January 2008

An histology slide of US President Ulysses Grant's squamous cell carcinoma from 1885. Credit: Otis Historical Archives, National Museum of Health and Medicine, AFIP, Photo: © Jason Varney | Varneyphoto.com" />An histology slide of US President Ulysses Grant's squamous cell carcinoma from 1885. Credit: Otis Historical Archives, National Museum of Health and Medicine, AFIP, Photo: © Jason Varney | Varneyphoto.com In 1885, pathologist George Elliott was looking through his micr

Why aren't there many women in the top spots in academia?

A female scientist gives her top 10 list for men, and our readers respond with tips of their own.

var FO = { movie:"http://www.the-scientist.com/supplementary/flash/54078/54078.swf", width:"520", height:"580", majorversion:"8", build:"0", xi:"false"}; UFO.create(FO, "ufoDemo"); Slideshow: Monkeypox in the Congo By Alison McCook Epidemiologist Anne Rimoin battles rebel forces, an Ebola outbreak, and air disasters to conduct the most ambitious disease surveillance program in the equatorial rainforests of the Congo (see related story). Here’s

Shielding from the Storm Courtesy of Russ Hopcroft Scientists search for genes that help calcifying organisms weather the effects of climate change. By Alla Katsnelson The pteropod Limacina helicina, sometimes referred to as a sea butterfly, has a translucent shell and a pair of swimming wings called parapodia, and is plentiful in polar seas. Climate change focus Climate change and the biosphere A sensitive reaction Modeling with model organisms Compromis

Energy burning baby fat Related Articles The skinny fat Two paths for a preadipocyte Click here or on the image to launch the flash infographic.

Two paths for a preadipocyte By Bruce Spiegelman Click to view infographic PDF  Related Articles The Skinny Fat Energy-burning baby fat

Modeling with model organisms Eye of Science / Photo Researchers, Inc Fruit fly genetics may help us understand how organisms can - or can't - adapt to climate change. By Andrea Gawrylewski Related Articles: 1 Hoffman's team reported that on the East Coast of Australia, the classical latitudinal genetic clines of Drosophila have shifted over the past 20 years an equivalent of 4 degrees latitude (some 400 km), which means that genetic clines are now found in f

Compromising Coral Immunity Increasing oceanic temperatures are driving epidemics of coral disease. By Edyta Zielinska Related Articles: Climate change focus Climate change and the biosphere A sensitive reaction Shielding from the storm Modeling with model organisms Compromising coral immunity Slideshow: Climate change and corals The hole is disease modeling Hot Papers: Climate change and frog deaths In the summer of 1983, hundreds of square meters of grac

The Hole in Disease Modeling Why don't most studies of climate change include molecular methods? By Jonathan Scheff Vibrio parahaemolyticus, a common scourge in India, recently found in the warming ocean waters of Alaska. Related Articles: 1 "This was probably the most convincing evidence to date of the impact of climate change on pathogen outbreaks in North America," says McLaughlin. Average daily marine temperatures in the sound had been rising steadily, the

var FO = { movie:"http://www.the-scientist.com/supplementary/flash/54070/54070.swf", width:"520", height:"580", majorversion:"8", build:"0", xi:"true"}; UFO.create(FO, "ufoDemo"); Climate change and corals By Edyta Zielinska As part of our package on the effects of climate change on the biosphere, associate editor Edyta Zielinska took a look at coral disease. Ernesto Weil from the University of Puerto Rico has worked with coral reefs in the Caribbe

A Waiting Trial In the summer of 2006, Doug Bergman had a needle plunged into his heart 10 times for science. Now he has leukemia. By Ivan Oransky Photographs by John Borge Related Articles: Trial of the Heart Scientist to Watch: Amy Wagers - Setting the record straight Slideshow: A Waiting Trial When I knock on the door of room 733 of the MeritCare Roger Maris Cancer Center in Fargo, ND, Doug Bergman is sitting up in his bed. He's been expecting me, but it's n

var FO = { movie:"http://www.the-scientist.com/supplementary/flash/54072/54072.swf", width:"520", height:"580", majorversion:"8", build:"0", xi:"true"}; UFO.create(FO, "ufoDemo"); Slideshow: A Waiting Trial In October, Deputy Editor Ivan Oransky traveled to Fargo, North Dakota, to interview Doug Bergman in the hospital. Bergman had developed leukemia a little more than a year after taking part in a clinical trial of stem cells to repair his heart. (For a st

Climate change and the biosphere © Momatiuk - Eastcott / Corbis From corals to human disease, scientists watching the effects of global warming are convinced: It's time to act. By F. Stuart Chapin Related Articles: 1 Global warming spells danger for Earth's biomes, which in turn play an important role in climate change. On the following pages, you will read about some of the specific changes, from fruit flies to microbes, that scientists have observed. The ef

