SBE
October 2010
 
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  • Researchers led by SBE Chair, Greg Stephanopoulos engineered E. coli to produce large quantities (1,000x) of taxadiene, a critical precursor to the anticancer drug Taxol, with the likelihood of bringing down manufacturing costs of Taxol and at the same time providing a platform for the potential development of new drugs for cancer and other diseases such as hypertension and Alzheimer's.
    http://www.mit.edu/press/2010/cancer-drug-taxol.html

  • Researchers at Harvard Stem Cell Institute used synthetic mRNA to reprogram adult human skin cells, fibroblasts, turning them into cells that are apparently identical to human embryonic stem cells. They have also used other mRNA to program the new cells which they refer to as RiPS (RNA-iPS) to develop into specific cells types.
    http://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2010/09/breakthrough-in-cell-reprogramming/

  • Engineers develop a new tool to measure gene expression in single cells such that simultaneous measurements to detect the presence of particular gene transcripts can be carried out for thousands of individual cells in parallel. The process involves a multiwell device to detect copies of mRNA transcripts from individual cells in a one-step, single-cell, reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (rtPCR).
    http://www.rsc.org/Publishing/Journals/cb/Volume/2010/09/parallel_detection.asp

  • Researchers at Stanford use optogenetics, which involves the insertion of a specialized gene derived from algae into the genomes of animals, to effectively use light to stimulate muscle movement in mice. The new technique improves accuracy in muscle firing order, with the potential to spawn practical applications, from restoring movement to limbs paralyzed by stroke or spinal-cord or brain injury, to countering spasticity caused by cerebral palsy.
    http://med.stanford.edu/ism/2010/september/opto.html

  • Engineers use biophotonics technology, an optical technique called partial wave spectroscopic (PWS) microscopy, to develop a new method to detect early signs of lung cancer by examining human cheek cells.
    http://www.mccormick.northwestern.edu/news/articles/article_765.html
 
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Register now for October's Webinar: Biomarkers and Bioprocessing of Human Pluripotent Stem Cells — Thursday, October 28, 2010 at 10:00 am EDT. Drs. Andre Choo and Steve Oh will discuss their research with regard to the challenges of biomarking and bioprocessing with human embryonic stem cells.
 
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Register today! The 2010 AIChE Annual Meeting will take place in Salt Lake City, UT from
November 7-12. The AIChE Annual Meeting is a leading educational forum for chemical
engineers interested in innovation and professional growth. Click here to learn more.

Special bio related events include:
•
 QbD Topical-Division 15: November 8th to November 11th
•
 James E. Bailey Award Lecture: Tuesday, November 9th from 6:00-7:00 pm
•
 Pfizer Hospitality Suite: Tuesday, November 9th from 9:00-11:00 pm
•
 Division 15 Poster Reception, co-sponsored by SBE: Wednesday, November 10th at 6:00pm
 
SBE Join Now
 
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Register Now! SBE's 3rd International Conference on Biomolecular Engineering (ICBE) co-chaired by Jeff Varner (Cornell University) and Kurt Deshayes (Genentech) will be held at the Grand Hyatt San Francisco on January 16-19, 2011. Keynote speakers include: Lee Hood, Roger Tsien, Vishva Dixit and Frances Arnold. For more info, click here.
 
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Call for Papers! The 6th International Conference on Ethical Issues in Biomedical Engineering will take place on April 1-3 in Brooklyn, NY. This conference aims to examine the ethical issues associated with the development of new treatment modalities, many of which pose new ethical issues and demand the design and improved knowledge of ethical guidelines to be implemented. Call for abstracts are due on November 24, 2010.
 
ICBE Register Here
 
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Congratulations to Balaji Parthasarathy for correctly answering last month's What Protein Am I? The answer was Green Fluorescent Protein. October's What Protein Am I? is now online. Answer it today!
 
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Check out the 2010 Chem-E-Car competition at this year's Annual Meeting in Salt Lake City on Sunday, November 7th 2-4:30 pm. SBE is currently sponsoring a $1,000 award for the Best Use of a Biological Reaction to Power a Car during this year's Chem-E-Car competition.
 
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Be sure to check out SBE's Biotechnology Industry Workshop presented by Robin Ng, San Kiang, and Eugene Schaefer on November 6th. It will take place at 1:30-1:55 pm and 3:00-3:25 pm.
 
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Don't forget to stop by the SBE booth at the Graduate School Fair at Annual. It will be on Sunday, November 7th, 9:00-1:00 am and 1:00-4:00 pm. For more info, visit: http://www.aiche.org/Students/Conferences/gradfair.aspx.
 
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SBE's e-Connections is edited by Adrian Andrew Fay, Web Science Editor, with input from SBE staff. Contact us at bio@aiche.org.
 
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Not a current SBE member? It's never too late to join or renew. Costs are $75 for regular members, $25 for graduate students, $10 for AIChE, ACS and IBE members, or free for undergraduates. Join now at http://www.aiche.org/apps/ecommerce/bio/index.asp.

Member benefits include:
  • Subscription to SBE's semi-annual BioSupplement to Chemical Engineering Progress.

  • Discounts on leading biological engineering conferences including SBE and SBE cosponsored meetings and courses.

  • Access to online membership directory.

  • A voice in education, employment and technology advancement topics.
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The Society for Biological Engineering (SBE) is a new technological community of AIChE
Its mission is to promote the integration of biology with engineering and realize its benefits
through bioprocessing, biomedical, and biomolecular applications.
For comments and contributions to SBE Connections, email bio@aiche.org.

AIChE © 2010 American Institute of Chemical Engineers