After welcome remarks by Bill Craig and Shu Chien, the meeting began with introductions of participants. Shu Chien welcomed Michelle Mazzone who is starting at TargetGene, Joe Bear who has been appointed as Director of the von Liebig Center, Andreas Kern who attended on behalf of Tony Ratcliff from Synthasome, and Mark Torriani who attended on behalf of Walter Baxter from Medtronic.

Approval of Minutes from September 26, 2003 Meeting

The minutes were approved as submitted.

Engineered Gene Circuit - Jeff Hasty

Jeff Hasty spoke of the development of a systematic design process for synthetic gene regulatory networks, which is an intriguing prospect that could improve both our understanding of regulatory motifs and our techniques for constructing novel applications. Such a design process would entail analysis tools capable of reliably predicting the in vivo behavior resulting from a given regulatory architecture. As with the process of designing an electrical circuit, the design tools would take the form of a set of equations that could be numerically simulated to predict the output of a given device. This type of "device genetics" would have an important influence on the development of therapeutic applications, as one can envision the design of complex genetic circuits for monitoring or controlling cellular processes.

Research in the Systems Biodynamics Lab is directed towards the application of techniques and concepts from nonlinear dynamics and statistical physics to the analysis and construction of genetic networks. To draw an analogy with physics, if the sequencing results from the various genome projects represent the discovery of the "fundamental particles" of cellular biology, then the connectivity, or circuitry, of these basic elements represents the particle interactions. In physics, the complexity of the particle interactions necessitates a quantitative mathematical theory, and it is thus reasonable to anticipate a general "theory" for modeling the interactions of the basics elements of cellular biology.

The focus of Dr. Hasty's lab is on the development of an engineering-based methodology in the theoretical design and construction of synthetic gene regulatory networks. Synthetic networks represent a first step towards logical cellular control, whereby biological processes can be manipulated or monitored at the DNA level. Such control could have a significant impact on post-genomic biotechnology. From the construction of simple genetic switches or oscillators, one can imagine the design of genetic code, or software, capable of performing increasingly elaborate functions. Additionally, the inherently reductionist approach of decoupling a simple network from its native and often complex biological setting can lead to valuable information regarding evolutionary design principles.

West Coast Regulatory Meeting

Drs. Bill Craig and Shu Chien reported that the MTLF West Coast Regulatory meeting will be held at the UCSD campus in the Fung Auditorium of the Powell-Focht Bioengineering Hall on July 29-30, 2004. There will be a dinner UCSD Faculty Club on the 29th. We are expecting about 70 participants.

The MTLF is beginning work on an innovative program to explore new ways in which the FDA might regulate combination products and other novel technologies. The program has the potential to influence the organizational structure and regulatory processes of the Food and Drug Administration.

The basic intent of the program is to invite MTLF members and other experts to consider the long-term challenges that the FDA faces and to develop recommendations to assist the Agency in meeting these challenges.

The MTLF has created 4 regional work groups (located in Atlanta, Washington, DC, Minneapolis and San Diego) to meet throughout the winter and spring to develop new and innovative regulatory models.

The project will culminate in the July 29-30 meeting, when the work groups convene in San Diego to present their proposals to an audience of FDA officials, policymakers and MTLF members. The intent of the program is to formulate rational policy options for FDA decision makers to consider.

The program has received support from the FDA. Mr. Mark Kramer, Director of the Office of Combination Products attended our second planning meeting here in San Diego on January 21, 2004 and gave a presentation on the Office of Combination Products and its role in the FDA. Mark has committed to participate in our work over the next several months and to attend the July event.

UC Systemwide Bioengineering Symposium

UCI will host the 2004 UC Systemwide Bioengineering Symposium, which will take place at the Atrium Hotel in Irvine on June 26-28, 2004. Dr. Steve George, Chair of Department of Biomedical Engineering at UCI, will chair the event . The first Symposium was held at UC Davis in 2000, followed by UC Santa Barbara in 2001, UC Berkeley in 2002, and UC San Diego in 2003. The MRU will continue to hold such symposia to be hosted by the different UC campuses with a rotation system. UC Santa Cruz has agreed to hold the symposium in 2005. This will be followed by UC Los Angeles in 2006, UC San Francisco in 2007, UC Riverside in 2008, and UC Merced in 2009. Thereafter, the ten campuses will use the same rotation sequence such that each campus will hold the Symposia once per decade. In the UCSD Symposium last June, the session on Academia-Industry Cooperation was very well attended, and the meeting in Irvine will amplify that part of the program. Industrial colleagues are welcome to attend.

Multi-campus Research Unit (MRU) - Bioengineering Institute of California (BIC)

Dr. Chien reported on the Steering Committee meeting which was held at UCSD on February 2, 2004. Representatives from all 10 campuses attended this first meeting of the BIC Steering Committee. Several new initiatives were planned. BIC will hold a System-wide Seminar once a quarter to be hosted by the different UC campuses with a rotation system similar to the schedule for the UC Systemwide Bioengineering Symposium, which is sponsored by the BIC. The BIC is also considering a retreat for the UC Bioengineering faculty once a year to discuss such topics as vision, collaborative research and education, and other bioengineering initiatives such as cooperative grant applications. The vision of the BIC is to have coordinated and integrated research and education activities in bioengineering for all UC campuses such that the total is much greater than the sum of the individual campuses.

Other Business

Abi Barrow, Executive Director of the Von Liebig Center, will be leaving the University at the end of April. Dr. Chien thanked her for her continued support of WIBE, previously at CONNECT and now at von Liebig Center.

Jim Burke from Breg Inc., announced Breg, Inc (Vista, CA), working with UCSD Bioengineering Faculty is underwriting a new undergraduate educational program. This program is designed to expose undergraduate students to a hands-on practical application of research and development in the context of a design project. Students will receive credit for these projects and are required to write a final paper and present the results of the project to Breg executive staff.

Breg is sponsoring two projects. The first project, with Richard Lieber, Ph.D., Professor of Orthopaedics and Bioengineering, is to develop a prototype Muscle Stimulation Brace. The second project, with Robert Sah, M.D., Sc.D., Professor of Bioengineering, is to develop a prototype Continuous Passive Motion Bioreactor for stimulating cartilage growth. Five students were selected for each project and are being coached through the project by Sean Cahill, Senior Engineer, of Breg.

Breg hopes that this program will help to build a strong relationship with UCSD Bioengineering. Breg and UCSD are excited that these projects can serve as the prototypes for an industry-sponsored design project program for undergraduate students that ultimately benefit industry as well as Bioengineering students and the educational curriculum at UCSD.

Dr. Chien reported that a team of biomedical and bioengineering scientists from Singapore visited UCSD on February 11-12, 2004, and had a very fruitful discussion on collaborations on research and education. The Glucose Monitoring Conference sponsored by WIBE was held with great success on February 13-15, 2004. Dr. Chien reported on several future events:

Engineering Research Review: February 27, 2004: Morning: Plenary session in Price Center. Afternoon: Sessions in individual departments (Bioengineering in Powell-Focht Hall)

Bioengineering Graduate Student Symposium: March 6, 2004: Podium presentations 8:30 am - 12:30 pm. Poster presentations: after lunch.

Annual Gathering of Bioengineering Undergraduate Students with Industry will take place on May 15 from 3-4:30pm. Imani Tyus will send out an email regarding this.

Jacobs School of Engineering Recognition Dinner: May 21, 2004

Department of Bioengineering 10th Anniversary Celebration: August 14, 2004. 2-4 pm. Powell-Focht Bioengineering Hall.

The meeting was adjourned at 9:00 am.