A Sensitive Reaction Global warming could speed up decomposition, but how much might decomposition speed up global warming? By Kerry Grens 1 "In a sense there's some kind of natural break in the system that would bring this positive feedback to a halt," says Jerry Melillo at the Marine Biological Laboratory. For example, in a 10-year study Melillo led in the Harvard Forest, the response to warming, as measured in carbon flux, jumped an average of 28% in each of the firs

The Skinny Fat FRANKLYN RODGERS / SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY All Fat Cell images courtesy of Patrick Seale What if you could make fat cells burn energy rather than store it? By Bruce Spiegelman Related Articles Energy-burning baby fat Two paths for a preadipocyte From an outsider's perspective, obesity seems like a simple problem to solve: Eat less, exercise more. But, the body regulates food intake and feelings of satiety as part of a tightly regulated home

Cephalon: Twenty Years of Building a Life Sciences Enterprise In 1987, a young researcher decided to seize the opportunity to build on the promise of molecular biology that had helped to create a critical mass of companies in the biotech arena. At that time, research into central nervous system disorders was in its infancy and Cephalon founder, scientist and CEO, Frank Baldino, Jr. PhD envisioned creating a different kind of company that would be a hybri

A Rich Life Science Cluster By Mike May This region is a powerhouse of human capital in a network of research institutions, academia, pharmaceuticals, biotechs, and industry-support services. RELATED ARTICLES A Region Defined Did You Know? Greater Philadelphia's Big Pharmas A Robust Support Infrastructure Barbara Schilberg: Champion for the region Bridging the Gap Brenda Gavin: Making a venture capitalist Investment Momentum Building Update Those

Greater Philadelphia's Big Pharmas By Mike May A wide range of large pharmaceutical companies make up a strong foundation for life science in the region. RELATED ARTICLES A Region Defined Did You Know? A Rich Life Science Cluster A Robust Support Infrastructure Barbara Schilberg: Champion for the region Bridging the Gap Brenda Gavin: Making a venture capitalist Investment Momentum Building Update Those Resumes Creating Roots Ramping Up Tech Tr

Fox Chase Cancer Center "I strongly believe that there will be a totally different way to treat cancer patients in the next 10 years," declared Michael V. Seiden, MD, PhD, shortly after he became president and CEO of Fox Chase Cancer Center in June 2007. "I think tumors will be removed and analyzed in a much more molecularly-based way. This is already being done at the research level, but in 10 years, therapies will be selected for people based on the molecula

A Robust Support Infrastructure By Kathryn Ward An impressive group of companies service the life sciences in the Greater Philadelphia region. This infrastructure "is another essential ingredient of the region's life sciences sector," according to The Milken Institute. The region's support infrastructure is ranked second in the nation. If employment figures are any indication, (growing from 310,200 in 2003 to 327,000 in 2004), this support, which undergirds the region's

Paragon Chemical: A China Connection By Kathryn Ward Fereydon Abdesaken ARTICLE EXTRAS A Region Defined A Robust Support Infrastructure The infrastructure ECRI Laureate Pharma Quest Pharmaceutical Immunicon Fox Chase Cancer Center Morgan, Lewis & Bockius Covance Coriell InstaMed “Paragon” means “a model of excellence,” and Paragon Chemical Technologies, located just north of Philadelphia in Horsh

InstaMed: Streamlining Healthcare Payments By Kathryn Ward ARTICLE EXTRAS A Region Defined A Robust Support Infrastructure The infrastructure ECRI Laureate Pharma Quest Pharmaceutical Immunicon Fox Chase Cancer Center Morgan, Lewis & Bockius Covance Coriell Paragon Chemical Some of the most complex issues in healthcare today involve healthcare payments, and Philadelphia’s InstaMed is working to address these issues.

ECRI Provides Answers By Kathryn Ward Jeff Lerner Courtesy of the ECRI Institute ARTICLE EXTRAS A Region Defined A Robust Support Infrastructure The infrastructure Laureate Pharma Quest Pharmaceutical Immunicon Fox Chase Cancer Center Morgan, Lewis & Bockius Covance Coriell Paragon Chemical InstaMed Wondering about the track record of a medical device? Have questions about a clinical procedure? Curious about the e

Laureate Pharma: A Company on the Rise By Kathryn Ward Michiel Ultee ARTICLE EXTRAS A Region Defined A Robust Support Infrastructure The infrastructure ECRI Quest Pharmaceutical Immunicon Fox Chase Cancer Center Morgan, Lewis & Bockius Covance Coriell Paragon Chemical InstaMed In January 2007, Laureate Pharma announced record growth for 2006, with 14 new agreements signed and a business backlog increase of more than 240

