Biotechnology and the Pursuit of Happiness

"Look younger, perform better, feel happier, and become more “perfect." Biotechnology promises to make all of these possible, but what kind of society do we find ourselves in when these modifications are an everyday reality?

This ground-breaking report [from Change This], the first of its kind in public bioethics, examines the ethical and humanitarian implications of genetic modification and the effect it is likely to have on humanity and our happiness."

Biotechnology and the Pursuit of Happiness

"Look younger, perform better, feel happier, and become more “perfect." Biotechnology promises to make all of these possible, but what kind of society do we find ourselves in when these modifications are an everyday reality?

This ground-breaking report [from Change This], the first of its kind in public bioethics, examines the ethical and humanitarian implications of genetic modification and the effect it is likely to have on humanity and our happiness."

California's New Stem-Cell Initiative Is Already Raising Concerns

The New York Times reports:

"As California moves to begin a lushly financed program of embryonic stem cell research, medical ethicists and other skeptics are concerned that the $3 billion that state voters approved for the endeavor could become a bonanza for private profiteers.

Critics say the ballot measure that passed by a wide margin on Nov. 2 contains inadequate safeguards to ensure public oversight of the financial allocations and guarantee public benefit from any medical breakthroughs. They also worry that the promise of stem cell studies has been oversold to the public and say the money might better be directed to more mature medical technologies.

Even those who support human embryonic stem cell research voice concern that the program will be captured by advocates for research into certain diseases or narrow lines of inquiry, and that the public will have little say in how the money is spent."

Biological Informatics link added

Biological Informatics "is a Subject Tracer™ Information Blog developed and created by the Virtual Private Library™. It is designed to bring together the latest resources and sources on an ongoing basis from the Internet for biological informatics (health informatics, neuroinformatics, biodiversity informatics and biomolecular informatics)

Study Shows Stem Cells Can Preserve Vision

From sciencedaily:

"For the first time researchers have shown that transplanted stem cells can preserve and improve vision in eyes damaged by retinal disease. In the cover article in the November 2004 Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science, scientists from Harvard's Schepens Eye Research Institute describe results of a mouse study in which transplanted stem cells develop into retinal cells, prevent the death of 'at risk' retina cells in the recipient mice and improve the vision of treated mice."

U.S: Crop Testing Rules Menace Food Supply, Say Critics

From ipsnews:

"Proposed rules for experimental genetically engineered (GE) crops will allow contamination of the U.S. food supply, critics said this week, as a new poll reported Americans want stricter regulation of GE foods.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released a ”draft guidance document” Nov. 24 that acknowledges experimental GE crops (also known as genetically modified or GM crops) that have not been approved for human consumption could cross-pollinate or mingle with food crops.

Under the proposed guidelines companies are ”encouraged” to submit to the FDA their safety evaluation of a new protein ”prior to the time you have concerns that (it) could enter the food supply,” which critics interpret to mean that by advising beforehand, firms will escape legal liability for any contamination."

Forbes.com: Pharma's Dilemma Is Biotech's Opportunity

From about.com:

"This article from Forbes explains how, when one takes relative size into consideration, small biotech's greatly outpace large pharmaceutical companies in innovation, and lays out the the current drug development landscape - scientific discovery being done in specialized firms and handed off to large generalists to commercialize."

Open Source Biology Initiative

From Slashdot:

"The Biological Innovation for Open Society (BIOS) initiative aims to make biological technology more readily available to biologists everywhere. The latest genetics and biology tools should be freely available to researchers over the internet, but instead access is typically restricted by commercial patents and prohibitive licensing fees.

BIOS and its associated BioForge aims to overcome these restrictions to innovation by encouraging companies and public sector research organizations to contribute their research tools and technologies to the BioForge repository. In return, users of the technology are bound by an open source license to share all improvements with the original inventors and other license holders."

Science Winning Battle with Superstition?

Desert Dispatch - Full Story

"In the long and continuing struggle between superstition and science, the latter has been winning significant victories in the last few months as signs grow that biotechnology is finally overcoming the "frankenfood" label used against it by Chicken Littles in the environmental anxiety industry...

