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SaraJaneDunn_2019T-_下一场软件革命：生物细胞的编程_-
The second half of the last century was completely defined by a technological revolution : the software revolution. 上世纪后半叶,全然是一个 被科学革命所定义的时代: 软件革命。
defined:adj.有定义的,确定的; v.使明确; technological:adj.技术[工程](上)的;因工艺技术高度发展而引起的; revolution:n.革命;旋转;运行;循环;
The ability to program electrons on a material called silicon made possible technologies , companies and industries that were at one point unimaginable to many of us, but which have now fundamentally changed the way the world works. 在一种硅半导体材料上 对电子进行编程的能力 使得我们许多人曾无法想象的 科技、公司和行业变为可能。 这如今已彻底改变了 世界运作的方式。
electrons:n.[物]电子(electron的复数形式); silicon:n.[化学]硅;硅元素; technologies:n.技术;科技(technology的复数); unimaginable:adj.不可思议的;难以想像的; fundamentally:adv.从根本上;基础地;重要地
The first half of this century, though, is going to be transformed by a new software revolution: the living software revolution. 不过,本世纪上半叶 将要被一个 崭新的软件革命所转化: 生物软件革命。
transformed:v.使改变形态;使改变外观(或性质);(transform的过去分词和过去式)
And this will be powered by the ability to program biochemistry on a material called biology . 在一种名为生物的材料上 对生物化学进行编程的能力 将会支持这一革命。
biochemistry:n.生物化学;生物化学过程; biology:n.(一个地区全部的)生物;生物学;
And doing so will enable us to harness the properties of biology to generate new kinds of therapies , to repair damaged tissue , to reprogram faulty cells or even build programmable operating systems out of biochemistry. 如此一来, 我们将能够利用生物特征 去开发新型疗法, 去修复受损组织, 去重编缺陷细胞, 甚至利用生物化学 构建一个可编程的操作系统。
enable:v.使能够;使有机会;使成为可能;使可行; harness:vt.治理; n.马具; generate:v.产生;引起; therapies:n.治疗方法(therapy复数形式); repair:v.修理;修补;修缮;补救;n.修理;修补;修缮; tissue:n.纸巾,手巾纸;(人、动植物细胞的)组织; reprogram:vt.改编程序;程序重调; faulty:adj.有错误的;有缺点的; programmable:adj.[计]可编程的;可设计的;
If we can realize this -- and we do need to realize it -- its impact will be so enormous that it will make the first software revolution pale in comparison . 如果我们能实现它—— 而且我们确实需要实现它—— 其影响将会如此巨大, 以至于第一个软件革命, 相比之下,会变得微不足道。
impact:n.影响;效果;碰撞;冲击力;v.挤入,压紧;撞击;对…产生影响; enormous:adj.庞大的,巨大的;凶暴的,极恶的; pale in comparison:相形失色;
And that's because living software would transform the entirety of medicine, agriculture and energy, and these are sectors that dwarf those dominated by IT. 这是因为生物软件 可以变革整个医疗, 农业和能源领域, 以及那些被 IT 人员掌控的部门。
entirety:n.全部;完全; sectors:n.部门; v.把…划成扇形; dwarf:v.变矮小;n.侏儒,矮子;adj.矮小的; dominated:v.支配;控制;左右;影响;(dominate的过去式和过去分词)
Imagine programmable plants that fix nitrogen more effectively or resist emerging fungal pathogens , or even programming crops to be perennial rather than annual so you could double your crop yields each year. 想象一下可编程植物: 能够更有效进行固氮, 或可以抵御新型真菌病原体, 甚至能够将农作物编程为 多年生而非一年生, 使你的年产量可以翻倍。
nitrogen:n.氮;氮气; resist:v.抵制;阻挡;反抗;回击;抵抗;忍住;n.防染剂;防蚀用涂料;防腐剂; emerging:adj.新兴的;v.出现,浮现,露出;暴露;(emerge的现在分词) fungal:adj.真菌的(等于fungous); pathogens:n.[基医]病原体;病原菌;[基医]致病菌; perennial:adj.多年生的;常年的;四季不断的;常在的;反复的;n.多年生植物; annual:n.年报;年鉴;年刊;adj.每年的;年度的;一年的; yields:n.生产量,投资效益(yield的复数形式); v.[经]生产;
That would transform agriculture and how we'll keep our growing and global population fed. 这会改变农业, 同时改变全球不断增长的 粮食需求的方法。
global:adj.全球的;总体的;球形的;
Or imagine programmable immunity , designing and harnessing molecular devices that guide your immune system to detect , eradicate or even prevent disease . 或想象可编程的免疫力, 设计并利用能够指导 你免疫系统的分子设备 去检测、根除,甚至预防疾病。
