Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
contributing to these advances, many of which became practical at scale only in the
last few years, include DNA sequencing, microarray technology, nanotechnology,
small-molecule screening capabilities, new imaging modalities, and computational
biology. These comprehensive approaches coupled with systems-level integration,
analysis, and mining of large datasets now hold the promise of major advances in
the understanding of the mechanisms of diseases.
4.2.2 Translating Basic Science Discoveries into New and Better Treatments
Armed with a wealth of basic science discoveries and an understanding of the
pathophysiology of various diseases, we are embarking on the next frontier in
designing new diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. Molecular and cellular insights
into a disease can be developed into screening assays on hundreds of thousands of
compounds, and tested in disease models to identify the most promising leads that can
sustain the drug development pipeline and attract public-private partnerships for
further pursuits. Additional pathways to therapeutics from gene therapy, biologics,
and stem cells (including iPS cells) are also showing great promise. The opportunity
here is for translational science to develop small molecule-, gene-, protein/peptide-,
and cell-based therapies for common as well as rare diseases.
It is worth noting that theNIHRoadmap concept in theUnited States has taken hold
in Europe with the European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructures and the
European Open Screening Platform for Chemical Biology [27]. A membrane protein
network directed at drug discovery is also in place [28].
4.3 THE UNMCMD
Flow cytometry in NewMexico has involved an interplay between technology at Los
Alamos National Laboratory and the National FlowCytometry Resource and Biology
at UNM, dating back to the time of the immunotoxicology program led by Noel
Warner. In 1990, Larry Sklar, PhD, came to NewMexico to direct both UNM Cancer
Center's flow cytometry resource and the Los Alamos P41 National Flow Cytometry
Resource. The cytometry group at the University of NewMexico as well as colleagues
at the NFCR began to consider the implication of new delivery schemes for flow
cytometers, as well as opportunities for revealing small-molecule interactions (review
in Ref. 29). Bruce Edwards, PhD, joined the UNM flow cytometry shared resource in
1997. Through a series of internal collaborations, industrial partnerships, and NIH
grants, the UNM and LANL teams developed both subsecond time resolution and
high-throughput flow cytometers, and applied the instruments to cells and particle-
based molecular assemblies.
In 1999, in collaboration with Axiom Biosciences, Edwards and Sklar and cow-
orkers [30] at UNM developed hardware and software for the first generation of HT
flow cytometry, which we refer to as plug flow cytometry [31]. Plug flow used a
reciprocating multiport flow injection valve to deliver 10 end point assays per min, 4
onlinemixing experiments per min and, in secondary screens, a 15-point concentration
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