Artificial intelligence is showing remarkable ability to analyze medical images and predict disease patterns, but integrating these tools into actual clinical practice presents complex challenges. AI systems trained on certain populations often perform poorly when applied to different demographic groups, raising concerns about algorithmic bias. Researchers are working to develop AI systems that can explain their decision-making processes to physicians, addressing the "black box" problem that limits clinical adoption.

CRISPR gene editing technology is simultaneously revolutionizing medicine, agriculture, and climate solutions through precise DNA modifications. While medical applications like treating sickle cell disease capture headlines, CRISPR is also creating drought-resistant crops and engineering microorganisms to capture atmospheric carbon. Scientists are working to address safety concerns and delivery mechanisms that will determine which CRISPR applications succeed in reaching real-world implementation.

Immunotherapy has revolutionized cancer treatment by teaching the immune system to recognize and attack cancer cells that normally evade detection. While some patients experience complete remission, others show no response, and scientists are working to understand the biological differences that determine treatment success. Researchers are expanding immunotherapy beyond cancer to treat autoimmune diseases, infections, and even aging-related conditions.

Digital health technologies are generating unprecedented amounts of medical data, but translating this information into improved patient outcomes remains challenging. Many health apps and devices can track biological markers, yet few have demonstrated clinical benefits in rigorous studies. Scientists and physicians are developing frameworks to assess which health technologies improve clinical outcomes versus those that simply provide interesting data.

Human aging research has shifted from studying inevitable decline to developing interventions that could extend healthy lifespan beyond 100 years. Scientists are targeting cellular mechanisms like DNA damage repair and metabolic dysfunction that drive aging across multiple organ systems. The economic implications extend far beyond healthcare, potentially reshaping retirement planning, workforce dynamics, and entire industries built around age-related decline.

Walter Isaacson, the bestselling author of Leonardo da Vinci and Steve Jobs, returns to tell the story of Nobel Prize winner Jennifer Doudna and the scientific revolution she and her colleagues launched by developing CRISPR genome editing technology in The Code Breaker: Jennifer Doudna, CRISPR, and the Future of the Human Race.