Unlocking the Code of Innovation: TRIZ Theory’s Blueprint for Precision Medicine Breakthroughs

Abstract

Abstract Is there a fundamental “grand unified theory” that can systematically explain and predict innovations and inventions in precision medicine? An approach that is more than 70 years old may be able to answer this question. The Theory of Inventive Problem Solving (TRIZ) has revolutionized the space of innovation and problem-solving since its inception in the mid-twentieth century. Based on the analysis of hundreds of thousands of inventions in many fields, it extrapolated a matrix of contradictory patterns (problems) and generalizable innovation principles to solve these problems. Research on TRIZ culminates in three findings: (1) Problems and solutions are repeated across industries and sciences. (2) Patterns of technical evolution are replicated in industries and sciences. (3) The innovations have scientific effects outside the field in which they were developed. This chapter suggests that large parts of Precision Medicine (PM) could be interpreted as an application of the TRIZ innovation principles. Basically, PM can be seen as an implementation of the first TRIZ innovation principle, segmentation. For example, one of the most important applications of PM, targeted cancer therapy, is based on segmentation of tumors or tumor genetics analogous to the first TRIZ innovation principle (segmentation). Another example is single-cell multi-omics subtyping (patient, disease segmentation) for directing state-of-the-art therapeutics in oncology and other medical fields. Artificial intelligence and machine learning are playing an increasing role in this segmentation process. An important question is whether further TRIZ principles point the way to get the side effects of targeted therapies under control.

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