Far from being something to fear, genetically modified crops have the potential for helping millions of hungry people in the developing world survive, while conducting large-scale agricultural operations in an environmentally friendly way.

The approved strains of corn are insect resistant, for instance, reducing the need for chemical pesticides. Like all technologies, care is required in how this one is applied. But when educated about the risks versus rewards, the public seems to be coming around to a fuller understanding that the latter far outweigh the former."

DNA in nanotubes sorts molecules

From AlwaysOn:

"Cells are especially selective gatekeepers, allowing the right chemicals through the cell membrane at the right time. The ability to allow some molecules through the membrane while blocking others is useful in biotechnology and nanotechnology applications that require that specific molecules be selected or sorted.

Researchers from the University of Florida have made a synthetic membrane that recognizes certain biochemical molecules and allows them to pass through.

The method could be used to make biological sensors like those needed for genetics research, and to sort biological molecules, according to the researchers."

Australian Biotech in stem cell giveaway

From The Australian:

"A MELBOURNE biotech company will offer scientists unconditional access to a new embryonic stem-cell line in an effort to speed up lifesaving medical research.

Stem Cell Sciences says it is the first time a human embryonic stem-cell line has been made freely available to researchers worldwide, without any commercial or intellectual property constraints."

DNA Patent Database

This databaseenables users to conduct searches on the full text of patents. The DPD enables studies of DNA-based patents issued by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), making full-text patents available at no cost, and defining a searchable set of patents of interest to those studying genomics, genetics, biotechnology, and other fields.

Via I/P Updates

Embryonic Stem Cell Misconceptions

From Always On:

"Embryonic stem cell research has been discussed a lot recently, especially as a resource for curing devastating illnesses. Stem cell research indeed has wonderful potential. Yet the use of embryos in this endeavor should give us pause. Moreover, there are some misconceptions about stem cell research that need to be addressed.

It has been widely suggested that embryonic stem cell research should be the 'gold standard' in this arena and that adult stem cells, as a writer in the Times Free Press claimed, are 'much less flexible.' The reality is that significant achievements have been made with adult stem cells. "

Contract Researchers on Shaky Ground

From sciencebase:

"An increasing trend towards the casual employment of scientists has placed many higher education researchers on shaky ground. They face funding difficulties, a lack of respect, and financial troubles. Whether initiatives in the United Kingdom will have a positive effect on these researchers is debatable."

Biotech Startups Close to Market Receive Funding

From The Reporter:

"Biotech startups engaged in a life-or-death battle for cash are seeing the investment market turn their way, but only if they have solid management and a good plan to get a product to market soon."

Ethical, Legal, and Social Issues of Genomic Research

"The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) devoted 3% to 5% of their annual Human Genome Project (HGP) budgets toward studying the ethical, legal, and social issues (ELSI) surrounding availability of genetic information. This represents the world's largest bioethics program, which has become a model for ELSI programs around the world."

A collection or resources on diverse topics, such as:

"Commercialization of products including property rights (patents, copyrights, and trade secrets) and accessibility of data and materials.
Who owns genes and other pieces of DNA?
Will patenting DNA sequences limit their accessibility and development into useful products? is available here.

FDA Increasing Oversight On Clinical Research

From Mondaq (free subscription required):

"Over the last several months, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has taken additional steps to increase federal oversight over clinical research. Though not all of these measures are final, the regulatory effort to more closely monitor the accuracy and scientific validity of clinical research data is noteworthy...

Though the focus of the guidance is directed at clinical sites collecting data, the guidance specifically indicates that contract research organizations, data management centers and private sponsors may also use systems subject to this guidance. Therefore, a broad array of private and public entities involved in clinical research may want to consider initiating the development of standard operating procedures for clinical research computerized systems."

FDA Increasing Oversight On Clinical Research

From Mondaq (free subscription required):

"Over the last several months, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has taken additional steps to increase federal oversight over clinical research. Though not all of these measures are final, the regulatory effort to more closely monitor the accuracy and scientific validity of clinical research data is noteworthy...

