21st Century Biology
Date: Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Time: 02:00 PM
Location: 2318 Rayburn HOB
Opening Statement By Chairman Daniel Lipinski
Good afternoon and welcome to today’s Research and Science Education Subcommittee hearing on 21st century biology. There are an increasing number of reports showing how cheap DNA sequencing and computing power, together with our growing ability to control molecules at the smallest scales are driving us toward a revolution in biology. Some believe that if we can combine vastly increased amounts of data with increased collaborations between biologists, computer scientists, mathematicians, and engineers, we might be able to understand, manipulate, predict, or even design the most complex system there is --- a living organism.
Although biology was not my favorite subject in high school – although that may be because it was first semester freshman year and we had to dissect the fetal pig – the new, 21st century biology has me much more interested. I was trained as a mechanical engineer, and when I hear people talking about cells as a systems design problem, I understand the important role of engineers and physicists working in biology, and how “New Biology” may be able to deliver on promises to solve critical problems in fields like energy, the environment, manufacturing, and agriculture.
This afternoon we’re going to take a closer look at the promise of 21st century biology by exploring research happening at the intersection of the biological sciences, the physical sciences, engineering, and mathematics, and its potential to address real-world problems. We’ll also look at how these potential advances can be translated into technologies that benefit society, and what we need to do to train researchers who can thrive in an area that doesn’t fit into any one department.
For example, research at the intersection of biology and engineering, known as synthetic biology, which we will learn more about today from Dr. Leonard, could lead to the development of bacteria that could help clean up the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, produce cellulosic biofuels, or even lead to an organism that can detect and destroy cancer cells. The current market for synthetic biology-based products is estimated at $600 million dollars and it is expected to grow to over $3.5 billion within the next decade. This trend highlights the importance of today’s hearing the need to link research outcomes to American companies and American jobs.
As a former university professor, I’ve seen firsthand the difficulty of overcoming cultural and institutional barriers between academic departments and schools. Even within a single discipline like political science researchers often stay safely within their subspecialties. But the potential successes that can be realized by having interdisciplinary teams working on biological problems mean that we need to ensure these collaborations continue to grow. I’m interested in hearing recommendations from today’s witnesses about how the National Science Foundation can foster interdisciplinary research and how it can improve education and training for students who want to work at the intersection of the biological sciences, engineering, and the physical sciences. Finally, I’d like to hear the panel’s thoughts on the need to increase research coordination and collaboration in the biological sciences across the Federal agencies.
I thank the witnesses for being here this afternoon and look forward to their testimony.
Witnesses
Panel
1 - Dr. Keith Yamamoto
Chair, National Academy of Sciences, Board on Life Sciences Professor, Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, University of California, San Francisco Professor, C
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2 - Dr. James Collins
Virginia M. Ullman Professor of Natural History and the Environment Department of Ecology, Evolution, & Environmental Science Arizona State University Departmen
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3 - Dr. Reinhard Laubenbacher
Professor, Virginia Bioinformatics Institute and Department of Mathematics Virginia Tech Virginia Tech
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5 - Dr. Karl Sanford
Vice President, Technology Development Genencor Genencor
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4 - Dr. Joshua N. Leonard
Assistant Professor, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering Northwestern University Northwestern University
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