Introduction from Regional CEOs Dear Readers: As the CEOs of leading life science companies located in Greater Philadelphia, we are proud to be a part of this publication that showcases the rapidly growing life sciences industry in our region. The Greater Philadelphia region, which encompasses 11 counties in three states - southern New Jersey, southeastern Pennsylvania, and northern Delaware - is home to an unparalleled combination of resources supporting biopharmaceutic

Quest Pharmaceutical: A Global CRO By Kathryn Ward ARTICLE EXTRAS A Region Defined A Robust Support Infrastructure The infrastructure ECRI Laureate Pharma Immunicon Fox Chase Cancer Center Morgan, Lewis & Bockius Covance Coriell Paragon Chemical InstaMed T. Ben Hsu Quest Pharmaceutical Services is in pursuit of excellence. This contract research organization (CRO) - a provider of bioanalytical services for pharm

Immunicon: Advanced Anticancer Technology By Kathryn Ward ARTICLE EXTRAS A Region Defined A Robust Support Infrastructure The infrastructure ECRI Laureate Pharma Quest Pharmaceutical Fox Chase Cancer Center Morgan, Lewis & Bockius Covance Coriell Paragon Chemical InstaMed Byron Hewett Fighting cancer is a mission at Immunicon. Founded in 1983 by a professor at Thomas Jefferson University, a leading Philadelphia

Fox Chase: Outfoxing Cancer By Kathryn Ward ARTICLE EXTRAS A Region Defined A Robust Support Infrastructure The infrastructure ECRI Laureate Pharma Quest Pharmaceutical Immunicon Morgan, Lewis & Bockius Covance Coriell Paragon Chemical InstaMed Louis Weiner Like the Greater Philadelphia region itself, Fox Chase Cancer Center has a long and impressive history. Founded in 1904 in Philadelphia as the American Oncolo

Morgan, Lewis & Bockius Attorneys for Life Science By Kathryn Ward Joanne SoslowCourtesy of Morgan, Lewis & Bockius ARTICLE EXTRAS A Region Defined A Robust Support Infrastructure The infrastructure ECRI Laureate Pharma Quest Pharmaceutical Immunicon Fox Chase Cancer Center Covance Coriell Paragon Chemical InstaMed Founded in Philadelphia in 1873, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius is one of the United States'

Coriell: Banking on Cells By Kathryn Ward Michael Christman In the late 1940s, a medical doctor and scientist used cell cultures to help bring the Salk polio vaccine to the public. Impressed with his work, business leaders in the Greater Philadelphia region enabled him to establish a basic research facility in 1953. The man was Lewis Coriell. The facility is the Coriell Institute for Medical Research, which today is an internationally known, independent, nonprofit biom

Barbara Schilberg By Anne Harding A champion for the region DUSTIN FENSTERMACHER / WONDERFUL MACHINE RELATED ARTICLES A Region Defined Did You Know? A Rich Life Science Cluster Greater Philadelphia's Big Pharmas A Robust Support Infrastructure Bridging the Gap Brenda Gavin: Making a venture capitalist Investment Momentum Building Update Those Resumes Creating Roots Ramping Up Tech Transfer When Barbara Schilberg was wrapping up her

Bridging the Gap By Mike May Getting technology out of a lab - or even a scientist's mind - and on the market takes a wide range of resources, from a productive business plan and management team to office space and funding. In the Greater Philadelphia region, a variety of groups and organizations aim specifically at helping beginning entrepreneurs to bridge this gap. The following pages detail just a few of these firms. A Region Defined Bridging the Gap Be

Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Southeastern Pennsylvania By Mike May ARTICLE EXTRAS A Region Defined Bridging the Gap First State Innovation Keystone Innovation Zones NJIT's Enterprise Development Center Rowan University's CIE The Science Center In 2004 Charles Picardi attended a biomedical conference arranged by Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Southeastern Pennsylvania (BFTP/SEP) in Philadelphia. As the chief tec

First State Innovation By Mike May ARTICLE EXTRAS A Region Defined Bridging the Gap Ben Franklin Technology Partners Keystone Innovation Zones NJIT's Enterprise Development Center Rowan University's CIE The Science Center Although well-known companies such as DuPont and AstraZeneca call Delaware their home, the state has lacked a reputation as a high-tech area. Consequently, Delaware has not always attracted new life science companies. "It s

Introduction from James C. Greenwood Dear Readers: As the president and CEO of the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO), it is my privilege to represent an industry that is saving and improving the lives, health, and well-being of billions of people around the world. Innovative biotechnology products are transforming the fight against disease, hunger, and pollution. I am proud to be associated with the dedicated men and women who make up the biotechnology industr