Though the focus of the guidance is directed at clinical sites collecting data, the guidance specifically indicates that contract research organizations, data management centers and private sponsors may also use systems subject to this guidance. Therefore, a broad array of private and public entities involved in clinical research may want to consider initiating the development of standard operating procedures for clinical research computerized systems."

Biotechnology Regional Scans

From about.com:

"BioEconomy.org features a set of regional biotechnology scans, profiling U.S. and international regions active in the life sciences. The data is presented in a user-editable wiki format, so if you represent a regional interest and have data to share, go ahead."

U.S. dismisses report that says biotech corn should be better regulated

From USATODAY.com:

"Mexico is trying to limit the importation of genetically modified corn from the United States after a NAFTA watchdog group recommended better regulation of the crop, something U.S. officials have said is unnecessary."

Awareness is both a Process and a Product in Complex Collaborations

From eurekalert:

"Team members can collaborate more successfully and create better solutions to complex, ill-defined problems by using software tools that support members' shared understanding of long-term goals, plans, challenges and allocation of resources, say Penn State information sciences and technology researchers...

'Awareness is both a process and a product," the researchers wrote. 'The more aware people are, the less there is a need to coordinate activities.'"





In a paper titled 'Evaluating Computer-Supported Cooperative Work: Models and Frameworks,' John M. Carroll, Mary Beth Rosson and Dennis Neale propose an assessment framework for computer-supported collaborative systems based on 'activity awareness.' The three also have developed a variety of tools-a timeline for document histories, deadlines and project status as well as a concept-map interface-to enhance activity awareness. "

Amgen Inc. Starts Venture Capital Fund

From AP via Yahoo News:

"Pharmaceutical giant Amgen Inc. on Thursday said it is investing $100 million to create a venture capital fund to support emerging biotechnology companies.

Called Amgen Ventures, the fund will be based in San Diego and will focus mainly on oncology, metabolic disorders, and inflammation -- the company's primary areas of research."

Ideas Stolen Right From Nature

Nature is pretty good at solving engineering problems, so designers are increasingly turning to biomimetics to improve their products and ideas as outlined in this article from Wired News.

LIving Inventions Alive at EPO

In this article Ms. Katrina McClatchey:

"...discusses the function and jurisdiction of the European Patent Convention (EPC) treaty and the European Patent Office (EPO) that the treaty established. The EPO issues a single patent that is enforceable in as many countries as the applicant wishes to designate.

This makes obtaining patent protection in many European countries not only possible but extremely efficient as well. While the requirements for a European patent are similar to the requirements for a United States patent, Ms. McClatchey highlights some important distinctions of which biotechnologists should be aware."

Via PHOSITA

"How DNA Computers Will Work"

From Howstuffworks:

"Even as you read this article, computer chip manufacturers are furiously racing to make the next microprocessor that will topple speed records. Sooner or later, though, this competition is bound to hit a wall. Microprocessors made of silicon will eventually reach their limits of speed and miniaturization. Chip makers need a new material to produce faster computing speeds.

You won't believe where scientists have found the new material they need to build the next generation of microprocessors. Millions of natural supercomputers exist inside living organisms, including your body. DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) molecules, the material our genes are made of, have the potential to perform calculations many times faster than the world's most powerful human-built computers. DNA might one day be integrated into a computer chip to create a so-called biochip that will push computers even faster. DNA molecules have already been harnessed to perform complex mathematical problems.

While still in their infancy, DNA computers will be capable of storing billions of times more data than your personal computer. In this article, you'll learn how scientists are using genetic material to create nano-computers that might take the place of silicon-based computers in the next decade. "

Biotechs seek VC alternatives

From the Triangle Business Journal:

"With venture capitalists reluctant to pour their cash into unproved health remedies, young biotechnology companies increasingly are turning to alternative forms of financing - often forging partnerships or signing licensing arrangements with other firms. "

Hammer-Nail Co-Development

This article from Bioentrepreneur (free registration required) identifies two approaches to the typical life sciences start up company. The first is driven by the technopreneur, often a university researcher who forms a company to exploit a favorite technology. The second is driven by the "market perceiver". As the article explains:

