Orange County Register

Tantalizing views into the future of medicine could be glimpsed here and there throughout the bio-engineering conference “Disruptive Technologies for the 21st Century: Engineering the Life Sciences,” held Monday, May 19, at UC-Irvine.

Heart disease, cancer, cystic fibrosis, diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, spinal injury, nerve disease, leukemia, autism — all were discussed during the event, but none in depth.

Here’s a disease-by-disease record of the speakers’ comments, followed by a full transcript of my live reports on the conference.

CANCERS

UCI’s Peter Donovan, stem cell expert: Cancer in part is a disease of the adult stem-cell population.

UCI’s Lisa Flanagan(pictured): New way to sort cells — cells that are put into electric field are attracted or repelled at specific frequencies.

Flanagan — Big word for that process is dielectrophoresis, or DEP.

Flanagan: DEP is already used for diagnoses — breast cancer cells, leukemia cells, malaria-infected cells.

HEART DISEASE

UCI’s Peter Donovan: Stem cells can grow into heart cells. He shows movie of one cell with a heartbeat.

UCI’s Andrew J. Putnam, specialist in creating new human tissues. More info: http://tinyurl.com/3j7uyc

Putnam: Our work sheds light on clinical trials (elsewhere) on injecting marrow stem cells into hearts of heart-attack patients.

Putnam: Our work suggests stem cells injected into heart help by promoting blood-vessel growth, not by creating new heart muscle cells.

Replacement heart valve whiz Stanton Rowe (pictured) from Edwards Lifesciences. More info: http://tinyurl.com/3psdbo

Rowe on how medical pioneers solved problem of removing hardened aortic valve. Don’t bother, just push it aside with replacement valve.

Rowe on heart patient’s view – I’m willing to risk my life, but not to feel debilitated. I don’t want stroke or nursing homes.

Docs vs. docs. Rowe: Replacement heart valve renamed “Sapien” since surgeons disliked it as “Cribier” valve, named after cardiologist. …

Rowe says Edwards made “Ascendra” valve (which comes thru ribs) for surgeons; “Sapien” valve (thru artery) is for cardiologists to use.

AUTISM

Caltech’s Barbara Wold: Caltech research results — we’re finding genetic differences within autistic brain.

CYSTIC FIBROSIS

Robin H. Liu, molecular diagnostics expert from Osmetech of Pasadena. More info here: http://tinyurl.com/5znxus

Liu: Our first-generation eSensor microarray device tells who is a cystic fibrosis carrier

OTHER DISEASES UCI’s Peter Donovan: In animals, stem cells can be used to treat immune deficiency, diabetes, Parkinson’s, spinal injury, nerve disease, heart disease

TRANSCRIPT
Here’s the transcript of my reports via Twitter from the symposium. “Disruptive Technologies for the 21st Century: Engineering the Life Sciences”:

Preparations

Bio-engineering conference will cover genomics, microarrays for diagnoses, stem cells, nanophotonics, tissue engineering, more.Bio-engineering speakers Monday coming from Caltech (2), U of Wash, Osmetech, Edwards Lifesciences, UC-Irvine of course.

Preparing background materials that I can use during bio-engineering conference at UC-Irvine.

Genetics research at Caltech

Bio-engineering conference 1st speaker: Caltech’s Barbara Wold (pictured) on genetics research.

Info on Barbara Wold’s genetic research here: http://tinyurl.com/3fyn9l

Prof. Wold: Genetics research is just beginning. We want 10,000-fold more.

Prof. Wold: Cancer is a genetic issue, but even infectious diseases are a dynamic dance between our genes and infection’s genes.

Wold on how her genetic analysis works at Caltech: First, bomb the cell with formaldehyde. Freeze life and stop it.

Wold analysis, step 2: Break open the dead cells, shear it up into little piece.

Wold analysis, step 3: Go after the DNA indirectly. Antibodies will suck out what you care about.

Wold analysis, step 4: Computer locates site on gene within 25 base pairs (gene components). In past, located within 1000 base pairs.

Wold: Caltech research results — we’re finding genetic differences within autistic brain.

Wold: ‘Juggernaut’ gene sequencing machine at Caltech sorts out 2/3 of human genome in three days, which originally took a decade.