immunity:n.免疫力;豁免权;免除; harnessing:v.给(马等)装上挽具(harness的现在分词);治理,利用; molecular:adj.[化学]分子的;由分子组成的; devices:n.[机][计]设备;[机]装置;[电子]器件(device的复数); immune system:n.免疫系统; detect:vt.察觉;发现;探测; eradicate:vt.根除,根绝;消灭; disease:n.病,[医]疾病;弊病;vt.传染;使…有病;
This would transform medicine and how we'll keep our growing and aging population healthy. 这将改变医疗, 同时改变我们试图保持 不断增长且老龄化的人口健康的方法。
We already have many of the tools that will make living software a reality. 我们已经拥有很多 能让生物软件成为现实的工具。
We can precisely edit genes with CRISPR. 我们能使用 CRISPR 技术 精确编辑基因。
edit:v.编辑;剪辑;编纂;编选;n.编辑[校订]工作; genes:n.基因;(gene的复数)
We can rewrite the genetic code one base at a time. 我们能每次重写一个遗传密码。
genetic code:n.遗传密码;
We can even build functioning synthetic circuits out of DNA. 我们甚至能利用 DNA 开发一个合成电路。
synthetic:adj.综合的;合成的,人造的;n.合成物; circuits:n.环行路线;电路;线路;巡回赛;v.巡回;周游;(circuit的第三人称单数和复数)
But figuring out how and when to wield these tools is still a process of trial and error. 但是摸索出 如何且何时使用这些工具 依旧是一个试错的过程。
wield:v.拥有,运用,行使,支配(权力等); process:v.处理;加工;列队行进;n.过程,进行;方法,adj.经过特殊加工(或处理)的;
It needs deep expertise , years of specialization . 它要求极高的专业性 和多年的领域专精。
expertise:n.专门知识;专门技术;专家的意见; specialization:n.专门化;特殊化;特化作用;
And experimental protocols are difficult to discover and all too often, difficult to reproduce . 而且实验方法难以发现, 往往更是难以复制。
experimental:adj.实验的;根据实验的;试验性的; protocols:n.协议; v.拟定议定书; reproduce:v.繁殖;复制;再现;生育;
And, you know, we have a tendency in biology to focus a lot on the parts, but we all know that something like flying wouldn't be understood by only studying feathers. 在生物领域,我们倾向 仅专注于局部, 但我们都知道有些东西,例如飞行, 单就羽毛进行研究, 是无法理解其原理的。
tendency:n.倾向,趋势;癖好;
So programming biology is not yet as simple as programming your computer. 所以生物编程还未能像 电脑编程那样简单。
And then to make matters worse, living systems largely bear no resemblance to the engineered systems that you and I program every day. 更糟糕的是, 生物系统和你我 每天编写的工程系统 几乎毫无相似之处。
largely:adv.主要地;大部分;大量地; resemblance:n.相似;相似之处;相似物;肖像;
In contrast to engineered systems, living systems self-generate, they self-organize, they operate at molecular scales . 相比工程系统, 生物系统能自我生产、 自我组织, 并以分子规模运作。
contrast:n.对比;对照;反差;明显的差异;v.对比;对照;形成对比; scales:n.规模范围; v.攀登; (scale的第三人称单数和复数)
And these molecular-level interactions lead generally to robust macro-scale output . 这些分子层级的相互作用 通常会导致稳健的宏观规模输出,
interactions:n.[计]交互,相互作用;相互交流;干扰;(interaction复数) generally:adv.通常;普遍地,一般地; robust:adj.强健的;健康的;粗野的;粗鲁的; output:n.(人、机器、机构的)产量;输出;输出功率;输出量;v.输出;
They can even self-repair . 它甚至可以自我修复。
self-repair:n.自行修复;
Consider, for example, the humble household plant, like that one sat on your mantelpiece at home that you keep forgetting to water. 试想家中一盆不起眼的植物, 比如你家壁炉台上的那盆 你老是忘记浇水的植物。
humble:adj.谦逊的; vt.使谦恭; household:n.家庭;一家人;同住一所(或一套)房子的人;adj.家庭的;家常的;王室的; mantelpiece:n.壁炉架;壁炉台;
Every day, despite your neglect , that plant has to wake up and figure out how to allocate its resources . 尽管你会忘记, 那盆植物每天都需要醒来 并思考如何分配它所有的资源。
despite:prep.尽管,不管;n.轻视;憎恨;侮辱; neglect:v.忽视;忽略;疏忽;疏于照顾;n.忽视;忽略;未被重视; allocate:vt.分配;拨出;使坐落于;vi.分配;指定; resources:n.[计][环境]资源; v.向…提供资金(resource的第三人称单数);
Will it grow, photosynthesize , produce seeds, or flower? 它是生长、进行光合作用、 产生种子,还是开花？
photosynthesize:vi.起光合作用;光能合成;vt.通过光合作用产生;
