RNA-based medicines can modulate gene expression, offering new ways to prevent, manage and treat disease at its source. These medicines are no longer limited to just the liver, but can also reach the brain, heart or muscles. siRNA therapies are also incredibly durable, providing months of benefit from a single injection. These breakthroughs could bring new hope for genetic conditions and neurodegenerative disorders while also making treatments more accessible and affordable. As this new era of medicine emerges, we’re challenged not only to marvel at what’s possible but also to decide how this could shape the future of society.
By designing RNA-based drugs that can control gene expression, scientists are opening entirely new frontiers in medicine. Yet the possibilities reach beyond medicine alone. From tackling genetic conditions to offering hope for neurodegenerative diseases, this breakthrough invites us to imagine a future where these advances in medicine could transform how we understand health, longevity, and the boundaries of human potential.
Why Participate?
As scientists present their breakthrough ideas on the main stage of the Falling Walls Science Summit in Berlin, we invite the audience to explore the societal and ethical dimensions of their work, both now and in the future.
Who can Participate
Anyone who is engaged and interested in the topic. We invite both guests of the Falling Walls Science Summit, as well as interested participants who cannot attend the Summit live. Sign up with your email and we'll include you in a lottery to win a 4-day Science Summit ticket!
Challenge Host
The Falling Walls Science Summit is the international, interdisciplinary, and intersectoral forum for global science leaders. Since 2009, the Falling Walls Science Summit has united the world’s greatest minds to break down barriers in science and innovation. We bring together global science leaders, business pioneers, and public sector visionaries to share knowledge, foster collaboration, and shape the future of the international innovation system—creating meaningful impact for humanity.
Challenge Context
This challenge is organised in the context of the Falling Walls Science Summit 2025. There will be a session at the Summit where this topic will be discussed in more detail, and answers gathered through this future canvas will be incorporated.
115 Ratings
When DNA Unlocks Humanitys Flourishing Future
- Personalized gene-based treatments prevent diseases by targeting them at genetic level before symptoms appear.
- Affordable RNA medicines and equity in healthcare delivery make precision medicine accessible to all.
- Ethical debates on gene editing balance human enhancement benefits against moral implications and equity.
Imagine a future where healthcare has transcended its traditional boundaries, moving from a reactive system to one that’s intimately proactive. In this world, personalized gene-based treatments are the norm, allowing diseases to be addressed at the genetic level before symptoms even begin to manifest. Society has embraced this evolution, cherishing prolonged, healthy lives which have rekindled a spirit of lifelong learning and planning. Affordable RNA medicines have democratized care, ensuring that precision medicine reaches every life, turning what were once fatal diseases into manageable conditions.
Amidst these technological leaps, societal values have blossomed around equitable access, spurring innovation in healthcare delivery models that serve all communities. The political landscape buzzes with ethical debates on the potential of human enhancement — balancing the marvels of gene editing against its moral implications. As individuals no longer live under the shadow of chronic illness, communities brim with newfound vitality and sustainability, driven by the shared conviction that health is a universal right. This emerging horizon invites us to explore the boundless possibilities of wellbeing and purpose, where the roots of our DNA are not just code, but keys to a resilient, unified humanity.
When Tomorrow Breathes Genes of Transformation
- Gene-based treatments promise longevity but present ethical and social challenges in healthcare.
- Precision medicine increases healthcare inequalities, affecting affordability and access to advanced treatments.
- Humanity faces dilemmas of identity and morality amid technological and societal transformation.
Imagine a future where society navigates the intricate dance of technological advancements and societal impact, particularly in the realm of healthcare. In this world, gene-based treatments, once the domain of speculative fiction, have now become the harbinger of a new age. With the promise to extend human longevity and redefine what it means to lead a healthy life, these treatments herald an era fraught with both hope and ethical conundrums. Medical professionals, now interpreters of complex genetic data, guide individuals through a landscape where the distinction between healing and surveillance blurs.
Yet, as precision medicine thrives, it casts a long shadow, exacerbating divides between those who can afford these cutting-edge treatments and those who cannot. Societal values shift, placing a premium on sustainability and the wisdom of fairness across generations. Individuals grapple with questions of identity, pondering what aspects of humanity should be preserved or altered and to what extent life's tapestry should be redesigned. Communities come together, questioning the morality of eradicating certain conditions and the implications for diversity and acceptance.
In this world, humanity stands on a precipice, poised between the potential to optimize and the peril of dehumanization, collectively deciding what it means to be human amid profound change.