Osmetech: molecular diagnosis of cystic fibrosis and more

Next up: Robin H. Liu, molecular diagnostics expert from Osmetech of Pasadena. More info here: http://tinyurl.com/5znxus

Liu: Our first-generation eSensor microarray device tells who is a cystic fibrosis carrier

Wonderful world of wax: Low-tech paraffin valve controls flow in high-tech microfluidic diagnostic device, Liu says.

Liu explains how simple valve works in microfluidic device : First, cold wax blocks channel. Then, heater melts the wax and fluid flows.

Liu: XT-8 microfluidic eSensor spots patients who are overly sensitive to blood-thinning drug warfarin (Coumadin)

Question to Liu: Can the eSensor microfluidic device diagnose an infection early and quickly?

Liu: The eSensor is sensitive enough so potentially it could diagnose infections early, but it’s not yet developed to do that.

Stem cells

Next topic for bio-engineering conference — stem cells. Background info here: http://tinyurl.com/68swzc

Next speaker: Peter Donovan, stem cell expert, on how stem cells will change the way we live. Background: http://tinyurl.com/68swzc

Donovan at bio-engineering conference: Cancer in part is a disease of the adult stem-cell population.

Donovan at bio-eng conference: Stem cells can grow into heart cells. He shows movie of one cell with a heartbeat.

Donovan at conference: Stem cells can be used to create new cells for transplantation. “As I get older, I feel I need it more and more.”

Donovan: In animals, stem cells can be used to treat immune deficiency, diabetes, Parkinson’s, spinal injury, nerve disease, heart disease

Donovan: In Europe, cells derived from stem cells are used for drug testing; with as much success injections into lab animals in U.S.

Donovan at conference: Stem cells can be used to create new cells for transplantation.“As I get older, I feel I need it more and more.”

Stem cell analyses could tell why a drug works well on one ethnic population, but not another, Donovan says.

Donovan: Stem-cell researchers should move carefully to avoid mistakes, despite pressure from politicians and public for quick discoveries

Question to Donovan – U.S. or other countries is leading in stem-cell research?

Donovan: With federal ban on U.S. funding, Singapore and Europe have pushed ahead with stem-cell research, but U.S. still leads.

Donovan: Calif is the world’s epicenter of stem-cell research because of state financial support. UK and France may invest here

Donovan: Other leaders in stem-cell research — Harvard, Cambridge, Johns Hopkins, Singapore.

Next speaker: Lisa Flanagan of UCI on making stem cell research more useful. http://tinyurl.com/68swzc

Flanagan: UCI is finding ways to separate useful cells from cancer-causing cells in mass of stem-cell products.

Flanagan: Old way to sort cells — use fluorescent anti-bodies that attach to specific cells and emit a specific frequency of light.

Flanagan: New way to sort cells — cells that are put into electric field are attracted or repelled at specific frequencies.

Flanagan — Big word for that process is dielectrophoresis, or DEP.

Flanagan: DEP is already used for diagnoses — breast cancer cells, leukemia cells, malaria-infected cells.

Flanagan: DEP is used in microfluidic devices. Specifically targeted cells are attracted to the device’s electrodes.

Flanagan: This is new in stem-cell field, but not in diagnostic devices.

Flanagan: Next-generation DEP devices can produce purified stem-cell products in bulk.

Flanagan: Here’s how – they don’t trap cells against electrodes, but use electrodes to direct cells into microchannels.

Flanagan: Another next-generation idea for stem-cell products - DEP and fluorescent sorting work together, better than either separately.

Robotic surgery

Next speaker: Richard M. Satava of U Wash, expert on robotic surgery and virtual reality. Background info here: http://tinyurl.com/6guey5

Satava’s conference topic — what the military is doing to improve health care.

Satava: Robots are medicine’s future. He shows ‘Alien’ scene showing Cyborg’s mechanical knife skills, plus similar MIT real-world device. …

Satava: With DaVinci surgical robot, I was able to go beyond my human limitations by bringing information sciences in.

Satava: Health care does pseudoscience, not science – its experiments have no control representing the healthy patient.

Satava: Military medical project – halt internal bleeding with high-intensity focused ultrasound. “Sounds like Star Trek,” but it’s real from web

Satava: LSTAT high-tech ‘stretcher’ for wounded soldiers on battlefield. IV fluids, medical info to doctor away from battlefield.

