The tech giant hopes to develop software which will allow it to re-programme the body's cells which have become corrupted by cancer and make them healthy again.
A new 'biological computation' unit has been set-up to develop a programme capable of turning cells into living computers. In the meantime, the unit will focus on shorter term goals such as using computer algorithms to suggest new cancer treatments and process cancer research. The data will be processed by using technology based on artificial intelligence whereby the computer reads through all the research data on cancer and cancer treatments and comes to an understanding about the disease - a task impossible by any one human being.
If a computer can be taught to learn why cells turn cancerous, it may be able to diagnose cancer in advance of the cells mutating or reverse a mutation in process.
A tantalising dream indeed…