And that's a decision that has to be made at the level of the whole organism . 这是这盆植物所需要做出的决定。
organism:n.生物;有机体;有机组织;(尤指)微生物;
But a plant doesn't have a brain to figure all of that out. 但一盆植物没有大脑来弄清这件事。
It has to make do with the cells on its leaves. 这需要其叶片上细胞的帮助。
They have to respond to the environment and make the decisions that affect the whole plant. 它们需要针对环境做出反应, 并且做出影响整盆植物的决定。
respond:vi.回答;作出反应;承担责任;n.应答;唱和;
So somehow there must be a program running inside these cells, a program that responds to input signals and cues and shapes what that cell will do. 所以在那些叶片细胞中 必定要有一个运行的程序, 一个能响应输入信号与提示, 以及调整细胞行为的程序。
somehow:adv.以某种方法;莫名其妙地; responds:v.(口头或书面)回答,回应;作出反应;响应;(respond的第三人称单数) input:n.投入; v.把(数据等)输入计算机; cues:n.开端,线索;提示,关键;球杆;诱因(cue的复数形式);
And then those programs must operate in a distributed way across individual cells, so that they can coordinate and that plant can grow and flourish . 之后,那些程序 必须以分布式运行, 覆盖每一个细胞单元, 从而进行协作 让植物茁壮成长。
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) individual:n.个人;有个性的人;adj.单独的;个别的; coordinate:n.坐标; v.协调; adj.同等的; flourish:n.兴旺; vt.夸耀; vi.繁荣,兴旺;
If we could understand these biological programs, if we could understand biological computation , it would transform our ability to understand how and why cells do what they do. 如果我们能够了解那些生物程序, 如果我们能够明白那些生物计算, 这将会转变我们对细胞 的行为方式和行为原因的 理解能力。
biological:adj.生物学的;生物的;与生命过程有关的;加酶的;n.[药]生物制品; computation:n.估计,计算;
Because, if we understood these programs, we could debug them when things go wrong. 因为,如果我们了解那些程序, 当出现问题时, 我们可以为它们排错。
debug:vt.调试;除错,改正有毛病部分;[军]除去窃听器;
Or we could learn from them how to design the kind of synthetic circuits that truly exploit the computational power of biochemistry. 或我们可以向它们学习 如何设计这样 能充分利用生物化学 计算能力的合成电路。
exploit:v.利用…为自己谋利;剥削;压榨;运用;发挥; computational:adj.计算的;
My passion about this idea led me to a career in research at the interface of maths , computer science and biology. 我对这个想法的热情, 让我进入了 数学、计算机科学 和生物学的交叉领域。
passion:n.激情;热情;酷爱;盛怒; career:n.职业;事业;生涯;经历; interface:n.接口;人机界面;连接电路;v.连接; maths:数学(课) computer science:n.计算机科学;
And in my work, I focus on the concept of biology as computation. 工作中,我专注于一个概念: 生物学计算。
And that means asking what do cells compute, and how can we uncover these biological programs? 这代表着不断询问 细胞在计算什么, 以及我们如何能 解开这些生物程序的奥秘？
uncover:v.揭开盖子;发现;揭露;揭发;
And I started to ask these questions together with some brilliant collaborators at Microsoft Research and the University of Cambridge , where together we wanted to understand 我开始和微软研究院与剑桥大学 的一些出色的合作人士 一起询问这些问题, 我们想要了解
collaborators:n.[劳经]合作者;投敌者(collaborator的复数); Cambridge:n.剑桥(英国城市);坎布里奇(美国马萨诸塞州城市);
the biological program running inside a unique type of cell: an embryonic stem cell . 在一种独特细胞中 运行的生物程序: 胚胎干细胞（ ES 细胞）。
unique:adj.独特的,稀罕的;[数]唯一的;n.独一无二的人或物; embryonic:adj.[胚]胚胎的;似胚胎的; stem cell:干细胞;
These cells are unique because they're totally na?ve. 这些细胞很独特,因为它们 非常稚嫩（即未高度分化）。
They can become anything they want: a brain cell, a heart cell, a bone cell, a lung cell, any adult cell type. 它们能够分化 为它们想要变成的东西: 一个脑细胞,一个心脏细胞, 一个骨细胞,一个肺细胞, 任何一种成熟细胞。
This na?vety, it sets them apart, but it also ignited the imagination of the scientific community , who realized, if we could tap into that potential , we would have a powerful tool for medicine. 这一稚嫩状态让这些细胞 变得与众不同, 但也激发了科学界的想象力。 科学家们意识到, 如果我们能挖掘这一特性的潜力, 我们将会拥有一个 强大的医疗工具。