Satava: LSTAT high-tech ‘stretcher’ has been in use since 2000 in Kosovo.

Satava: “Penelope” robot (in clinical trials) replaces scrub nurse, supplies tools to surgeon.

Satava: “Penelope” is from Dr. Michael Treat, Columbia Univ., and Robot SurgicalTechnologies Inc.

Satava: Doctor might insert a dozen miniature robots through abdomen, then direct them like a general.

Satava on microsurgery: Researchers already are operating on mitochondria in cells, making direct changes in DNA.

Satava: With probe in brain, quadriplegic can make drawings on computer screen, change channels by thinking.

Satava: With probe in brain, quadriplegic Jeffrey now can make prosthetic hand open and close, directed by his thoughts.

Satava: Intelligent prostheses are so good, we now have four people back on the battlefield after above-the-knee amputations.

Satava: Future of artificial tissue and organ growth – whatever your stomach problem, surgeon will simply replace stomach with a new one.

Next: More comments from Dr. Satava, which were delayed by my PC’s battery failure and then by Twitter site going down.

Satava: Strain of lab mice now lives 3 times normal life span. Should people live to 200 years old? Your daughters might do so.

Satava: If I replace 95% of my body with artificial parts, am I still human?

Satava: Military medicine advances I described are 100% applicable to civilian uses.

Nanophotonics/microfluidics

Imagine ‘little light sabers” in cells, says Abe Lee, as he introduces Caltech’s Axel Scherer (pictured), boss of nanophotonics/microfluidics lab. …

More on Scherer, Caltech speaker at UCI bio-engineering conference: http://tinyurl.com/673pxv

Scherer: We confine ourselves to diagnostics. We’re engineers, not doctors.

Scherer: In herpes and HIV tests, our photonic PCR diagnostic machine was accurate and 10 times faster than standard PCR equipment.

Scherer: We’ve developed 20 photonic protein tests that we’ve verified with human samples.

Scherer: Not ready for prime time yet – photonic diagnostic chips still need cables/tubing like spaghetti, with Ph.D. to connect them.

Growing new tissue

Next: UCI’s Andrew J. Putnam, specialist in creating new human tissues. More info: http://tinyurl.com/3j7uyc

Putnam: Working on growing replacement bone tissue.

Putnam: Important work is under way on making blood vessels grow in replacement bone tissue.

Putnam: Our work sheds light on clinical trials (elsewhere) on injecting marrow stem cells into hearts of heart-attack patients.

Putnam: Our work suggests stem cells injected into heart help by promoting blood-vessel growth, not by creating new heart muscle cells.

Replacement heart valves

Next up in bio-engineering event: Beckman Laser Institute boss Bruce Tromberg, but only as introducer. More info: http://tinyurl.com/3rq7lk

Next speaker: Replacement heart valve whiz Stanton Rowe from Edwards Lifesciences. More info: http://tinyurl.com/3psdbo

Rowe on how medical pioneers solved problem of removing hardened aortic valve. Don’t bother, just push it aside with replacement valve.

Rowe on heart patient’s view – I’m willing to risk my life, but not to feel debilitated. I don’t want stroke or nursing homes.

Docs vs. docs. Rowe: Replacement heart valve renamed “Sapien” since surgeons disliked it as “Cribier” valve, named after cardiologist. …

Rowe says Edwards made “Ascendra” valve (which comes thru ribs) for surgeons; “Sapien” valve (thru artery) is for cardiologists to use.

Tissue engineering

Next bio-eng event speaker: UCI plastic surgeon Gregory Evans, on tissue engineering. More info: http://tinyurl.com/5mnq2q

Evans: Don’t forget about fat as a source of adult stem cells. Experiments ongoing.

Evans: Stem cells from fat could be used to reconstruct breasts by cell injections, rather than by implants.

Evans on status of organ transplants — 12 hand transplants have been done, 1 face transplant. Immune suppression is key.

Say more about Dr. Satava’s topic of microsurgery, says Twitter reader @ch3ryl. Reply: OK. I added linked here. http://tinyurl.com/6guey5

Twitterer @sallybelle75 says, Go Jeffery! That’s fascinating and promising, of brain-TV link. (More here: http://tinyurl.com/6guey5)

Bio-engineering conference has concluded. Watch for my wrap-up on Biomedical Innovation blog: http://tinyurl.com/4ubxvs

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