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Digital Biology Program

Principal Investigators: Wayne B. Jonas, MD; John Ives, PhD; Florence Rollwagon, PhD

Affiliations: Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences

Co-Funder: Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency

Background: Homeopathic medicines are often dilute beyond the level of identifiable molecular mixing. Their effect is postulated to be based on informational signals, rather than chemical. Jacques Benveniste, Ph.D., one of France’s foremost biomedical researchers, claims that the mechanism underlying homeopathy is the production of specific electromagnetic signal patterns that can be replicated using computer based information systems.

Hypotheses: The information transmitted to a biological system by homeopathic medicines can be understood as an information signal, which stimulates self-healing mechanisms of the system. If this is the case, such signals could be generated using electronic, non-chemical, means of information delivery, transferable over the Internet.

Method and Materials: The current model being tested is based on a thrombin and fibrinogen mixture that coagulates when mixed. A digitized inhibitor of this coagulation process is used to test the effects of digitation. A multi-disciplinary consultant team, including a hematologist, statistician, electrical and computer engineer, chemist, sociologist, and an "official" skeptic has been assembled to oversee this program.

Anticipated results: Information Biology™ needs to establish new paradigms of how non-molecular, non-electromagnetic signals can be introduced to create impact in a biological system. If successful, digital biology could offer entirely new ways to conceive of treatment and healing, using new delivery mechanisms, such as digital drugs delivered over the Internet.

Relationship to SIIB mission and healing: The Samueli Institute intends to focus some portion of its research agenda on riskier research, which might have a very high payoff if proven successful. Dramatic new practices of medicine may become possible, if the concept of digital biology proves viable.