Conception to birth -- visualized | Alexander Tsiaras

Summary

In this insightful talk, the speaker, an associate professor of medicine and chief of scientific visualization at Yale, discusses their pioneering work in virtual surgery algorithms for NASA and the profound impact of new scanning technologies on our understanding of the human body. From the intricate structure of collagen to the miraculous development of a fetus, the speaker marvels at the complexity and precision of biological mechanisms, highlighting the ongoing studies of brain development in infants and the extraordinary capabilities of the female body in nurturing life.

Takeaways

• 🎓 The speaker was offered a position as an associate professor and chief of scientific visualization at Yale University, focusing on writing algorithms for virtual surgery in space.
• 🚀 The work involved preparing for deep-space flight by creating algorithms for NASA, enabling virtual surgery through robotic pods for astronauts.
• 🔬 The speaker witnessed new scanning technologies revealing previously unseen aspects of the body, including disease management and structural marvels.
• 🧬 The unique structure of collagen was highlighted, particularly its change in the cornea of the eye, where it forms a grid, allowing transparency.
• 🏆 Collaboration with Paul Lauterbur, who later won the Nobel Prize for inventing MRI, led to the development of algorithms for scanning the development of a fetus from conception to birth.
• 👶 The project 'From Conception to Birth' showcased the intricate and rapid development of a fetus, highlighting the biological mechanisms at play.
• 💓 The marvel of the human heart's development was described, from two strands at 25 days to a fully formed organ within weeks, illustrating the complexity of biological processes.
• 🧠 The complexity of the brain's development, with its folding and the formation of gyri and sulci, was emphasized, along with an ongoing study to observe this process in children.
• 🌐 The speaker marveled at the body's vast network of capillaries, totaling nearly 60,000 miles, and the intelligence behind their formation and function.
• 🤰 The speaker pondered the complexity of the female body's ability to build itself and nurture a child, reflecting on the 'magic' and 'divinity' of biological processes.
• 👏 The presentation concluded with a standing ovation, reflecting the audience's appreciation for the insights into the marvels of human development and biology.

Q & A

What was the speaker's position at Yale University?

The speaker was offered a position as an associate professor of medicine and chief of scientific visualization in the department of medicine at Yale University.

What was the primary role of the speaker's job at Yale?

The speaker's job was to write algorithms and code for NASA to perform virtual surgery, preparing for astronauts going into deep-space flight and being kept in robotic pods.

What new scanning technologies were being used in the speaker's work?

The speaker was using new scanning technologies that allowed them to see things in the body that had never been seen before, including disease management and other aspects of the body's structure.

Why is the collagen structure in the cornea of the eye different from the rest of the body?

In the cornea, collagen changes its structure to a grid formation, which allows it to be transparent instead of opaque, unlike the rope-like structure found elsewhere in the body.

Who was the person working on the micromagnetic resonance imaging machine with the speaker?

Paul Lauterbur was the person working on the micromagnetic resonance imaging machine with the speaker, who later won the Nobel Prize for inventing the MRI.

What project did the speaker mention involving the development of a fetus from conception to birth?

The project involved scanning the development of a fetus from conception to birth using new technologies, for which the speaker wrote the algorithms and code.

What is unique about the development of the human heart at 25 days?

At 25 days, the human heart is just basically two strands, and it develops through a process similar to origami, folding on itself to eventually form a mature heart.

What is the significance of the trophoblasts in the development of the fetus?

Trophoblasts are clusters of tissue that come off the blastocyst and burrow into the side of the uterus, signaling their intention to stay and communicate with hormones to establish the pregnancy.

How does the speaker describe the complexity of the human body's development?

The speaker describes the complexity as beyond human comprehension, marveling at the biological mechanisms and mathematical models that guide the development without making mistakes.

What new studies is the speaker involved in regarding babies' brains?

The speaker is involved in two new studies that involve scanning babies' brains from the moment they are born, every six months until they are six years old, to observe how the brain's gyri and sulci fold and develop.

What does the speaker find remarkable about the woman's body during pregnancy?

The speaker finds it remarkable that a woman's body has the genetic structure not only to build her own body but also to become a mobile system that can nurture and treat the child with a kind of marvel beyond comprehension.

Outlines

00:00

🔬 Scientific Visualization and Virtual Surgery

The speaker discusses their role as an associate professor and head of scientific visualization at Yale University, focusing on developing algorithms and code for NASA's virtual surgery project. This project aimed to prepare for deep-space astronaut health maintenance using robotic pods. The speaker marvels at the new insights gained from advanced scanning technologies, particularly the unique structure of collagen in the human body and its transparency in the eye's cornea. They also mention their involvement in a project with Paul Lauterbur, who later won the Nobel Prize for inventing MRI, to visualize the development of a fetus from conception to birth, showcasing the intricate and awe-inspiring processes of life's early stages.