Keystone Innovation Zones By Mike May ARTICLE EXTRAS A Region Defined Bridging the Gap Ben Franklin Technology Partners First State Innovation NJIT's Enterprise Development Center Rowan University's CIE The Science Center Innovation comes from more than flashes of insight. A few years ago, Denise Polacek began experiencing hot flashes, which sparked the birth of an innovative solution for this widely encountered problem. "Far fewer women ar

New Jersey Institute of Technology's Enterprise Development Center By Mike May ARTICLE EXTRAS A Region Defined Bridging the Gap Ben Franklin Technology Partners First State Innovation Keystone Innovation Zones Rowan University's CIE The Science Center Working from his basement, Miguel Perez struggled to start Morpholytics. He wanted to connect companies with analytical problems with people who could solve them. To get Morpholytics moving,

Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship, Rowan University By Mike May ARTICLE EXTRAS A Region Defined Bridging the Gap Ben Franklin Technology Partners First State Innovation Keystone Innovation Zones NJIT's Enterprise Development Center The Science Center For Thomas Pote, massaging his clients makes up more than a business tactic. At the age of 19, he studied massage at the Lourdes Institute of Wholistic Studies in Collingswood, NJ. At

The University City Science Center By Mike May ARTICLE EXTRAS A Region Defined Bridging the Gap Ben Franklin Technology Partners First State Innovation Keystone Innovation Zones NJIT's Enterprise Development Center Rowan University's CIE In 1963 the nonprofit University City Science Center took over four blocks, between 34th and 38th Streets along Market Street, in Philadelphia. Dean Lewis, the center's interim president and C

Brenda Gavin By Karen Pallarito The making of a venture capitalist. RELATED ARTICLES A Region Defined Did You Know? A Rich Life Science Cluster Greater Philadelphia's Big Pharmas A Robust Support Infrastructure Barbara Schilberg: Champion for the region Bridging the Gap Investment Momentum Building Update Those Resumes Creating Roots Ramping Up Tech Transfer DUSTIN FENSTERMACHER / WONDERFUL MACHINE Long before Brenda Gavin began i

1 Chris Cashman, president and CEO of Protez Pharmaceuticals, a Malvern, Pennsylvania, maker of new antibiotics to fight drug-resistance, recalls the 2001 to 2002 "washout period," when the market for biotech and many small-capital companies fell apart. "Raising money was very difficult. Lots of companies failed," he says. For Cashman and other biotech entrepreneurs, the recovery began with Pennsylvania's move in 2001 to use its tobacco settlement funds to create capital for life scie

1 The career ladders document the types and levels of positions in each job family - discovery research, clinical development, regulatory, quality, product/process development, manufacturing, and facilities - a supervisory pathway, required education and experience, and a typical salary range. Cassie also recommends getting about six to 10 years of Big Pharma experience before moving to a smaller company, "or else you won't bring much to the party. A scientist coming from Merck will bring d

1 Getting students to the region is not so much the issue as is keeping them here after graduation. To that end, the region's academic institutions are taking steps to counter any trend of brain drain. The partnership, Campus Philly, seeks to match students with local employment opportunities and maintains Careerphilly.com, where students can find information on jobs and internships in the region. "We work with the Life Science Career Alliance (a local organization that promotes workforce

1 The report, conceived by the venture capital working group of the region's CEO Council for Growth, compares the Greater Philadelphia area to peer regions with strong life science industries and suggests strategies for advancing the region's commercialization potential. With so many excellent universities and research institutes in the area, more innovations should be ending up in the hands of entrepreneurs who can develop them into products, the report finds. In response, business leader

Successful Strategies In this section you will meet some of the region's most successful entrepreneurs who discuss how their companies first stayed alive, then flourished over time. The region is well-known for its collaborative spirit, but collaboration is also a strategic move that has brought forth innovative technologies in Greater Philadelphia. One such long-term partnership is on its way to a treatment for Alzheimer's disease and schizophrenia. Margaret F

Margaret Foti By Anne Harding Devoting her life to cancer research DUSTIN FENSTERMACHER / WONDERFUL MACHINE RELATED ARTICLES Successful Strategies The Launch and the Exit Entrepreneurs Boldly Break New Ground Mark Tykocinski: Open doors lead a scientist to his calling Shire Pharmaceuticals: A Study in Exponential Growth Many Happy Returns: Cephalon celebrates its 20th year Creative Collaboration When Margaret Foti became the first chief

THE LAUNCH AND THE EXIT By Susan Brown There's an art to creating - and selling - a life science company. Pick an invention that solves a problem and then think the enterprise through to the end so you will attract the needed investors to launch a life science company. That is the advice of Gary Kurtzman who has helped to start dozens of companies over the past 16 years. Kurtzman picks winning ventures for a living as vice president for the life sciences group

