2017 was characterized by the resurgence of diseases previously thought to be eradicated, including the plague. The recent plague outbreak in Madagascar was attributed to superbugs, diseases that are resistant to antibiotics. Apart from antibiotic-resistant germs, environmental concerns such as global warming have the potential to cause destruction on a massive scale. Furthermore, increasing temperatures could result in deaths due to heat, air pollution, and vector-borne diseases like malaria. In the U.S. alone, 2 million people were infected by superbugs and 23000 died from the resulting infections, according to report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  

With technology based approaches crucial to tackling the global health crisis, artificial intelligence, and nanotechnology are at the forefront of healthcare innovation. According to Nano Vision, the Austin based molecular data company, “The current approach to fighting global health threats is not working.” The critical data siloed in various individual institutions and governments around the world need to be widely distributed for collective progress in the healthcare domain. The lack of a global molecular dataset affects the ability to prevent, deal with, and eliminate diseases effectively. Nano Vision is developing a solution that will enable a more efficient system for medical discovery of superbugs and other diseases, including cancer.

The Nano Vision platform will collect molecular data to create an entire new dataset for scientists to leverage in their research against diseases. This platform will provide scientists around the world a common database and facilitate an effective and collaborative approach essential for real-time studies on ever evolving pathogens. This approach is aimed to remove restrictions and borders across countries and help researchers collaborate on finding solutions to combat continuously evolving antibiotic resistant superbugs using a common database, while still receiving credit for their contributions. Overcoming the global healthcare crisis is a monumental challenge and therefore, to enact observable progress, the healthcare sector must rely on innovative solutions and technology to meet pressing health challenges.