Science and Medicine News

Cohen Wins Major Prize   The two inventors of genetic engineering ­ Dr. Stanley N. Cohen of Stanford and Herbert Boyer of the University of California-San Francisco ­ have won this year’s Lemelson-MIT Prize, the world’s largest award for invention, creativity and innovation. Together, Cohen and Boyer provided the cornerstone for modern biological and medical science by inventing a method of cloning genetically engineered molecules in foreign cells. Their discovery paved the way for mass production of hormones and other chemicals once made only by the human body, and made possible the multibillion-dollar biotechnology industry. Some of the products created by genetically engineered bacteria include clot-dissolving agents for heart attack victims, insulin for diabetics and growth hormone for children with growth abnormalities. Cohen is the K.T. Li Professor of Genetics at the School of Medicine. The granting of the $500,000 prize is administered by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Packard Hospital Gets Scanner   A high-speed computed tomography (CT) system ­ which can make a cross-sectional image of human anatomy in about 50 milliseconds and reduces the need for sedation when scanning young children ­ has been installed at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital. The fast scanning speed minimizes blurring in images of young patients who have trouble holding still. The scanner also will be used for research into high-speed CT applications, primarily directed toward the imaging of cardiovascular abnormalities in both children and adults.

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