Entrepreneurs Boldly Break New Ground By Clare Kittredge Early-stage funding is oxygen to young life science companies struggling to keep their companies afloat and research moving forward. RELATED ARTICLES Successful Strategies Margaret Foti: Devoted to cancer research The Launch and the Exit Mark Tykocinski: Open doors lead a scientist to his calling Shire Pharmaceuticals: A Study in Exponential Growth Many Happy Returns: Cephalon celebrates its 20th

Rutgers University - Camden: Anchoring Bioscience Research in Camden and the Delaware Valley The early home of recorded sound and the birthplace of technological innovations that changed the world, the City of Camden is establishing a new role for itself as a thriving center for the biosciences in the metro Philadelphia region and the State of New Jersey. Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, anchors that growing reputation. Respected internationally for

Collaboration Brings Research Breakthroughs Lisa Staiano-Coico, Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs At Temple University, interdisciplinary collaboration plays a vital role in the success of research programs. Seventeen schools and colleges, along with specialized research centers and institutes, make Temple an excellent place for investigators to exchange ideas, assist one another in the design of joint projects, and benefit from the existen

Mark Tykocinski By Karen Pallarito Open doors lead a scientist to his calling. RELATED ARTICLES Successful Strategies Margaret Foti: Devoted to cancer research The Launch and the Exit Entrepreneurs Boldly Break New Ground Shire Pharmaceuticals: A Study in Exponential Growth Many Happy Returns: Cephalon celebrates its 20th year Creative Collaboration DUSTIN FENSTERMACHER / WONDERFUL MACHINE In the summer of 1971, Yale undergraduate Mar

Shire Pharmaceuticals: A Study in Exponential Growth By Charles Q. Choi RELATED ARTICLES Successful Strategies Margaret Foti: Devoted to cancer research The Launch and the Exit Entrepreneurs Boldly Break New Ground Mark Tykocinski: Open doors lead a scientist to his calling Many Happy Returns: Cephalon celebrates its 20th year Creative Collaboration It's not every company that can go from $7 million in revenues to more than $1.7 billion

COOL CONNECTIONS "Somehow, suddenly, Philadelphia got cool." This quote comes from a travel magazine but it applies equally well to the life sciences in Greater Philadelphia. The city has been transformed "to a place teeming with stellar restaurants, comfortable cafes, world-class museums and some stunning architecture." Likewise, the region has an abundance of top-drawer academic institutions, a heavyweight pharma presence, a developing biotech base, and an impre

Many Happy Returns By Charles Q. Choi Cephalon marks its 20th year RELATED ARTICLES Successful Strategies Margaret Foti: Devoted to cancer research The Launch and the Exit Entrepreneurs Boldly Break New Ground Mark Tykocinski: Open doors lead a scientist to his calling Shire Pharmaceuticals: A Study in Exponential Growth Creative Collaboration Cephalon, the leading independent biotechnology firm in Pennsylvania and the Greater Philadelphia region

Creative Collaboration By Clare Kittredge Teaming up to move science forward. RELATED ARTICLES Successful Strategies Margaret Foti: Devoted to cancer research The Launch and the Exit Entrepreneurs Boldly Break New Ground Mark Tykocinski: Open doors lead a scientist to his calling Shire Pharmaceuticals: A Study in Exponential Growth Many Happy Returns: Cephalon celebrates its 20th year THE CHOP - WISTAR INSTITUTE - MERCK PARTNERSHIP In 1

Innovative Technology All three states in the Greater Philadelphia region - Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware - are homes to institutions and companies performing outstanding R&D. This section contains a sampling of some of the science in area pipelines and the people behind the bench. Innovative Technology Daniel Skovronsky: Scientist and leader Turning Tobacco into Therapies Biofuel: The Potential Magic Bullet Britton Chance: Still searching

Daniel Skovronsky By Anne Harding A physician-scientist and business leader. RELATED ARTICLES Innovative Technology Turning Tobacco into Therapies Biofuel: The Potential Magic Bullet Britton Chance: Still searching for answers Art Caplan: Penn's renowned ethicist Technology Roundup DUSTIN FENSTERMACHER / WONDERFUL MACHINE Imagine spotting the pathology of a disease - say, the amyloid plaques characteristic of Alzheimer's or the death of pan

Turning Tobacco into Therapies By Jeffrey M. Perkel RELATED ARTICLES Innovative Technology Daniel Skovronsky: Scientist and leader Biofuel: The Potential Magic Bullet Britton Chance: Still searching for answers Art Caplan: Penn's renowned ethicist Technology Roundup The Delaware Technology Park in Newark just may be the site of the next revolution. There, in a two-story building aptly named "9 Innovation Way," the Fraunhofer USA Center for Mo

Drexel University: Basic Research, Inspired by Use Drexel University is a comprehensive national research institution in Philadelphia that has grown substantially in the past 10 years. In 2004, the Drexel University College of Medicine (formerly MCP Hahnemann College of Medicine) was consolidated into Drexel University, and in 2006 the Drexel University College of Law was established. During this period, Drexel experienced significant growth in its research enter