05:01

👶 The Miracle of Human Development

This paragraph delves into the speaker's work on scanning and understanding the development of a human from the moment of conception. They describe the process of cell division, the formation of the trophoblasts, and the rapid development of the fetus into a recognizable human form within 44 days. The speaker emphasizes the complexity and precision of biological mechanisms that guide the development of the heart, brain, and other vital structures. They also highlight the marvel of the human body's vascular system, with nearly 60,000 miles of blood vessels, most of which are microscopic. The speaker concludes with an introduction to new studies on scanning babies' brains from birth to six years old, aiming to understand brain development and its impact on memory and cognitive abilities.

Keywords

💡Associate Professor

An associate professor is a mid-career academic rank in universities, typically holding a PhD and having a significant record of research and teaching. In the video, the speaker holds this position at Yale University, emphasizing their expertise and role in the field of scientific visualization.

💡Scientific Visualization

Scientific visualization is the process of creating visual representations of data or concepts to aid in understanding complex scientific phenomena. The speaker's role involves writing algorithms and code for virtual surgery, which is a form of scientific visualization applied to medical procedures.

💡NASA

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is the United States' agency responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research. In the context of the video, NASA is mentioned as the organization for which the speaker develops virtual surgery algorithms for astronauts in deep-space flight.

💡Virtual Surgery

Virtual surgery refers to the use of computer simulations and virtual reality to practice or plan surgical procedures. The speaker's work in this area is crucial for preparing astronauts for medical emergencies during space missions, as seen in the script's mention of 'robotic pods'.

💡Collagen

Collagen is a structural protein found in the body's connective tissues, playing a crucial role in the structure and function of skin, hair, nails, and bones. The speaker discusses the unique structure of collagen in the cornea of the eye, which allows for transparency, illustrating the marvel of the body's design.

💡MRI

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is a medical imaging technique used to visualize internal structures of the body in detail. The speaker mentions working with Paul Lauterbur, who invented the MRI and later won the Nobel Prize, highlighting the significance of this technology in medical imaging and research.

💡Fetus Development

Fetus development refers to the process of growth and maturation of a multicellular organism from the stage of embryonic development until birth. The script describes a project to scan and visualize this development using new technologies, showcasing the intricate and rapid changes that occur during this period.

💡Trophoblasts

Trophoblasts are cells that form part of the placenta during pregnancy, playing a key role in implantation and nutrient exchange. The speaker describes these cells as 'little pieces of tissue' that burrow into the uterus, illustrating the complex biological processes that occur during early pregnancy.

💡Genetic Structure

Genetic structure refers to the arrangement and composition of an organism's genetic material, which dictates its traits and functions. The speaker marvels at the precision of genetic instructions that guide the development of the body, from the formation of nerve cells to the folding of the brain.

💡Capillaries

Capillaries are the smallest blood vessels in the body, connecting arterioles and venules to facilitate the exchange of oxygen, nutrients, and waste. The speaker provides the astonishing statistic that a newborn has nearly 60,000 miles of these vessels, emphasizing the complexity of the circulatory system.

💡Brain Development

Brain development involves the growth and maturation of the brain from infancy to adulthood. The speaker mentions a study to scan babies' brains from birth to six years old, focusing on the folding of the brain's surface, which is crucial for cognitive development and memory formation.

Highlights

Offered a position as associate professor of medicine and chief of scientific visualization at Yale University.

Developed algorithms and code for NASA to perform virtual surgery for astronauts in deep-space flight.

Utilized new scanning technologies to visualize previously unseen aspects of the human body.

Discovered the unique structure of collagen in the cornea of the eye, making it transparent.

Collaborated with Paul Lauterbur, who later won the Nobel Prize for inventing MRI.

Scanned the development of a fetus from conception to birth using advanced imaging techniques.

Presented a visual journey of fetal development, showcasing key milestones and growth stages.

Highlighted the rapid cell division and development of the embryo in the early stages of pregnancy.

Described the self-communication of the trophoblasts as they burrow into the uterine wall during implantation.

Revealed the intricate folding and development of the human heart within the first weeks of fetal life.

Explored the complexity and precision of genetic instructions guiding the formation of the human body.

Discussed the marvel of the human brain's development, including the folding of the cerebral cortex.

Announced two new studies to scan babies' brains from birth to six years old to understand brain development.

Reflected on the complexity of the human body's vascular system, with 60,000 miles of vessels.

Considered the intelligence behind the brain's ability to send instructions to every part of the body.

Questioned the source of the intelligence and mechanisms that govern the development and functioning of the human body.

Ended with a reflection on the marvel and mystery of human existence and the development of life.

Transcripts

I was offered a position as associate professor of medicine

and chief of scientific visualization

at Yale University

in the department of medicine.

And my job was to write many of the algorithms and code

for NASA to do virtual surgery

in preparation for the astronauts going into deep-space flight,

so they could be kept in robotic pods.

