ScienceCache
Vol. 165
April 2, 2004
ENGINEERING STUDENTS, AND THEIR ROBOTS, FACE OFF IN ‘MINE
MADNESS’
Student teams are getting their chance to compete against other mechanical
engineering undergraduates from the Northeast today and tomorrow as
the University hosts the Region III Student Conference of the American
Society of Mechanical Engineers. A student design contest with robots,
oral and poster presentations of student research, and technical Web
site competitions are attracting more than 150 students from 20 top
colleges and universities. Robots capable of clearing minefields will
roll out beginning at 1 p.m. tomorrow in the Hirst Lounge. This year’s
Mine Madness theme challenged students to create robots to maneuver
an obstacle course and pick up and carry away solid objects that represent
mines. ASME chose the minefield project because of the abundance of
anti-personnel mines that need to be located and disarmed in countries
around the globe. The public is invited to tomorrow’s event.
Students also will participate in leadership workshops on topics such
as internships and resumes, public speaking, and how to manage a small
business.
Full story
RESEARCHERS PROBE LINK BETWEEN NANOTECHNOLOGY AND HEALTH
Nanotechnology, a hot scientific field devoted to engineering things
that are unimaginably small, may pose a health hazard and should be investigated
further, warns a University scientist and worldwide expert in the field,
who this week received a $5.5 million grant to conduct such research.
Günter Oberdörster, director of the EPA Particulate Matter
Center at the University, has already completed one study showing that
inhaled nano-sized particles accumulate in the nasal cavities, lungs
and brains of rats. Scientists speculate this buildup could lead to harmful
inflammation and the risk of brain damage or central nervous system disorders.
Oberdörster’s study is scheduled to appear in the May 2004
journal Inhalation Toxicology, and is receiving widespread attention
in the scientific community; it was cited at an international nanotechnology/health
conference earlier this year in England by the Institute of Physics. “I’m
not advocating that we stop using nanotechnology, but I do believe we
should continue to look for adverse health effects,” says Oberdörster.
Backed by $600 million in recent federal funding and the support of President
Bush, nanotechnology is a rising industry in the United States. Japan,
Taiwan and other countries are also racing to produce nanomaterials,
which can be applied to electronics, optics, medical devices and other
industries.
Full story
PATENT AWARDED FOR TECHNOLOGY TO DEVELOP ANTIBODY THERAPIES
The University and Vaccinex, Inc. announced the award of a key U.S. patent
for a technology platform that can assist researchers in finding new
treatments for cancer and other diseases. While the technology has many
applications, one promising use is for the identification of certain
proteins, called monoclonal antibodies, that are capable of seeking out
and destroying harmful cells. Several companies have recently developed
monoclonal antibodies as treatments for cancer, rheumatoid arthritis,
and other conditions. Under an exclusive, worldwide license from the
University, Vaccinex is using the patented technology to discover and
develop new monoclonal antibody therapies. The technology was developed
by Maurice Zauderer while he was a faculty member and researcher at the
James P. Wilmot Cancer Center. Zauderer co-founded Vaccinex in 1997 and
left the University in 1999 to serve full-time as the company’s
president and chief executive officer. According to Morgan Stanley, the
market for antibody therapies is estimated at $3 billion in 2003 and
is projected to reach $10 billion by 2010.
Full story
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