够排除 对主要电源和互联网的依赖, 这两者是一个小型家庭农场 运作的局限因素。
eliminate:v.消除;排除; factors:n.因素(factor的复数); v.做代理商;
Analyzing the data quickly can also be a problem. 快速分析数据也可能是个问题。
Analyzing:adj.分析的;v.分析(analyze的现在分词);
But this is where me being a computational biologist came in handy . 但是,我这位计算生物学家 的存在派上了用场。
handy:adj.便利的;手边的,就近的;容易取得的;敏捷的;
All that gluing of dead plants, and all that measuring, and all that computing finally came in handy in a real-world , real-time way. 所有枯死植物的标本, 所有的测量, 和所有的计算, 终于在现实世界中 以实时方式派上用场了。
finally:adv.终于;最终;(用于列举)最后;彻底地; real-world:adj.现实生活的;工作的; real-time:adj.实时的;接到指示立即执行的;
I was able to make customized databases and we were able to give the farmers results in three hours versus six months. 我能够定制数据库, 在三小时内给农民结果, 而不是六个月。
customized:v.订制,订做,改制;(customize的过去分词和过去式) versus:prep.对;与...相对;对抗;
(Applause) （掌声）
The farmers were overjoyed . 农民们欣喜若狂。
overjoyed:adj.狂喜的;极度高兴的;v.使…万分高兴;使…狂喜(overjoy的过去分词);
So how do we know that we're having impact ? 那么我们又怎么知道 我们的策略产生了影响呢？
impact:n.影响;效果;碰撞;冲击力;v.挤入,压紧;撞击;对…产生影响;
Nine moths after our Tree Lab, 树实验室 之后的九个月,
moths:n.飞蛾,蛾(moth的复数);
Asha went from having zero tons per hectare to 40 tons per hectare. 阿莎的收获从每公顷零吨木薯 上升到了每公顷40吨木薯。
hectare:n.公顷(等于1万平方米);
She had enough to feed her family and she was selling it at the market, and she's now building a house for her family. 她有足够的粮食养活她的家人, 还有多余在市场上售卖, 现在,她已经能够为家人盖房子了。
Yeah, so cool. 是的,太酷了。
(Applause) （掌声）
So how do we scale Tree Lab? 那么,我们如何扩展 树实验室 呢？
The thing is, farmers are scaled already in Africa. 事实上, 农民在非洲已颇具规模。
scaled:adj.有鳞的; v.刮去鳞片;
These women work in farmer groups, so helping Asha actually helped 3,000 people in her village, because she shared the results and also the solution. 这些妇女以团体为单位进行劳作, 所以帮助阿莎,实际上就 帮助了她村子里的3000人, 因为她分享了结果以及解决方案。
I remember every single farmer I've ever met. 我记得我见过的每一个农民。
Their pain and their joy is engraved in my memories. 他们的痛苦和喜悦 深深的刻在我的记忆中。
engraved:adj.铭记于心的; v.在…上雕刻(字或图案); (engrave的过去分词和过去式)
Our science is for them. 我们的科学是为他们而进行的。
Tree Lab is our best attempt to help them become more food secure. 树实验室 是我们在帮助他们 提升食品安全方面最好的尝试。
attempt:n.企图,试图;攻击;v.企图,试图;尝试;
I never dreamt that the best science I would ever do in my life would be on that blanket in East Africa, with the highest-tech genomic gadgets . 我从未梦想过 我一生中做过最好的科学实验 会在东非的毯子上, 用最先进的基因组工具包。
gadgets:n.小配件;小工具(gadget的复数);
But our team did dream that we could give farmers answers in three hours versus six months, and then we did it. 但我们的团队确实梦想过 在三小时内给农民答案, 而不再需要六个月, 然后我们做到了。
Because that's the power of diversity and inclusion in science. 因为那是科学多元化和包容性的力量。
diversity:n.差异(性):多样性:多样化: inclusion:n.包含;内含物;
Thank you. 谢谢。
(Applause) （掌声）
(Cheers) （欢呼声）