Biofuel: The Potential Magic Bullet By Tabitha M. Powledge RELATED ARTICLES Innovative Technology Daniel Skovronsky: Scientist and leader Turning Tobacco into Therapies Britton Chance: Still searching for answers Art Caplan: Penn's renowned ethicist Technology Roundup DuPont's experimental station in Wilmington, Del., sprawls over more than 150 acres, one of the largest nonacademic research campuses in the world. Its roots lie in the 19th c

Britton Chance By Pamela Gannon Still searching for answers, after all these years. RELATED ARTICLES Innovative Technology Daniel Skovronsky: Scientist and leader Turning Tobacco into Therapies Biofuel: The Potential Magic Bullet Art Caplan: Penn's renowned ethicist Technology Roundup © Chaofei Deng and Lei Chang -- The Palace Wedding Dress Photo, Wuhan, China Biochemist, biophysicist, inventor, educator, patriot, Olympian - all

Art Caplan By Karen Pallarito A conversation with Penn's renowned ethicist. RELATED ARTICLES Innovative Technology Daniel Skovronsky: Scientist and leader Turning Tobacco into Therapies Biofuel: The Potential Magic Bullet Britton Chance: Still searching for answers Technology Roundup DUSTIN FENSTERMACHER / WONDERFUL MACHINE As a Columbia University philosophy student in the 1970s, Arthur Caplan listened to ongoing discussions about the ethics of

Technology Roundup By Jack Lucentini One of the Greater Philadelphia region's strengths is its robust science and technology research. This sampling of efforts underway at the area's institutions reveals projects ranging from basic science to cutting-edge technologies in clinical development. Many of the products under development represent part of a growing trend: a shift toward personalized medicine. Innovative Technology Greater Philadelphia Innovation -->

Lab-on-a-chip Technology Goes Nano By Jack Lucentini ARTICLE EXTRAS Innovative Technology Technology Roundup Greater Philadelphia Innovation --> Bristol Myers-Squibb Rutgers-Camden Institute Neuronetics Temple University Absorption Systems University of Pennsylvania Tengion Kimmel Cancer Center Orphagenix Science is moving from an age in which researchers can sequence genomes, to one in which doctors can use them in deve

Matching the Drug to the Tumor By Jack Lucentini ARTICLE EXTRAS Innovative Technology Technology Roundup Rutgers-Camden Institute Neuronetics Temple University Absorption Systems University of Pennsylvania Tengion Kimmel Cancer Center Orphagenix BioNanomatrix When scientists at Bristol-Myers Squibb Research Institute in Princeton, NJ, recently studied whether a new drug could fight colorectal cancer, they started with a

Rutgers-Camden Institute to Focus on Integrative Biology By Jack Lucentini ARTICLE EXTRAS Innovative Technology Technology Roundup Greater Philadelphia Innovation --> Bristol Myers-Squibb Neuronetics Temple University Absorption Systems University of Pennsylvania Tengion Kimmel Cancer Center Orphagenix BioNanomatrix Nervous about narrowing product pipelines and costly clinical trial failures, big pharmaceutical companies

Magnets in Medicine By Jack Lucentini ARTICLE EXTRAS Innovative Technology Technology Roundup Greater Philadelphia Innovation --> Bristol Myers-Squibb Rutgers-Camden Institute Temple University Absorption Systems University of Pennsylvania Tengion Kimmel Cancer Center Orphagenix BioNanomatrix The technique of treating sick people with magnets might not seem ripe for Food and Drug Administration approval, given that its m

Taking the Bite out of COPD By Jack Lucentini ARTICLE EXTRAS Innovative Technology Technology Roundup Greater Philadelphia Innovation --> Bristol Myers-Squibb Rutgers-Camden Institute Neuronetics Absorption Systems University of Pennsylvania Tengion Kimmel Cancer Center Orphagenix BioNanomatrix In dry medical jargon, it's called an exacerbation. For the patients, it's a frightening, wrenching assault on the body that som

Testing Transporters By Jack Lucentini ARTICLE EXTRAS Innovative Technology Technology Roundup Greater Philadelphia Innovation --> Bristol Myers-Squibb Rutgers-Camden Institute Neuronetics Temple University University of Pennsylvania Tengion Kimmel Cancer Center Orphagenix BioNanomatrix FDA expectations for preclinical drug testing as part of new drug applications are growing. That promises good business for Exton, Pa.-b

Did you know? ARTICLE EXTRAS A Region Defined A Rich Life Science Cluster Greater Philadelphia's Big Pharmas A Robust Support Infrastructure Barbara Schilberg: Champion for the region Bridging the Gap Brenda Gavin: Making a venture capitalist Investment Momentum Building Update Those Resumes Creating Roots Ramping Up Tech Transfer