ignited:v.(使)燃烧,着火;点燃;(ignite的过去分词和过去式) imagination:n.想象;想象力;创造力;想象的事物; scientific:adj.科学的,系统的; community:n.社区;[生态]群落;共同体;团体; potential:n.潜能;可能性;[电]电势;adj.潜在的;可能的;势的;
If we could figure out how these cells make the decision to become one cell type or another, we might be able to harness them to generate cells that we need to repair diseased or damaged tissue. 如果我们能搞清 这些细胞是如何决定 自己要发育为何种细胞的, 我们或许能够利用 ES 细胞的这一能力, 生成我们需要的细胞, 来修复携带疾病的或受损的组织。
diseased:adj.不健全的;患病的;病态的;v.使生病;传染;(disease的过去式和过去分词)
But realizing that vision is not without its challenges, not least because these particular cells, they emerge just six days after conception . 但这一愿景的实现存在着挑战, 不仅是因为这些特定细胞 在受孕的 6 天后才出现,
vision:n.视力;美景;幻象;想象力;v.想象;显现;梦见; emerge:v.浮现;显现;暴露;露出真相; conception:n.怀孕;概念;设想;开始;
And then within a day or so, they're gone. 之后大约在 1 天内,就会消失。
They have set off down the different paths that form all the structures and organs of your adult body. 它们走上了不同的道路, 共同形成成年人体 的所有结构和器官。
structures:n.结构; v.建造(structure的第三人称单数形式); organs:n.[生物]器官;机构;风琴(organ的复数);
But it turns out that cell fates are a lot more plastic than we might have imagined. 但事实证明,细胞的命运
About 13 years ago, some scientists showed something truly revolutionary . 大概在 13 年前,一些科学家们 展示了一些极具革命性的东西:
revolutionary:adj.革命性的;革命的;彻底变革的;n.改革者;革命者;
By inserting just a handful of genes into an adult cell, like one of your skin cells, you can transform that cell back to the na?ve state. 通过把少量基因导入成熟细胞, 例如你的一个皮肤细胞, 你可以把这个成熟细胞 转化回未分化状态。
And it's a process that's actually known as " reprogramming ," 这一过程被称为“重编程”。
reprogramming:n.[计]改编程序; v.为…重编程序;
and it allows us to imagine a kind of stem cell utopia , the ability to take a sample of a patient 's own cells, transform them back to the na?ve state and use those cells to make whatever that patient might need, whether it's brain cells or heart cells. 这让我们联想到 “干细胞乌托邦”, 这种能力可以采集 患者自身的细胞样本, 将其转化回未分化的原始形态, 并使用那些细胞 制造患者可能需要的细胞, 不论是脑细胞,还是心脏细胞。
utopia:n.乌托邦(理想中最美好的社会);理想国; patient:adj.有耐心的,能容忍的;n.病人;患者;
But over the last decade or so, figuring out how to change cell fate, it's still a process of trial and error. 但在过去的 10 年, 搞清楚如何改变细胞命运 仍然是一个试错的过程。
Even in cases where we've uncovered successful experimental protocols, they're still inefficient , and we lack a fundamental understanding of how and why they work. 即使是在那些我们已经发现了 成功实验方法的情况下, 它们仍旧低效, 而且我们缺少关于 它们如何以及为何运作的基本理解。
uncovered:adj.裸露的; v.揭开盖子; (uncover的过去式和过去分词) inefficient:adj.无效率的,效率低的;无能的;
If you figured out how to change a stem cell into a heart cell, that hasn't got any way of telling you how to change a stem cell into a brain cell. 如果你能摸清如何把一个干细胞 诱导为一个心脏细胞, 你依然不知道如何把一个干细胞 诱导为一个脑细胞。
So we wanted to understand the biological program running inside an embryonic stem cell, and understanding the computation performed by a living system 所以我们想要了解 在 ES 细胞中运行的生物程序, 而且,了解该生物系统中 所运行的计算
performed:v.表演;执行;履行;演出;工作,运转(好/不好)(perform的过去分词和过去式)
starts with asking a devastatingly simple question: 始于提出一个极为简单的问题:
devastatingly:adv.讥讽地;破坏性地;
What is it that system actually has to do? 这个系统到底需要做什么？
