Biophysicist Dr. Josiah Zayner has the launched ILIAD project, a crowd-sourcing project to discover new antibiotics. This project is looking to enlist an army of citizen scientists to test various plants and insects for antibiotic properties, rather than leave it to a small group of big-money pharmaceutical companies to do it.
Josiah Zayner's and his ILIAD project seek to breath new life into antibiotic research, which has been slowly dying over the past few years. The hope is that with more bodies involved, citizen scientists though they may be, the sheer number of people involved will a huge boost to antibiotic research rather than leaving it ignored while waiting for professionals to finally show interest again.
Global Crowdsourced Cures
This Scientist is Looking to Indiegogo for Help Finding New Antibiotics
Trend Themes
1. Crowdsourced Antibiotic Discovery - The ILIAD project demonstrates the trend of utilizing crowdsourcing to tap into a wider range of expertise for antibiotic discovery.
2. Citizen Scientist Engagement - The ILIAD project highlights the trend of engaging citizen scientists to actively participate in scientific research, expanding the reach of antibiotic discovery efforts.
3. Alternatives to Traditional Research - ILIAD explores the disruptive trend of leveraging crowdsourcing as an alternative approach to antibiotic research, challenging the dominance of big pharmaceutical companies.
Industry Implications
1. Healthcare - The ILIAD project presents disruptive innovation opportunities for the healthcare industry, specifically in the domain of antibiotic discovery and development.
2. Pharmaceuticals - The ILIAD project opens avenues for disruptive innovation within the pharmaceutical industry, facilitating novel approaches to antibiotic research and development.
3. Citizen Science - ILIAD sparks disruptive innovation potentials within the emerging citizen science industry, enabling the active involvement of non-professional scientists in meaningful scientific endeavors.