Long the poor cousins of proteins--and now the darlings of the biotechnology industry--carbohydrates are coming into their own as objects of research. Among the four basic biochemicals of life (along with fats, proteins, and nucleic acids), they are the focal point of a hot new area of inquiry, dubbed "glycobiology" by some of its proponents. And the number of startups capitalizing on new discoveries about carbohydrates by designing novel drugs is growing. "I think the biotechnology of complex

When physicist Alan Heeger and chemist Alan MacDiarmid were launching their careers two decades ago at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, "conducting polymer" was an oxymoron. Metals conducted electricity, plastics were lightweight and pliable, and never the twain should meet. No longer. Today, the polymer polyace-tylene's conductivity equals that of copper. The potential commercial applications of conducting polymers, such as aircraft and missile coatings, antistatic fibers, and

The quest to identify the genetic causes of diabetes makes other hereditary disease research sound almost easy by comparison. Whereas cystic fibrosis, Huntington's disease, and many other disorders are each the result of a single defective gene, the origins of diabetes are far more baffling. In diabetes, several genes seem to be responsible for the malady; environmental influences, such as obesity, play a role as well. None of this daunts molecular biologist Graeme I. Bell. In fact, when he ca

Dennis P. Curran apologizes for the crowded and windowless temporary room where he's stationed himself. His own office is also here on the 12th floor of the University of Pittsburgh's chemistry building - right next door, in fact - but it's being remodeled. An open door reveals vast expanses and new carpeting. Until it's ready, Curran must take shelter in a small, snug space surrounded by makeshift piles of papers and books. Yet, oddly enough, these quarters seem to suit him better than the plu

Transplant surgeon Satoru Todo is sitting in his tiny University of Pittsburgh office, wearing blue scrubs and singing the praises of Thomas E. Starzl, the neurologist and surgeon who leads the team that has developed FK-506, a drug that has been hailed as a breakthrough in preventing the rejection of transplanted organs. "He is like a commander," Todo says cheerfully. "Or a dictator." While such epithets might seem inappropriate in describing the inspirational force behind a harmoniously fun

REDWOOD CITY, CALIF. —Don’t look for high-tech razzle-dazzle at Advanced Polymer Systems Inc. (APS). Unlike most of its entrepreneurial neighbors located in the creative ferment of the San Francisco Bay area, APS is not built upon some headline-grabbing new technology. There are no genetically engineered organisms here, no new drugs poised to save the world, no superconducting substances ready to revolutionize electronics. Founded in 1983, APS is anchored upon a relatively humdru

Prescriptions. Third-party payments. Health maintenance organizations. What do these have to do with science? That’s exactly what research scientists in the American Psychological Association have been asking for the past two decades as they watched psychologists in professional practice increasingly dominate the APA. Why should they put up with debates over health insurance and hospital admitting privileges? Why should they slog through conventions devoting more time to counseling techn

Boldly venturing where no dean went before, graduate students open an international college to study the universe The topic was the best design for a manned lunar base, and in the small room at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology the discussion was heated. Building the base in space and landing the completed structure on the moon just won’t work, argued the transportation experts. “We’re talking about a quantum leap in technology here,” warned Bill Unger, a Cana

Astronomers are used to surprises, so they ought to be more than comfortable at the 20th General As- sembly of the International Astronomical Union in Baltimore next month: First, there is no pre-published program listing titles of talks to be given. Second, the main topic of conversation won’t be what anyone expected when the conference was planned. The intent had been to analyze —and celebrate—the latest findings from the Hubble Space Telescope. By midsummer 1988, the Hubb

Competition with fancy machines and wads of cash, state schools steal national center scientists Christmas came early in 1985 for serious number crunchers. In the spring of that year, the National Science Foundation christened five national supercomputing centers and sent them forth into the world to meet the grand challenges of science and engineering. The NSF's idea was to fund these silicon meccas so that they could maintain state-of-the-art technical facilities and provide supercomputing