"The technopreneur brings an internal approach to the new venture (a technology push), whereas the market perceiver uses an external path (a market pull) to technological entrepreneurship. The former model can be viewed as a hammer hunting for a nail (a technology looking for an appropriate market need), whereas the latter is akin to a nail sticking up. As distinct as these two approaches are, there is clearly some mix of the two that occurs in startup processes, as presented in the case studies here and in other recent studies of this phenomenon6, which can be summed up as 'hammer-nail codevelopment.' For example, in the typical life sciences venture, the technical founders usually bring in outside management (with guidance from venture capitalists and investors) to add market perspective as the new venture starts to grow7.

Most biotech entrepreneurs belong in one of these two groups, each with its own strengths and weaknesses, knowledge of which can be useful when building a business."

The article includes two tables that excellently summarize the venture creation process steps from each perspective, with the strengths and weaknesses of each type of founder and some recommendations and suggestions for improving performance.

Stem Cell Firms Bet on Big Payoff

From the LA times via Yahoo! News :

"The massive bond measure known as Proposition 71 is designed to allocate nearly $300 million a year to scientific work with stem cells, particularly those derived from human embryos. The money is intended to transform California into an incubator for stem cell research, offering support to academic institutions and companies toiling in an area shunned by private investors.

A few biotech companies already have said they plan to apply for funds. One of them, Stem Cells Inc. of Palo Alto, is working on treatments for nervous system disorders and other ailments. Another, Advanced Cell Technology Inc., a Massachusetts company that made a splash two years ago when it cloned a human embryo, said it would open a laboratory in California to qualify for funding. "

The Stem Cell Gold Rush

From Wired News:

"Scientists around the country who study embryonic stem cells may be mourning four more years of President Bush's restrictive funding policy, but California scientists are throwing a party, and top researchers in less-funded states are hoping for invitations.

In the Golden State, stem cell researchers will see a windfall of $3 billion over the next 10 years, averaging about $300 million a year, thanks to the passage of Proposition 71, the California Stem Cell Research and Cures Initiative. It shouldn't be difficult to entice the best minds in the country to move to a place where their work is fully supported by a state known for its mild climate."

Ultimate neural network--a man-made brain

From ISA:

"A living 'brain' that can fly a simulated plane is giving scientists a novel way to observe how brain cells function as a network.
The 'brain' - a collection of 25,000 living neurons, or nerve cells, taken from a rat's brain and cultured inside a glass dish - gives scientists at the University of Florida a real-time window into the brain at the cellular level. By watching the brain cells interact, scientists hope to understand what causes neural disorders such as epilepsy and to determine noninvasive ways to intervene. As living computers, they may someday fly small unmanned airplanes or handle tasks dangerous for humans, such as search-and-rescue missions or bomb damage assessments."

EST Fragments Not Patentable in US

From Navigating the patent maze:

"Since 1991, when the NIH (National Institutes of Health) in the U.S. filed a patent application claiming thousands of EST sequences, controversy and disagreement about the legalities and wisdom of patenting such sequences has permeated law reviews and scientific journals.

Now, despite other U.S. patents issuing with claims to EST (expressed sequence tags, i.e., partial sequences of cDNA molecules) sequences, the Board of Appeals of the USPTO recently affirmed a rejection of claims to EST sequences. (Ex parte Fisher, Appeal No. 2002-2046). The bases for the rejection upheld by the Board were (i) lack of utility and (ii) lack of enablement. The opinion of the Board is being appealed to the Federal Circuit, who will hear and decide on the case early next year. "

Snapshot Yields Inside Look At Molecular Movement

From sciencedaily.com:

"The secret lives of molecules are now less secret. Using the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Light Source at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, an international team of physicists has obtained the clearest snapshot yet of the simultaneous behavior of all the electrons and nuclei inside a molecule. Their work, in which they broke apart a deuterium molecule and measured the momenta of its particles, opens the door for a more basic understanding of molecules and the everyday processes they drive, from breathing to rust to photosynthesis."

