Science without technology ? The case of biomarkers research

1. Science without technology?
The case of biomarkers research in
molecular epidemiology
Federica Russo
Center Leo Apostel, VrijeUniversiteitBrussel

2. Overview
Exposomics science
The poietic-enabling power of technology
Signal-detection through technology
Phil Tech and Phil Sci perspectives

3. Exposomics:
the science of total exposure 3

4. Environmental
exposure and disease
Traditional epidemiology
Establish correlation between
environmental factors and
classes of disease
Molecular epidemiology
Measurement at molecular
level
Identify biomarkers of
exposure, of early clinical
changes, of disease
4

5. Technology in
exposomics
Sensors, smartphones, GPS
Omic technologies
Liquid chromatography
Mass spectometry
Nuclear magnetic resonance
spectroscopy
Statistics softwares

6. What relation between
science and technology?
In exposomics the line between science and
technology is blurred
Would exposomics be possible without technology?
What is the role of technology in exposmics?
What does technology contribute to exposomics?
What do we use technology for in exposomics?

7. The poietic-enabling power
of technology
Technology ancillary to science
Technology instrumental to science
Embodiment of science in technology
Instrumental realism
Science instrumental to creation of technology
Technology instrumental to creation of science
Technology enables creation
of data, of phenomena, of knowledge

8. Signal-detecting through technology
Theory-driven vsdata-driven research
Issues about study design
Creation of massive data
What do we do with such data?
What do we look for?
Detect signal to
Establishing meaningful correlations
in the data
Tracing information
Establishing causal links

9. Phil Tech and Phil Sci
Phil Tech investigated role of technology in science
Embodiment, instrumental realism, …
Phil Sciabstracted from use of technology
Epistemology and metaphysics of ‘distilled’ science
Exposomics as catalyst to integrate perspectives
Epistemology and metaphysics depend on technology

10. To conclude
Technology allows us to create of data, phenomena,
knowledge
No science without technology
and
no technology without science
Yet we are far from automation of causal discovery
Behind technology we find techno-scientis
Perspectivism
Distributed nature of understanding