Now, computer science actually has a set of strategies for dealing with what it is the software and hardware are meant to do. 计算机科学实际上已有一套策略 来执行软件和硬件的功能。
strategies:n.策略;行动计划;部署;战略;(strategy的复数) hardware:n.计算机硬件;五金器具;
When you write a program, you code a piece of software, you want that software to run correctly. 当你编写程序时, 你用代码编写了一个软件, 你希望这个软件能够正确运行,
You want performance , functionality . 你希望它具备完善的功能与性能,
performance:n.性能;表现;业绩;表演; functionality:n.功能;[数]泛函性,函数性;
You want to prevent bugs . 能防止错误,
bugs:n.缺陷;虫子;窃听器;(bug的复数)v.窃听;使烦恼;(bug的第三人称单数)
They can cost you a lot. 做到这些的成本很高。
So when a developer writes a program, they could write down a set of specifications . 所以当一个开发者编写程序时, 他们能编写出一套技术规范。
specifications:n.规格;规范;明细单;说明书;(specification的复数)
These are what your program should do. 这些是你的程序应该做的“工作”。
Maybe it should compare the size of two numbers or order numbers by increasing size. 或许它能比较两个数的大小, 或将数字进行正序排序。
compare:v.比较;对比;n.比较;
Technology exists that allows us automatically to check whether our specifications are satisfied , whether that program does what it should do. 这样的技术存在: 允许我们自动检查 我们的代码是否符合技术规范, 程序是否在完成它的本职工作。
Technology:n.技术;工艺;术语; automatically:adv.自动地;机械地;无意识地;adj.不经思索的; satisfied:adj.满意的:满足的:v.使满意:使满足;(satisfy的过去分词和过去式)
And so our idea was that in the same way, experimental observations , things we measure in the lab, they correspond to specifications of what the biological program should do. 于是我们的想法很类似, 实验观察值,也就是 我们在实验室中测量的东西, 符合生物编程本职工作中 怎样的技术规范？
observations:n.观察,观察值;观察结果;(observation的复数形式); correspond:vi.符合,一致;相应;通信;
So we just needed to figure out a way to encode this new type of specification. 所以我们只需要找到一个方法 来编译这个新型的技术规范。
encode:vt.(将文字材料)译成密码;编码,编制成计算机语言;
So let's say you've been busy in the lab and you've been measuring your genes and you've found that if Gene A is active, then Gene B or Gene C seems to be active. 比方说,你在实验室忙活了很久, 你一直在测量基因, 发现如果基因 A 是活跃的, 那么基因 B 或 C 也会看似活跃。
We can write that observation down as a mathematical expression if we can use the language of logic: 如果我们能用一种逻辑语言, 就可以将这种观察 编写为一种数学表达:
mathematical:adj.数学的,数学上的;精确的; expression:n.表现,表示,表达;
If A, then B or C. 如果 A ,那么 B 或 C 。
Now, this is a very simple example, OK. 这是一个非常简单的例子,
It's just to illustrate the point. 只是为了解释清楚我的意思。
illustrate:v.解释;加插图于;给(书等)做图表;表明…真实;
We can encode truly rich expressions that actually capture the behavior of multiple genes or proteins over time across multiple different experiments. 我们可以编译很多丰富的表达, 在多个不同的实验中, 随着时间的推移,这些表达可以捕捉 多种基因或蛋白质的行为。
expressions:表达,表情(expression的复数) capture:v.俘虏;捕获;攻占;夺得;刻画,描述;n.(被)捕获;(被)俘获 multiple:adj.数量多的;多种多样的;n.倍数; proteins:n.[生化]蛋白质(protein复数);
And so by translating our observations into mathematical expression in this way, it becomes possible to test whether or not those observations can emerge from a program of genetic interactions. 运用这种方法, 把我们的观察值 编译为一种数学表达, 现在有可能测试这些观察结果 是否可以从基因相互作用 的程序中得到。
whether or not:是否…;
And we developed a tool to do just this. 我们开发了一个工具 来实现这个目的。
We were able to use this tool to encode observations as mathematical expressions, and then that tool would allow us to uncover the genetic program that could explain them all. 我们能用这个工具 将观察值编译为 数学表达。 该工具能让我们发现可以解释 所有原因的遗传程序。
And we then apply this approach to uncover the genetic program running inside embryonic stem cells to see if we could understand how to induce that na?ve state. 之后,我们运用这个方法 来揭示 ES 细胞中运行的遗传程序, 来看看我们是否能理解 如何诱导未分化状态的细胞。