Voters Reject Bans on Biotech Crops

From sacbee.com:

"California farmers woke up Wednesday to a possible high-tech future - and more battles ahead over genetically engineered crops.

Voters in Butte, San Luis Obispo and Humboldt counties rejected bans on biotech crops, a serious setback for a national movement that wants to stop genetic engineering over safety and social concerns. Only Marin County adopted a ban in Tuesday's election."

Benefit Sharing from the Use of Biological Resources

From I/P Updates:

"On November 1, 2004, the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) released a study that 'identifies and explores the role of intellectual property rights in the sharing of benefits arising from the use of biological resources and associated traditional knowledge.'

According to WIPO's press relase, 'the study highlights the need, when genetic resources are first accessed, for a clear understanding of intellectual property issues. Agreement on how intellectual property derived from access is used and how the benefits are shared is an important part of the exercise of prior informed consent, and an important, practical way of ensuring that access and benefit-sharing is fruitful, equitable and mutually agreeable, and becomes a true partnership between custodian and user of the genetic resource. The study investigates the potential for achieving this, but underscores the practical and legal obstacles that traditional communities have encountered in the three cases discussed in the study.' "

California Mandate for Stem Cell Research

From Life Science World:

"With a clear mandate, the voters of California today overwhelmingly approved Proposition 71, the California Stem Cell Research and Cures Initiative. While election results are not yet finalized by the Secretary of State, Californians voted decisively in favor of funding stem cell research statewide.

In passing Proposition 71, voters agreed to fund stem cell research at California hospitals, medical schools and universities, to develop lifesaving therapies and cures for diseases that could save the lives of millions of California children and adults, reduce state health care costs and provide a boost to regional economies and the state at large."

FDA Pharmacogenomic Guidance to be Released

From GenomeWeb Daily News:

"The US Food and Drug Administration's final guidance for pharmacogenomic data submissions is finished and will be issued as soon as final legal and other reviews of the document are completed, Larry Lesko, director of the FDA's Office of Clinical Pharmacology and Biopharmaceuticals said yesterday.

Release of the guidance, which industry believes may spur the development and use of new pharmacogenomics technologies, has been delayed because of legal review and because four FDA centers that are 'signing off' on the document, said Lesko."

Independent Biotechnology Industry Organization Founded

From BioPortfolio.com:

"Leading companies from the German biotechnology sector have established a new and independent industry association: the Biotechnologie-Industrie-Organisation Deutschland - or BIO Deutschland.

Whether the issue was the stem cell debate, the new Genetic Engineering Act or the Bio-Patent Directive - many entrepreneurs and managers were all but satisfied with the previous public perception of the interests and possibilities of the German biotech industry. Now BIO Deutschland is set to channel and focus all efforts that promote 'the development of an innovative industry sector on the basis of modern life sciences'."

Three Minutes With Ray Kurzweil

From PCWorld via Yahoo! News

Visionary tells how biotechnology and nanotechnology will extend human life spans into near immortality.

Philadelphia Alliance Gets $3.7M in Bioinformatics Funding

From the Philadelphia Business Journal:

"In its first year of operation, the Greater Philadelphia Bioinformatics Alliance has secured more than $3.7 million to fund regional bioinformatics and computational biology initiatives.

Launched by BioAdvance in October 2003, the bioinformatics alliance was created to link biomedical and computer science researchers with practitionersin private industry and academia.

In addition to $2.5 million from BioAdvance, the alliance received funding from state and federal agencies, including a $600,000 'Partnership for Innovation' grant from the National Science Foundation."

EU Proposes Poor Country Compulsory Pharma Licensing

From Pierce Law IP News Blog:

"An initiative has been proposed to help the fight on some of the world's largest killers: HIV (AIDS), malaria, and tuberculosis. The European Commission has proposed a law that would force pharmaceutical companies to waive their patent rights on HIV, malaria, and tuberculosis drugs for generic drug producers that export them to developing countries. The procedure would require that the destination country notify the WTO for the drug and price. Then, the generic drug manufacturer would apply for the licenses to manufacture the drugs through a national authority."