One of the fascinating things about what we were working on

is that we were seeing, using new scanning technologies,

things that had never been seen before.

Not only in disease management,

but also things that allowed us to see things about the body

that just made you marvel.

I remember one of the first times we were looking at collagen.

And your entire body, everything --

your hair, skin, bone, nails --

everything is made of collagen.

And it's a kind of rope-like structure that twirls and swirls like this.

And the only place that collagen changes its structure

is in the cornea of your eye.

In your eye, it becomes a grid formation,

and therefore, it becomes transparent, as opposed to opaque.

So perfectly organized a structure,

it was hard not to attribute divinity to it.

Because we kept on seeing this in different parts of the body.

One of the opportunities I had

was one person was working on a really interesting

micromagnetic resonance imaging machine with the NIH.

And what we were going to do

was scan a new project

on the development of the fetus from conception to birth

using these new technologies.

So I wrote the algorithms and code,

and he built the hardware -- Paul Lauterbur --

then went onto win the Nobel Prize for inventing the MRI.

I got the data.

And I'm going to show you a sample of the piece,

"From Conception to Birth."

(Music)

[From Conception to Birth]

[Oocyte]

[Sperm]

[Egg Inseminated]

[24 Hours: Baby's first division]

[The fertilized ovum divides a few hours after fusion...]

[And divides anew every 12 to 15 hours.]

[Early Embryo]

[Yolk sack still feeding baby.]

[25 Days: Heart chamber developing.]

[32 Days: Arms & hands are developing]

[36 Days: Beginning of the primitive vertebrae]

[These weeks are the period of the most rapid development

of the fetus.]

[If the fetus continues to grow at this speed for the entire 9 months,

it would be 1.5 tons at birth.]

[45 Days]

[Embryo's heart is beating twice as fast as the mother's.]

[51 Days]

[Developing retina, nose and fingers]

[The fetus' continual movement in the womb

is necessary for muscular and skeletal growth.]

[12 Weeks: Indifferent penis]

[Girl or boy yet to be determined]

[8 Months]

[Delivery: The expulsion stage]

[The moment of birth]

(Applause)

Alexander Tsiaras: Thank you.

But as you can see,

when you actually start working on this data,

it's pretty spectacular.

And as we kept on scanning more and more,

working on this project,

looking at these two simple cells

that have this unbelievable machinery that will become the magic of you.

And as we kept on working on this data,

looking at small clusters of the body,

these little pieces of tissue

that were the trophoblasts coming off of the blastocyst,

all of a sudden burrowing itself into the side of the uterus,

saying, "I'm here to stay."

Having conversation and communications

with the estrogens, the progesterones,

saying, "I'm here to stay, plant me,"

building this incredible trilinear fetus

that becomes, within 44 days, something that you can recognize,

and then at nine weeks is really kind of a little human being.

The marvel of this information:

How do we actually have this biological mechanism

inside our body

to actually see this information?

I'm going to show you something pretty unique.

Here's a human heart at 25 days.

It's just basically two strands.

And like this magnificent origami,

cells are developing at one million cells per second at four weeks,

as it's just folding on itself.

Within five weeks, you start to see the early atrium and the early ventricles.

Six weeks, these folds are now beginning

with the papilla on the inside of the heart

actually being able to pull down each one of those valves in your heart

until you get a mature heart --

and then basically the development of the entire human body.

The magic of the mechanisms inside each genetic structure

saying exactly where that nerve cell should go --

the complexity of these,

the mathematical models of how these things are indeed done

are beyond human comprehension.

Even though I am a mathematician,

I look at this with marvel

of how do these instruction sets not make these mistakes

as they build what is us?

It's a mystery, it's magic, it's divinity.

Then you start to take a look at adult life.

Take a look at this little tuft of capillaries.

It's just a tiny sub-substructure, microscopic.

But basically by the time you're nine months and you're given birth,

you have almost 60,000 miles of vessels inside your body.

And only one mile is visible.

59,999 miles

that are basically bringing nutrients and taking waste away.

The complexity of building that within a single system

is, again, beyond any comprehension or any existing mathematics today.

And then instructions set,

from the brain to every other part of the body --

look at the complexity of the folding.

Where does this intelligence

of knowing that a fold can actually hold more information,

so as you actually watch the baby's brain grow.

And this is one of the things we're doing.

We're launching two new studies

of scanning babies' brains from the moment they're born.

Every six months until they're six years old,

we're going to be doing about 250 children,

watching exactly how the gyri and the sulci of the brains fold

to see how this magnificent development

actually turns into memories and the marvel that is us.

And it's not just our own existence,

but how does the woman's body understand

to have genetic structure that not only builds her own,

but then has the understanding

that allows her to become

a walking immunological, cardiovascular system

that basically is a mobile system

that can actually nurture,

treat this child with a kind of marvel

that is beyond, again, our comprehension --

the magic that is existence, that is us?

Thank you.

(Applause)