Gubernatorial hopefuls, scientists, and bioethicists to gather at Brandeis for third biotech roundtable

Released on May 30, 2002
Contact: Cristin Carr Brandeis University 781.736.4203 carr@brandeis.edu, Daniel Rosen, Ph.D. ALLEZ Software, a unit of ALLEZ Consulting, Inc. 781.862.0109 x121 drosen@allezsoftware.com

Topic is stem cell research and cloning

WALTHAM, Mass. -- Massachusetts gubernatorial candidates Mitt Romney and Steve Grossman will join an eclectic mix of scientists, business executives and bioethicists on June 13 at Brandeis to discuss the science, policy and ethics of stem cell research and cloning.

At the third of an ongoing series of biotechnology roundtables sponsored by ALLEZ Software of Lexington, Mass., and hosted by Brandeis, the stage will be set by two key players in the biotech research industry - Dr. Walter Ogier, president and CEO of Genetix Pharmaceuticals, and Dr. Julia Greenstein, president and CEO of Immerge Bio-Therapeutics.

Ogier's and Greenstein's work in the area of stem cell research and therapy naturally raises profound ethical questions. What are the implications of the controversy surrounding stem cell research and human cloning and what is its impact on Massachusetts' businesses, academic institutions - and the people of the Commonwealth? A panel discussion including Romney and Grossman will offer multi-faceted viewpoints and give attendees the opportunity to share their opinions, concerns and perspectives.

Ogier's focus is on the development and commercialization of effective gene therapies for the treatment of serious, chronic human diseases and cancers. Genetix' key technology is LentiPak(tm) - a next generation gene therapy vector. LentiPak(tm) is a modified lentivirus, extensively engineered to be safe for human use. Genetix' initial application of LentiPak(tm) involves the transduction of bone marrow stem cells to correct an inherited mutation leading to the development of a fatal childhood malignancy. The condition affects thousands of children worldwide and there currently are no effective treatments.

Greenstein will be speaking on her company's efforts to develop therapeutics that re-educate the body's immune system to accept transplanted cells, tissues and organs, by recognizing them as "self" rather than "other." This technology is designed to overcome the serious side effects associated with organ transplantation - a critical tool in the treatment of cancer and a variety of other life threatening diseases. The xenotransplantation program at Immerge Bio-Therapeutics has the potential to provide a lifeline for the thousands of people waiting for organ transplants, many of whom will die before a well-matched organ becomes available.

Established and organized jointly by ALLEZ Software, a software development company for the life sciences, and Brandeis University's Rosenstiel Basic Medical Sciences Research Center, the roundtable addresses the critical need to share information across the many communities - scientific, academic, governmental and corporate - that comprise the biotechnology industry. The Roundtable series features presentations on new scientific and tech-nological advances, opportunities, challenges, and policy.

Past speakers in the Boston Biotechnology Roundtable have included: -Martin Ferguson, founder and senior vice president of Ardais Corp., who addressed the issue of technology for clinical genomics.
-Robert Reich, Maurice B. Hexter Professor of Social and Economic Policy at Brandeis University's Heller School for Social Policy and Management, Massachusetts candidate for governor and former U.S. Secretary of Labor, who discussed the impact of biotech on the Massachusetts economy.
-Dr. Martin Stanton, CEO of Archemix, who presented riboreporter technology for proteomics.
-Dr. Steve Gallion, research fellow of ArQule, Inc., who spoke on parallel integrated lead optimization technologies.
-Dr. Dagmar Ringe, professor of biochemistry, chemistry, and Rosenstiel Basic Medical Sciences Research Center, who spoke on the complex relationship between structure and function in genes and proteins.

About the Rosenstiel Center
A multidisciplinary research facility, the Rosenstiel Center at Brandeis University is the ideal setting for the Boston Biotechnology Roundtable. At the center, world-class scientists from a wide range of disciplines collaborate on projects that share a common focus: the application of the tools of structural biology, genetics and immunology to basic research questions with immediate and long-term impact on human health.

About ALLEZ Software
ALLEZ Software provides bioinformatics integration services to the biotechnology and pharmaceutical research industries, with a focus on the need to connect data and extract coherent information to accelerate drug discovery and development processes. Products and services include tools for biological materials tracking, inventory control, LIMS connectivity, and application/systems integration.