barbara
01-01-2010, 01:04 PM
From PBS NEWHOURS top Science Breakthroughs for 2009:
Kenneth R. Miller
Professor of Biology, Brown University
Let me start with the most underreported story. I think that's the rapid advance that has been made in producing what are known as induced pluripotent stem cells. The technology has galloped ahead this year in showing very clearly that it's possible to take ordinary skin cells from the human body and reprogram them so that in nearly every respect they behave like stem cells.
The foundations for this work were laid in 2007 and 2008, however, there were concerns about the technology. In the early experiments, a virus was used to transform the cells, and the virus permanently altered the DNA in the cells being transformed. And several of the genes that had to be introduced to carry out the transformations were genes that were associated with cancer. But by the end of 2009, every one of those problems was solved. It's no longer necessary to use viruses, potential cancer genes don't need to be used, and finally, you don't need make a permanent change in the genetic structure.
At this point, the basic technology that's emerged involves using proteins. The proteins can be introduced to a cell, do the reprogramming, and are eventually broken down and discarded. And the cells that result behave like embryonic stem cells in every way that matters. This has brought us much, much closer to using these technologies in clinical applications. That to me is very exciting.
And the reason I think this is underreported is that we still have these debates and discussions about embryonic stem cells. And here right in front of us is a technology that is on the verge of changing that debate. [Although] It's still a debate that we should be having, if only because it will benecessary to continue working on embryonic stem cells in order to fully understand how the reprogramming is happening. Embryonic stem cells are the gold standard, and the only way to understand how they work is by continuing to do research.
In terms of understanding evolution, I think the most important story of the year is the Ardipithecus fossil -- the new human ancestor that looks as though it predates Lucy. What's exciting is the number of arguments it settles, and the new insights into the forces that were acting on human evolution millions of years ago.
Finally, one thing that I take some delight in -- as a biologist and the father of two girls, one of whom is also a biologist -- is this year's Nobel prizes. The prizes in chemistry and in physiology or medicine were both divided into three parts this year. And of those six total prizes given, half were given to women [Ada Yonath of Israel in Chemistry, and Elizabeth Blackburn and Carol Greider of the U.S. in Physiology or Medicine]. This is the first time ever that two women have shared credit for one of those Nobel prizes. And it really signifies that women have taken their place in the biological sciences.
Kenneth R. Miller
Professor of Biology, Brown University
Let me start with the most underreported story. I think that's the rapid advance that has been made in producing what are known as induced pluripotent stem cells. The technology has galloped ahead this year in showing very clearly that it's possible to take ordinary skin cells from the human body and reprogram them so that in nearly every respect they behave like stem cells.
The foundations for this work were laid in 2007 and 2008, however, there were concerns about the technology. In the early experiments, a virus was used to transform the cells, and the virus permanently altered the DNA in the cells being transformed. And several of the genes that had to be introduced to carry out the transformations were genes that were associated with cancer. But by the end of 2009, every one of those problems was solved. It's no longer necessary to use viruses, potential cancer genes don't need to be used, and finally, you don't need make a permanent change in the genetic structure.
At this point, the basic technology that's emerged involves using proteins. The proteins can be introduced to a cell, do the reprogramming, and are eventually broken down and discarded. And the cells that result behave like embryonic stem cells in every way that matters. This has brought us much, much closer to using these technologies in clinical applications. That to me is very exciting.
And the reason I think this is underreported is that we still have these debates and discussions about embryonic stem cells. And here right in front of us is a technology that is on the verge of changing that debate. [Although] It's still a debate that we should be having, if only because it will benecessary to continue working on embryonic stem cells in order to fully understand how the reprogramming is happening. Embryonic stem cells are the gold standard, and the only way to understand how they work is by continuing to do research.
In terms of understanding evolution, I think the most important story of the year is the Ardipithecus fossil -- the new human ancestor that looks as though it predates Lucy. What's exciting is the number of arguments it settles, and the new insights into the forces that were acting on human evolution millions of years ago.
Finally, one thing that I take some delight in -- as a biologist and the father of two girls, one of whom is also a biologist -- is this year's Nobel prizes. The prizes in chemistry and in physiology or medicine were both divided into three parts this year. And of those six total prizes given, half were given to women [Ada Yonath of Israel in Chemistry, and Elizabeth Blackburn and Carol Greider of the U.S. in Physiology or Medicine]. This is the first time ever that two women have shared credit for one of those Nobel prizes. And it really signifies that women have taken their place in the biological sciences.