Drano for the Arteries By Jack Lucentini ARTICLE EXTRAS Innovative Technology Technology Roundup Greater Philadelphia Innovation --> Bristol Myers-Squibb Rutgers-Camden Institute Neuronetics Temple University Absorption Systems Tengion Kimmel Cancer Center Orphagenix BioNanomatrix If it works as hoped, it could be the next blockbuster drug: one that shrinks artery-clogging atherosclerotic plaque, the leading cause of the

Building a Better Bladder By Jack Lucentini ARTICLE EXTRAS Innovative Technology Technology Roundup Greater Philadelphia Innovation --> Bristol Myers-Squibb Rutgers-Camden Institute Neuronetics Temple University Absorption Systems University of Pennsylvania Kimmel Cancer Center Orphagenix BioNanomatrix When children with the spine malformation, spina bifida, develop a serious bladder failure, they have one, somewhat unsa

A Region Defined The Greater Philadelphia life science cluster is a powerhouse of human capital spread across a wide network of big pharmaceutical companies, research-intensive institutions, top-notch academia, emerging biotech giants, and a strong infrastructure of support services. This section highlights each component of the network, the region's commitment to commercialization, and the challenges its leaders are working hard to resolve. A Region Defined Did

Covance: The Friendly Giant By Kathryn Ward Louis Gutierrez ARTICLE EXTRAS A Region Defined A Robust Support Infrastructure The infrastructure ECRI Laureate Pharma Quest Pharmaceutical Immunicon Fox Chase Cancer Center Morgan, Lewis & Bockius Coriell Paragon Chemical InstaMed Covance is a goliath of a company, both in the Greater Philadelphia region and worldwide. Headquartered in Princeton, NJ, and with an office in

Climate ChangeAs Earth's climate warms, the effects are showing up in the planet's biological systems, from the lowliest soil microbes to the grandest coral reefs. We set five of our writers loose to find research probing this dynamic. They turned up studies exploring everything from shell formation of tiny marine organisms to fruit fly genetics to coral immunity to the dynamics of soil decomposition to the spread of human diseases. We also enlisted the help of University of Alaska, Fair

Helicos' Bill Efcavitch is confident that he can produce a machine that can sequence a genome for $1,000 in ten days. It hasn't been an easy road.

Credit: © Leah Fasten Photography" /> Credit: © Leah Fasten Photography As a postdoc in Irving Weissman's laboratory at Stanford University, Amy Wagers earned a reputation for putting other people's findings to the test. In 2002 Wagers published evidence contrary to claims that bone marrow-derived stem cells could transdifferentiate into brain, muscle, and other tissues.1 In 2004, she found that hematopoietic stem cells could not repair damaged myocardium,2 despite other ev

F. Stuart Chapin III, known as Terry, has been a professor of ecology at the University of Alaska Fairbanks since 1973. He studies the effects of changes in climate and wildfire on Alaskan ecology, with a particular focus on developing sustainable ecosystems and human communities. In this issue, Chapin introduces a five-part feature on the effects of climate change on the biosphere. "Scientific assessments now clearly demonstrate the ecological and societal consequences of huma

Innovative solutions with small-scale microfluidics.

Three primary human neutrophils within a microfluidic channel responding to a gradient of Interleukin-8 (labeled with a green fluorophore) by chemotaxing to a higher concentration (left). Panels are frames from a movie, taken 10 minutes apart. Credit: Courtesy of Mary Lokuta / University of Wisconsin, Madison" />Three primary human neutrophils within a microfluidic channel responding to a gradient of Interleukin-8 (labeled with a green fluorophore) by chemotaxing to a higher concentration (left)

Phase contrast image of human microvascular epithelial cells grown in a single layer microfluidic cell culture chip under constant perfusion. Credit: Courtesy of Divya Nalayanda and Fizan Abdullah / Johns Hopkins Children's Center, Baltimore, Md." />Phase contrast image of human microvascular epithelial cells grown in a single layer microfluidic cell culture chip under constant perfusion. Credit: Courtesy of Divya Nalayanda and Fizan Abdullah / Johns Hopkins Children's Center, Baltimore, Md.

