FUTURE DOCS

H E A L T H

Thirty years from now, people will have a much harder time dying from today’s top killers, according to UTSouthwestern Medical Center’s number one researchers.

Nine biomedical research scientists predicted medical advances they hope we’ll see by the year 2020. Before the predictions were sealed in a time capsule and buried at UT’s new north cam-pus, they shared their scientific visions. A sample:

According to Dr. Ellen S. VITETTA, by 2020 we should be able to be immunized against common forms of cancer. And should the shot fall short, she’s got a backup plan: “[cancers controlled by) biological missiles armed with toxins, isotopes, and biologically active molecules and by an onslaught of cells armed with anti-tumor molecules. “

Nobel Prize winner Dr. Michael s. brown says that researchers will be able to decode the genetic blueprint that makes some of us vulnerable to certain diseases. New-born babies will be examined, their genetic makeup studied in order to pinpoint which diseases will pose the greatest threat in their old age.

The crystal ball also holds hope for heart attack victims. Predicts Dr. R. sandeRs Williams, “Gene therapy will be routine in cardiovascular medicine, and one of its many applications will be the introduction of regulatory genes into hearts damaged by heart attacks, viral infections, and other problems to induce regeneration of muscle cells. ” While one researcher, Dr. JOSEPH F. SAMBROOK, is looking for life to be discovered elsewhere in the universe, we still like Dr. Joseph L. Goldstein’s prediction best: “My prediction for the year 2020 is to expect the unexpected. “