apply:v.申请;涂,敷;应用;适用;请求; approach:n.方法;路径;v.接近;建议;着手处理; induce:v.导致;引起;诱使;劝说;
And this tool was actually built on a solver that's deployed routinely around the world for conventional software verification . 这个工具实际上是建立在 经常被部署在世界各地 用于传统的软件验证
solver:n.解决者;[计]解算机;[数]求解程序; deployed:v.部署(deploy的过去式);展开; routinely:adv.例行公事地;老一套地; conventional:adj.符合习俗的,传统的;常见的;惯例的; verification:n.确认,查证;核实;
So we started with a set of nearly 50 different specifications that we generated from experimental observations of embryonic stem cells. 我们从一套将近有 50 个 不同的技术规范开始, 这些是我们从对 ES 细胞的 实验观察值中得出的。
generated:v.产生;引起;(generate的过去式和过去分词)
And by encoding these observations in this tool, we were able to uncover the first molecular program that could explain all of them. 利用这个工具, 通过编译这些观察值, 我们能够揭开第一个 能够解释所有分子的程序。
encoding:n.[计]编码;v.[计]编码(encode的ing形式);
Now, that's kind of a feat in and of itself, right? 这本身听着是一种壮举,是吧？
feat:n.功绩,壮举;技艺表演;adj.合适的;灵巧的;
Being able to reconcile all of these different observations is not the kind of thing you can do on the back of an envelope , even if you have a really big envelope. 将所有的观察值协调到一起, 不是那种你可以 在信封背面做的事情, 即使你有一个很大的信封。
reconcile:v.使和谐一致;调和;使配合;使和解;妥协; envelope:n.信封,封皮;包膜;[天]包层;包迹;
Because we've got this kind of understanding, we could go one step further. 因为我们有着这样的理解, 我们能够再进一步。
We could use this program to predict what this cell might do in conditions we hadn't yet tested. 我们能够用这个程序 在尚未测试的条件下, 来预测这个细胞可能会做什么。
predict:v.预报;预言;预告;
We could probe the program in silico. 我们能够在硅上探索该程序。
probe:n.探针;调查;vi.调查;探测;vt.探查;用探针探测;
And so we did just that: we generated predictions that we tested in the lab, and we found that this program was highly predictive . 所以我们行动了起来: 我们依据实验室检测值 生成了预测, 并发现该程序非常具有可预测性。
predictions:n.预测,预言(prediction复数形式); highly:adv.高度地;非常;非常赞许地; predictive:adj.预言性的;成为前兆的;
It told us how we could accelerate progress back to the na?ve state quickly and efficiently . 它告诉我们如何能够 加速细胞返回未分化状态的过程, 使之快速且有效。
accelerate:v.加快;加速;n.接受速成教育的学生; efficiently:adv.有效地;效率高地(efficient的副词形式);
It told us which genes to target to do that, which genes might even hinder that process. 它告诉我们 可以针对哪些基因进行操作, 又有哪些基因会阻碍这一过程。
hinder:v.阻碍;妨碍;阻挡;adj.后面的;
We even found the program predicted the order in which genes would switch on . 我们甚至发现了一个 能够预测基因开启顺序的程序。
predicted:v.预言;预告;预报;(predict的过去分词和过去式) switch on:n.接通;
So this approach really allowed us to uncover the dynamics of what the cells are doing. 这个方法让我们得以 揭秘细胞行为的动态。
dynamics:n.动力学,力学;
What we've developed, it's not a method that's specific to stem cell biology. 我们开发的不只是一种 仅限于干细胞生物的方法。
Rather, it allows us to make sense of the computation being carried out by the cell in the context of genetic interactions. 相反,这能帮助我们理解 在遗传相互作用的环境下 细胞内在的计算程序。
make sense of:搞清…的意思; context:n.环境;上下文;来龙去脉;
So really, it's just one building block . 所以这其实只是拼图中的一块。
The field urgently needs to develop new approaches to understand biological computation more broadly and at different levels, from DNA right through to the flow of information between cells. 该领域急需开发新方法 来更广泛地在不同层次上 了解生物计算, 从 DNA 到细胞间的信息流。
urgently:adv.迫切地;紧急地;急切地; approaches:v.靠近,接近; n.方式,方法,态度; broadly:adv.明显地;宽广地;概括地;露骨地;粗鄙地;
