Focus, Cancer prevention and Eggs without chickens

Insights from The Economist, 13th June edition

Photo by Towfiqu barbhuiya on Unsplash

How to focus on what matters most?

Prioritization is difficult because humans are drawn to the feeling of accomplishment rather than actual impact. We often choose tasks that provide a visible sense of progress, even when they are not the most valuable. We also tend to pursue too many goals simultaneously instead of focusing on the few that matter most.

Research supports these insights. In a study at Ono Academic College, indebted consumers prioritized paying off small debts ahead of larger debts with higher interest rates. In another study at the University of Queensland, participants pursued two competing goals even when the reward for achieving one goal was the same as achieving both, reducing their chances of success.

Three things need to be done to ensure we are doing what matters most. First, decide what truly matters. Frameworks such as the Eisenhower Matrix or the MoSCoW method can help make prioritization more structured and objective. Second, communicate priorities clearly. People from your team, picked at random should be able to articulate the priorities clearly. Third, ensure there is a kill switch. For example, priorities that take up too much effort, budget or where there are too many external dependencies, need to be killed to save resources as well as the morale of people.

Reflecting on my own work, I often prioritize based on urgency rather than importance. I also rarely establish clear kill criteria. As a result, some initiatives tend to lose steam and drift into limbo rather than being consciously reviewed and either recommitted to or stopped.

You can read the full article here.

Preventing cancer using existing medicines

Researchers have identified a molecular signature that predicts the risk of lung cancer a full 5 years prior to existing methods. This molecular structure is present when an inflammatory pathway linked to lung cancer is activated. This activation is indicated by a signalling moleculre called interleukin-1 beta (IL-1ß).

Blocking IL-1ß in mice, stopped tumours from forming even when they were exposed to triggering conditions such as air pollution. Drugs to block IL-1ß in humans already exist. Infact, researchers accessed the clinical trial data for one such drug — canakinumab — and found that the risk of lung cancer halved for patients with the signature molecular structure.

The next steps are to develop a commercially available blood test to deduct the signature molecular structure. More types of Cancer might have a vaccine with this new approach.

You can read the full article here.

Eggs without chickens

In the last 30 years, egg production has increased four times in Asia driven by the demand for cheap protein. Asia now accounts for two-thirds of the world production.

This rapid growth is enabled by industrial operations where the birds are held in small battery cages with little to no movement, a practice banned in several countries in Europe.

Several companies are working on ways to make lives easier for the birds. The most radical is by Float Foods, a Singaporean firm which produces Asia’s first commercial plant-based whole-egg substitute which even has a legume-based yolk.

The concept is already live in other markets such as the United States. JUST Egg, a california based company is a leader and has sold 500 million eggs since launch. However, this is insignificant compared to the US market for eggs which are in the tens of billions every year. Interestingly, apart from concerns for chickens, the bird flu epidemic was a significant driver for its growht.

Whether the concept catches on in Asia would also depend on the price and the inclination to switch from existing and trusted sources for eggs.

You can read the full article here.