The changing face of biology

Abstract

This article is a compilation of the author's own observations on how biology is changing and is likely to change in the next decade or two, with views from leading biologists on current and future developments, particularly in terms of solving some of the most fundamental problems. Starting from the message of ‘universality’ which, in the author's view, is coded into the DNA structure, the possible consequences of the completion of the human genome project, namely the sequencing of all of the 50 000–100 000 human genes, the impact of new technology, especially in the field of medicine, and the relentless march of molecular biology in deciphering the secret of life are described. The role of bacteria in new drug development, routine use of gene therapy to tackle single gene disease, problems of evolution, behaviour, and development, and prediction of three-dimensional protein structure from amino acid sequences are discussed. It is argued that biology and technology have to go hand in hand to maintain the current momentum in the life sciences.