Technology Vs. Cancer

“Cancer has outwitted scientists and doctors for decades,” says Dr. Gupta. Dr. Soon-Shiong sees technology as the main weapon against cancer. As such, he has devoted over a billion dollars of his own money to investing in this technology along multiple fronts:

1. High-speed tumor gene sequencing machines, which tell doctors the precise genetic mutations that cause a patient’s cancer. It would be more advantageous to pick treatments using this information than the current designation of a tumor based on where in the body it presents. “A lung cancer drug could work on breast cancer…if the mutation is the same,” explains Dr. Gupta.

A Blackberry device displays a cancer genome.

2. But the fight against cancer doesn’t end with diagnostics. Dr. Soon-Shiong has developed his own biotech company with the goal of producing 20 to 30 cancer drugs a year. This goal may sound audacious, but, Dr. Soon-Shiong asserts, “We don’t have that time…The war against cancer is a war against time.” So there is not enough time to wait for the typical multi-year process for a new drug.

3. Dr. Soon-Shiong is also among the doctors working on immunotherapy now. With immunotherapy, T-cells, which produce naturally in our body, actually eat up cancer cells.

4. Finally, Dr. Soon-Shiong wants to prevent cancer from metastasizing by finding rogue cancer cells through liquid biopsies, wherein a blood sample is put through a bio-chip that separates blood cells from tumor cells.

Zoom and Healthcare

So what does this have to do with Zoom? The fact that Dr. Soon-Shiong is a Zoom investor should give you some clue. Zoom is in healthcare too. We’re connecting stakeholders from across the healthcare industry, from one-to-one doctor-patient check ups to large-scale medical professional training.

For more on how Zoom and video telemedicine is revolutionizing patient care, you can watch this recorded webinar featuring Don Ross, HealthTech Capital Managing Director, and Dr. Ron Pion, Founder of Visual Collaboration Innovation. In this video they discuss key growth drivers, challenges, and new technologies in the telemedicine industry.

For a first-hand caregiver account, watch this video, also featuring Dr. Ron Pion and a real home healthcare interaction over Zoom:

You can also learn more about Zoom and telemedicine by visiting with our team at the following upcoming events:

• New Year, New You Zoom Video Webinar: January 14, 2015 at 11 am to noon PT. This webinar focuses on how you can make 2015 your healthiest year yet! Hear from health coaches and health technology experts on topics such as wearable tracking technology and jump starting a healthy lifestyle. Confirmed speakers to date: Jay Jacobs – Wellness Coach, Motivational Speaker, and Biggest Loser Season 11 Finalist; and Dr. Steven Feyrer-Melk, Ph.D. – Chief Science Officer of Nudge (the healthy lifestyle hub). Register Today!
• HIMSS: April 12-15, 2015 in Chicago, IL. This is the largest health IT event in the industry. They are expecting 38,000 healthcare professionals, clinicians, and executives from around the world to attend.
• ATA Annual International Meeting and Tradeshow: May 3-5, 2015 in Los Angeles, CA. ATA is a forum for healthcare professionals and entrepreneurs in telemedicine, telehealth, and mHealth. The program includes over 500 sessions and the expansive exhibit hall will host groundbreaking vendors such as Zoom.

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