Rensselaer Research Review Magazine: A Meeting of the Minds (page 2)

Robert Langer,
Sc.D.

Robert Langer, Sc.D., the Kenneth J. Germeshausen Professor of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, discussed biomaterials and their potential to change lives. “Traditional drug-delivery systems are swallowed or injected. With those methods, the amount of drug in the body starts out low and peaks and then reaches a lower level. It’s not as effective as a steady dose would be. In fact, there are 100,000 deaths a year caused by people taking their medicine the way they’re supposed to,” he said.

Langer described the potential impact of new drug-delivery systems using large molecules, such as peptides, to provide a controlled, continuous-release methodology to deliver pharmaceuticals. To illustrate, he pointed to a prototype remote control drug-delivery system comprising a miniature computer chip, with anode- and cathode-bearing reservoirs for drug storage, which can be implanted into a patient. Electronic pulses trigger drug release, and chemical sensors monitor drug levels and automatically dispense the proper amount of pharmaceuticals to the patient.

“We have learned how to get release in any time from a day to three years,” Langer said.

Troy Duster, Ph.D.

Troy Duster, Ph.D., professor of sociology at New York University and Chancellor’s Professor at the University of California, Berkeley, applauded the work of genetic sequencing and ancestor tracing by DNA analysis, but he cautioned about making certain assumptions on what appears to be evidential. For example, he said that unless blacks are studied globally, it is erroneous to assume that diseases such as hypertension are universal in black culture, because environment plays a role.

Duster also raised the specter of “functional creep,” in which DNA identification technology could be applied not only to tracking serious criminals such as murderers or rapists, but also could be used to apprehend individuals who commit lesser crimes, such as petty theft or misdemeanors.

Mark Saltzman,
Ph.D.

Yale Professor of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering Mark Saltzman, Ph.D., illustrated how cells can be manipulated into different patterns and shapes and how it is possible to deliver DNA or drugs through the biomineralization of engineered tissues. “Science can replace damaged tissue, grow new ears or noses, and have created materials that react to temperatures, such as self-knotting sutures, and materials we can program to any shape we want. It will totally change the paradigms of medicine.”

Rensselaer Professor of Biomedical Engineering Natacha DePaola, Ph.D., elaborated on some how scientists can inhibit and control tissue growth using Cx mimetic peptides; and the promise of using magnetic fields to affect the growth of tissues.

Robert Linhardt,
Ph.D.

Robert Linhardt, Ph.D., the Ann and John H. Broadbent Jr. ’59 Senior Constellation Professor of Biocatalysis and Metabolic Engineering at Rensselaer, spoke of the promise of his work with the enzyme heparin. “By exploring a structure/activity relationship of different molecules, enzymes often become lead compounds for new drug development. They show promise for new bio-products in the areas of agriculture, manufacturing, environmental clean up, and other fields,” Linhardt said.

Donald Hunt,
Ph.D.

University of Virginia Professor of Chemistry and Pathology Donald Hunt, Ph.D., described a database of peptide sequences identifiable with a mass spectrometer, which can enable scientists to identify a protein in a fraction of the time it used to. “This has great promise for use in medical science,” Hunt said. “Someday scientists can develop a vaccine that identifies the proteins secreted by diseased cells and will be able to stimulate the cells to produce disease-destroying agents.”

Gregory Stephanopoulos, Ph.D.

“We are probing deep into the cellular level of life, using high-throughput technologies with a new mindset,” said MIT Professor of Chemical Engineering Gregory Stephanopoulos, Ph.D. “There is a new holistic approach to biologic research, and understanding networks is a significant part of systems biology.”

In addition to discussing the status of biotechnology research, policymakers were on hand to consider the ethical and societal implications of biotechnology research. They agreed that scientists must initiate and actively participate in public debate and discussion of controversial scientific issues, such as stem cell research, genetically modified organisms, and human genetic science.

Claire Fraser ’77, Ph.D., who serves as the president and director of The Institute for Genomic Research, said, “Collectively, we should generate a great deal of information to educate the general public on why they should be interested in developments, why our work will impact on them,” said Fraser, a member of Rensselaer’s board of trustees. “There is a critical need for public debate and the overall understanding in stakeholders. We should start very early on in the education system; placing more value on science and the role of technology in people’s lives.”

They also agreed that there needs to be a new way to fund pioneering research, and that collaborative, interdisciplinary efforts such as Rensselaer’s new biotechnology center were the way of the future of scientific explorations.

National Institutes of Health Director Dr. Elias Zerhouni said, “In interdisciplinary science, at the end of that interaction, we become something different, a new discipline. In research there’s not just juxtaposing, but there will be a fusion experience of real proportion. Success breeds success. There will be more breakthroughs; failure will only force change.”

In the view of the researchers, biotechnology research holds promise for all of humanity.

“Stem cells are the most exciting thing to come along since the discovery of the atom,” said Human Genomic Sciences Inc. CEO, William A. Haseltine, Ph.D. “It’s possible to make any functional part of the human body. If we think of DNA as the information we need to create your body, the possibilities for understanding and for re-creating our bodies are virtually limitless.”

”We’re going to see huge opportunities on the environmental/conservation/energy fronts,” said Biogen Idec Inc. President James Mullen ’80, who also is a member of Rensselaer’s board of trustees. “We’re just beginning to see the impact of this.”

Photos by Kris Qua



	Related Web site: Rensselaer’s Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies To view video of some of the week’s events, go to: http://itops.rpi.edu/videoservices/ondemand/rensselaer.html



	End of Article “A Meeting of the Minds” Page: 1 \| 2 Previous Page

Home \| Awards & Grants \| Recent Patents \| Accolades \| Back Issues \| RPI Research
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute 110 8th Street, Troy, NY USA 12180

Molecularium(SM) and associated characters are service marks of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. All rights are reserved.