Only this kind of transformative understanding will enable us to harness biology in ways that are predictable and reliable . 只有这样的变革性理解 才能够使我们以可预测和可靠 的方式利用生物学。
transformative:adj.变化的,变形的;有改革能力的; predictable:adj.可预言的; reliable:adj.可信赖的;可依靠的;真实可信的;可靠的;
But to program biology, we will also need to develop the kinds of tools and languages that allow both experimentalists and computational scientists to design biological function 但是对于编程生物学, 我们也将需要开发 允许实验人员和计算科学家 使用的工具和语言 来设计生物函数,
experimentalists:n.实验主义者;经验主义者;实验者;
and have those designs compile down to the machine code of the cell, its biochemistry, so that we could then build those structures. 并将这些设计编译成 细胞的机器代码, 也就是它的生物化学, 这样我们就可以构建这些结构。
compile:vt.编译;编制;编辑;[图情]汇编; machine code:n.机器码;
Now, that's something akin to a living software compiler , and I'm proud to be part of a team at Microsoft that's working to develop one. 这就类似于一个 活的生物软件编译器, 我非常自豪能成为 微软开发此类软件团队的一员。
akin:adj.类似的;同类的;同族的; compiler:n.编译器;[计]编译程序;编辑者,汇编者;
Though to say it's a grand challenge is kind of an understatement , but if it's realized, it would be the final bridge between software and wetware . 尽管,说这是一个 很大的挑战有点轻描淡写, 但如果能实现, 这将会成为 软件和湿件最后的桥梁。
understatement:n.保守的陈述;不充分的陈述;有保留的陈述; wetware:n.湿件(被视为计算机程序或系统的人脑);
More broadly, though, programming biology is only going to be possible if we can transform the field into being truly interdisciplinary . 但更广泛地说,如果我们 能够将其转变为真正的跨学科领域,
interdisciplinary:adj.各学科间的;
It needs us to bridge the physical and the life sciences , and scientists from each of these disciplines need to be able to work together with common languages and to have shared scientific questions. 这需要我们搭建起 物理与生命科学的桥梁, 来自相关学术背景的科学家们 需要能够利用共同语言进行合作, 并分享共同的科学问题。
physical:adj.[物]物理的;身体的;物质的;符合自然法则的;n.体格检查; life sciences:n.生命科学; disciplines:n.[管理]纪律(discipline的复数); v.训导;
In the long term, it's worth remembering that many of the giant software companies and the technology that you and I work with every day could hardly have been imagined at the time we first started programming on silicon microchips . 长远来看,值得记住的是: 当我们第一次开始 在硅微芯片上编程时, 几乎无法想象有一天会出现 我们如今每天都需要打交道的 那些大型软件公司和技术。
giant:n.巨人;伟人;巨兽;adj.巨大的;特大的 microchips:n.微芯片(microchip的复数形式);
And if we start now to think about the potential for technology enabled by computational biology, we'll see some of the steps that we need to take along the way to make that a reality. 如果我们现在开始思考 由计算生物学支持的科技潜能, 我们将会看到为实现这一目标 一路上需要做出的努力。
enabled:v.使得;授予…权力;(enabled是enable的过去式)
Now, there is the sobering thought that this kind of technology could be open to misuse . 如今存在一种令人警醒的想法: 这种科技可能会被滥用。
sobering:adj.令人警醒的;使人冷静的;v.(使)变得持重,变得冷静;(sober的现在分词) misuse:vt.滥用;误用;虐待;n.滥用;误用;虐待;
If we're willing to talk about the potential for programming immune cells, we should also be thinking about the potential of bacteria engineered to evade them. 如果我们愿意探讨 编程免疫细胞的潜力, 我们也应该考虑到 改造后的细菌成功躲避 那些免疫细胞的可能。
bacteria:n.[微]细菌; evade:vt.逃避;躲避;逃脱;回避;想不出
There might be people willing to do that. 可能有些人打算从事这方面的研究。
Now, one reassuring thought in this is that -- well, less so for the scientists -- is that biology is a fragile thing to work with. 关于这个话题也存在 一个令人欣慰的想法—— 科学家大概不这么认为—— 生物太脆弱,在工作中难以把控。
reassuring:adj.安心的;可靠的;鼓气的;v.使放心(reassure的现在分词); fragile:adj.脆的;易碎的;