A confocal image of endothelial cells cultured in one of the microcapillaries of the biochip. Credit: Cellix Ltd." />A confocal image of endothelial cells cultured in one of the microcapillaries of the biochip. Credit: Cellix Ltd. User: Garry Walsh, University of Aberdeen School of Medicine, Scotland. Project: Examining adhesion of eosinophils under conditions of blood flow in the lungs. Problem: Eosinophils are relatively rare and difficult to

Florescent probes mark chromosomal breakpoints in FISH-on-a-Chip. Credit: Courtesy of Linda Pilarski / University of Alberta" />Florescent probes mark chromosomal breakpoints in FISH-on-a-Chip. Credit: Courtesy of Linda Pilarski / University of Alberta User: Linda Pilarski, University of Alberta Project: Investigating chromosomal breaks and translocations in individual cells from patients with multiple myeloma. Problem: An ideal technique for t

Related Articles Let it flow Source and sink Membrane interface Conservation max Scaling down Collaborate. Microfluidic engineering labs and even commercial companies often look for academics to "cross-validate" their work, notes Robert Freedman, CEO of HμREL Corporation, which is working on a prototype for cellular experiments. Comb the literature and ask around to find who is working on something your lab might need. Also, check out the MEMS (Micro-Electro-Mechanical Syst

Manna from Hell "Manna from Hell"1 is the sort of article that I would love to see more of in the future. What makes it so fascinating? The human disease focus for sure, but also the clear portrayal of how a set of anecdotal observations turned into science - often a long and arduous journey, involving contributions from around the world. John Collins Technical UniversityBraunschweig, Germany tojohncollins@t-online.de Whenever I see the word Aristoloch

In a Citation Classic, a virologist recalls developing a green dye that is now a staple in immunofluorescence

Credit: Dirk Goldhahn" /> Credit: Dirk Goldhahn CLIMATE AND BIOLOGY >> In this issue, we explore the ways that climate change might be having an impact on the biosphere. Read about ways to mitigate the consequences of global warming in the latest report, published this month, from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. To order, click here. HEART HEALING >> Last year, Doug Bergman enrolled in a clinical trial testing whether stem cells could repair

As Anna Dhody tells it, sometime in 2000 or 2001 she and her supervisor Steven LeBlanc, director of collections at Harvard's Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, were discussing ways to obtain ancient DNA from secondary archeological finds over lunch. Recalling her training as a forensic anthropologist, Dhody, now curator of the Mütter Museum of the College of Physicians of Philadelphia, mentioned how things like cigarette butts or discarded coffee cups from crime scenes

Lacayote squash Credit: Courtesy of Thomas Andres" />Lacayote squash Credit: Courtesy of Thomas Andres Last fall, Thomas Andres was wandering around New York City's Chinatown when he happened upon the subject of his doctoral dissertation: the lacayote, Cucurbita ficifolia, a South American squash rarely sold in the United States. He was happy to shell out $6 for the mottled green gourd. Twenty-five years ago, he had dreamed of discovering its wild ancestor on some scrubby hillside in

For University of California, Los Angeles, epidemiologist Anne Rimoin, 2007 was a rough year.

Two images of the nisin PLA polymer, outer surface (left) and cross-sectional (right) views. Nisin is evenly distributed, ensuring its slow but continuous release. Credit: Courtesy of Tony Jin" />Two images of the nisin PLA polymer, outer surface (left) and cross-sectional (right) views. Nisin is evenly distributed, ensuring its slow but continuous release. Credit: Courtesy of Tony Jin Food scientist Tony Jin's dissertation had something most don't: A picture of a Jack in the Box rest

In case you didn't realize it, biology is built on an oral tradition.

The country's fading dominance in life sciences research spells trouble for the whole world.

Danny Reinberg has broken down everything from transcription factors to chromatin. Then he builds them back up, and the discoveries come.

Biologists agree that amphibian populations are undergoing massive extinctions - they just can't agree on why.

Credit: Kenneth Eward / Photo Researchers, Inc" /> Credit: Kenneth Eward / Photo Researchers, Inc The paper: S. Shenoy et al., "β-Arrestin-dependent, G protein-independent ERK1/2 activation by the β2 adrenergic receptor," J Biol Chem, 281:1261-73, 2006. (Cited in 50 papers) The finding: In 2005, while screening for G protein-independent arrestin signaling on the widely studied ERK pathway, Robert Lefkowitz's group at Duke University

Credit: Left: David Hall / Photo Researchers, Inc" /> Credit: Left: David Hall / Photo Researchers, Inc The paper: F. Delsuc et al., "Tunicates and not cephalochordates are the closest living relatives of vertebrates," Nature, 439:965-8, 2006. (Cited in 116 papers) The finding: Using a data set of 146 nuclear genes, including tunicate data from the Oikopleura dioica genome project, Frédéric Delsuc and his colleagues from the Univers

Credit: Courtesy of Fawzi Razem" /> Credit: Courtesy of Fawzi Razem The paper: F.A. Razem et al., "The RNA-binding protein FCA is an abscisic acid receptor," Nature, 439:290-4, 2006. (Cited in 82 papers) The finding: Scientists searched for the receptor for abscisic acid hormone in plants for almost 45 years until Robert Hill at the University of Manitoba and colleagues used antibodies to find it. They identified a candidate protein called

Here's how The Scientist will take action to support women in science.