Martin Braddock

Martin Braddock is a professional scientist, project manager and project leader working for a large pharmaceutical company. He has published over 170 articles in many journals including Nature, Cell, Human Gene Therapy and Nature Drug Discovery and more recently papers in astronomical journals for which astronomy is a passionate hobby. He is a member of Sherwood Observatory in the UK, a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Biology and live in Nottinghamshire with his wife and family.

 

Issue: 8:1 (The twenty nineth issue)

The development and deployment of artificial intelligence (AI) is and will
profoundly reshape human society, the culture and the composition of
civilisations which make up human kind. All technological triggers tend to
drive a hype curve which over time is realised by an output which is often
unexpected, taking both pessimistic and optimistic perspectives and actions of
drivers, contributors and enablers on a journey where the ultimate destination
may be unclear. In this paper we hypothesise that this journey is not dissimilar
to the personal journey described by the Kubler-Ross change curve and
illustrate this by commentary on the potential of AI for drug discovery,
development and healthcare and as an enabler for deep space exploration and
colonisation. Recent advances in the call for regulation to ensure development
of safety measures associated with machine-based learning are presented
which, together with regulation of the rapidly emerging digital after-life
industry, should provide a platform for realising the full potential benefit of AI
for the human species.

Issue: ()

Issue: 10:1 (the thirty seventh issue)

The concept of black holes or completely collapsed gravitational objects as
they were originally called has fascinated the scientific community and writers
of science fiction for centuries. The mathematical proof of the existence of
black holes came from the collation of multiple lines of evidence, some of
which were highly debated and was derived from both indirect and direct
sources. The measurement of gravitational waves and the observation of a
black hole represent one of the most astounding achievements in astrophysics
which will open up new areas of investigation for the role that black holes play
in the formation, maintenance and evolution of galactic structure.

Issue: 0:0 (Early View)

The recent success of the Mars 2020 project and the high quality images relayed back to Earth have provided further impetus and expectations for human missions to Mars. To support space agency and private enterprise plans to establish a sustainable colony on Mars in the 2030s, synthetic biology may play a vital role to enable astronaut self-sufficiency. In this review, we describe some aspects of where synthetic biology may inform and guide in situ resource utilisation strategies. We address the nature of Martian regolith and describe methods by which it may be rendered fit for purpose to support growth and yield of bioengineered crops. Lastly, we illustrate some examples of innate human adaptation which may confer characteristics desirable in the selection of colonists and with a future looking lens, offer potential targets for human enhancement.

Issue: 0:0 (Early View)

Rapid advances in biology, electronics, computer and data science have turned invention into products, changing the lives and lifestyles of millions of people around the world. This mini-review will describe some remarkable progress made over the last 10 years which serves both healthy individuals and patients alike. With a forward looking lens towards long term space missions and the potential colonisation of the Moon and Mars, we discuss three technologies under development. We conclude with a distant looking perspective on the prospect of gene mediated human enhancement and highlight the importance of aligning benefit for people on Earth with goals for future space missions and the need to establish regulatory and ethical guidelines.