So programming biology is not going to be something you'll be doing in your garden shed . 所以编程生物学不会 进入你的生活。
shed:v.摆脱;去除;蜕;落;n.工棚;简易房;剪羊毛棚;挤奶棚;
But because we're at the outset of this, we can move forward with our eyes wide open. 但因为我们才刚起步, 所以我们可以 大胆且谨慎的往前走。
outset:n.开始;开端;
We can ask the difficult questions up front, we can put in place the necessary safeguards and, as part of that, we'll have to think about our ethics . 我们可以事先提出难题, 我们可以采取必要的保护措施, 同时,作为其中的一部分, 还需要思考我们的道德标准,
safeguards:n.保障措施; v.[安全]保护; ethics:n.伦理学;伦理观;道德标准;
We'll have to think about putting bounds on the implementation of biological function. 我们将需要思考那些生物函数 实行的界限。
implementation:n.[计]实现;履行;安装启用;
So as part of this, research in bioethics will have to be a priority . 所以其中的生物伦理学研究 将被优先考虑。
bioethics:n.生物伦理学; priority:n.优先;优先权;[数]优先次序;优先考虑的事;
It can't be relegated to second place in the excitement of scientific innovation . 在令人激动的科学创新中, 这个话题不能屈居第二。
relegated:v.使贬职;使降级;降低…的地位;(relegate的过去分词和过去式) excitement:n.兴奋;刺激;令人兴奋的事物; innovation:n.创新,革新;新方法;
But the ultimate prize, the ultimate destination on this journey , would be breakthrough applications and breakthrough industries in areas from agriculture and medicine to energy and materials and even computing itself. 但我们这场旅行的最终目的地 将会是突破性的应用 以及突破性行业, 从农业,医疗,到能源和材料, 甚至计算机技术本身。
ultimate:adj.最终的;极限的;根本的;n.终极;根本;基本原则; journey:n.旅行;行程;vi.旅行; breakthrough:n.突破;开始取得成功之时;adj.突破性的; 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)
Imagine, one day we could be powering the planet sustainably on the ultimate green energy if we could mimic something that plants figured out millennia ago: 试想,有一天,我们能 使用终极绿色能源 为地球提供可持续的动力, 因为我们已经能够模仿植物 在千年前发现的东西:
sustainably:adv.支撑得住;能保持住地; mimic:vt.模仿,摹拟;n.效颦者,模仿者;仿制品;小丑;adj.模仿的,模拟的;假装的; millennia:n.千年期(millennium的复数);一千年;千年庆典;太平盛世;
how to harness the sun's energy with an efficiency that is unparalleled by our current solar cells. 如何利用我们现有太阳能电池 无法比拟的效率来利用太阳能。
efficiency:n.效率;效能;功效; unparalleled:adj.无比的;无双的;空前未有的;
If we understood that program of quantum interactions that allow plants to absorb sunlight so efficiently, we might be able to translate that into building synthetic DNA circuits that offer the material for better solar cells. 如果我们能理解 让植物高效吸收太阳光的 量子相互作用的程序, 我们或许能将其编译为 能够为太阳能电池提供 更好材料的合成 DNA 电路。
quantum:n.量子论;额;美国昆腾公司(世界领先的硬盘生产商); absorb:v.吸收;使并入;吞并;同化;理解;吸收;耗费;承受; sunlight:n.日光; translate:v.翻译;被翻译;被译成;(使)转变;
There are teams and scientists working on the fundamentals of this right now, so perhaps if it got the right attention and the right investment , it could be realized in 10 or 15 years. 现在有一些团队和科学家 正着手于解决这个课题的基本问题, 如果这个课题能获得 足够的关注和正确的投资, 在未来的 10 或 15 年内, 或许就有可能实现。
fundamentals:n.基本面;基本原理(fundamental的复数); investment:n.投资;投入;封锁;
So we are at the beginning of a technological revolution. 我们正处在科技革新的开端。
at the beginning of:在…的开始;
Understanding this ancient type of biological computation is the critical first step. 了解这种古老的生物计算类型 是关键的第一步。
critical:adj.鉴定的;[核]临界的;批评的,爱挑剔的;危险的;决定性的;评论的;
And if we can realize this, we would enter in the era of an operating system that runs living software. 如果我们能意识到这件事, 就将进入一个拥有 能够运行生物软件 的操作系统的时代。
operating system:n.(计算机)操作系统;
Thank you very much. 非常感谢。
(Applause) （掌声）