Google Reveals Gigantic Ambitions To Fight Cancer, Diabetes, Parkinson's, Heart Problems

Google co-founder Sergey Brin is on a big healthcare drive.  (AP Photo/Tony Avelar)

AUG 24, 2015 @ 11:23 AM 

Google is pumping vast amounts of cash into its cutting-edge life sciences plans turning a secretive unit based on smart contact lenses into a high powered, expert company.

The newly announced business will be entirely focused on the billions of dollars of annual revenues on offer from helping patients with a range of major health issues, from diabetes, Parkinson’s, cancer and heart disease to the general quest to increase comfortable life span.

The split is part of Google’s Alphabet reshuffle that has seen the clearer separation of activities such as advertising and self driving cars.

At the head of the new health unit is Andy Conrad, who has an extensive nanotechnology and molecular biology background, and who was head of life sciences at the former Google X research division.

Google co-founder Sergey Brin, never one to miss out on a big business opportunity, is determined for the company to position itself at the forefront of the immensely lucrative health tech market in several key areas.

Some 387 million people globally live with diabetes and 10 million live with Parkinson’s Disease . Around 14 million new cancer cases are diagnosed each year, and over 17 million people die annually from heart disease. Supplying the technology to help patients in these areas is seen as both important for society and as a big potential market.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/leoking/2015/08/24/google-sergey-brin-cancer-diabetes-parkinsons-heart-disease/