Opportunities in Biotechnology for Future Army Applications

117 Pages·2001·2.82 MB·English

by  Board on Army Science and

Opportunities in Biotechnology for Future Army Applications
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/10142.html
Opportunities
in Biotechnology
for Future Army
Applications
Committee on Opportunities in Biotechnology
for Future Army Applications
Board on Army Science and Technology
Division on Engineering and Physical Sciences
National Research Council
NATIONAL ACADEMY PRESS
Washington, D.C.
Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
Opportunities in Biotechnology for Future Army Applications
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/10142.html
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NOTICE: The project that is the subject of this report was approved by the Governing Board of the
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of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, and the Institute of Medicine. The members of
the committee responsible for the report were chosen for their special competences and with regard
for appropriate balance.
This study was supported by Contract No. DAAD 19-99-L-0052 between the National Academy
of Sciences and the Department of Defense. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommenda-
tions expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views
of the organizations or agencies that provided support for the project.
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Copyright 2001 by the National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
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Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
Opportunities in Biotechnology for Future Army Applications
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/10142.html
National Academy of Sciences
National Academy of Engineering
Institute of Medicine
National Research Council
The National Academy of Sciences is a private, nonprofit, self-perpetuating society of distinguished scholars
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Dr. William A. Wulf is president of the National Academy of Engineering.
The Institute of Medicine was established in 1970 by the National Academy of Sciences to secure the services
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The National Research Council was organized by the National Academy of Sciences in 1916 to associate the
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M. Alberts and Dr. William A. Wulf are chairman and vice chairman, respectively, of the National Research
Council.
Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
Opportunities in Biotechnology for Future Army Applications
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/10142.html
COMMITTEE ON OPPORTUNITIES IN BIOTECHNOLOGY FOR FUTURE ARMY APPLICATIONS
MICHAEL R. LADISCH, NAE, chair, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana
ILHAN AKSAY, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey
ERIC BAER, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio
ROBERT R. BIRGE, University of Connecticut, Storrs
ROGER BRENT, Molecular Sciences Institute, Berkeley, California
SHEILA H. DEWITT, ArQule, Inc., Woburn, Massachusetts
MAURO FERRARI, Ohio State University, Columbus
CHRISTOPHER C. GREEN, General Motors, New Baltimore, Michigan
NILE F. HARTMAN, Photonic Sensor Systems, Inc., Atlanta, Georgia
PAUL E. LAIBINIS, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge
VERNE L. (LARRY) LYNN, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (retired),
Williamsburg, Virginia
M. ALLEN NORTHRUP, Cepheid, Inc., Sunnyvale, California
THOMAS C. RANSOHOFF, TranXenoGen, Inc., Shrewsbury, Massachusetts
DANIEL I.C. WANG, NAE, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge
JANET WESTPHELING, University of Georgia, Athens
KENSALL D. WISE, NAE, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
Board on Army Science and Technology Liaison
KATHRYN V. LOGAN, Georgia Institute of Technology (retired), Roswell, Georgia
JOHN H. MOXLEY III, IOM, Korn/Ferry International, Los Angeles, California
MILLARD F. ROSE, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Huntsville, Alabama
CLARENCE G. THORNTON, Army Research Laboratory (retired), Colts Neck, New Jersey
National Materials Advisory Board Liaison
MIKE JAFFE, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway
National Research Council Staff
ROBERT J. LOVE, Study Director
JIM MYSKA, Research Associate
GWEN ROBY, Senior Project Assistant
LINDA VOSS, Technical Consultant
iv
Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
Opportunities in Biotechnology for Future Army Applications
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/10142.html
BOARD ON ARMY SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
WILLIAM H. FORSTER, chair, Northrop Grumman Corporation, Baltimore, Maryland
RICHARD A. CONWAY, Union Carbide Corporation (retired), Charleston, West Virginia
GILBERT F. DECKER, Walt Disney Imagineering, Glendale, California
PATRICK F. FLYNN, NAE, Cummins Engine Company, Columbus, Indiana
HENRY J. HATCH, NAE, U.S. Army (retired), Oakton, Virginia
EDWARD J. HAUG, University of Iowa, Iowa City
ROBERT J. HEASTON, Guidance and Control Information Analysis Center (retired),
Chicago, Illinois
GERALD R. IAFRATE, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana
MIRIAM E. JOHN, Sandia National Laboratories, Livermore, California
DONALD R. KEITH, Cypress International, Alexandria, Virginia
KATHRYN V. LOGAN, Georgia Institute of Technology (retired), Roswell, Georgia
JOHN E. MILLER, Oracle Corporation, Reston, Virginia
JOHN H. MOXLEY III, IOM, Korn/Ferry International, Los Angeles, California
STEWART D. PERSONICK, Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
MILLARD F. ROSE, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Huntsville, Alabama
GEORGE T. SINGLEY, Hicks & Associates, McLean, Virginia
CLARENCE G. THORNTON, Army Research Laboratory (retired), Colts Neck, New Jersey
JOHN D. VENABLES, Martin Marietta Laboratory (retired), Towson, Maryland
ALLEN C. WARD, Ward Synthesis, Inc., Ypsilanti, Michigan
Staff
BRUCE A. BRAUN, Director
MICHAEL A. CLARKE, Associate Director
BILL CAMPBELL, Administrative Coordinator
CHRIS JONES, Financial Associate
REBECCA LUCCHESE, Senior Project Assistant
DEANNA SPARGER, Senior Project Assistant
v
Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
Opportunities in Biotechnology for Future Army Applications
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/10142.html
Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
Opportunities in Biotechnology for Future Army Applications
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/10142.html
Preface
This report has been an extremely challenging endeavor. The committee examined the basis of new technologies
First, the topic of biotechnology is so dynamic that new de- and the probabilities that they could have a future impact on
velopments are being announced almost daily. Consider that Army capabilities. I believe the report also provides a valu-
the impact of sequencing the human genome in 2000 has able snapshot of the nature of biotechnology and how its
already translated into accelerated programs for development many facets can affect the Army. Although biotechnology
of new medicines and of other useful molecules. I believe, is a “moving target,” actions can be taken to help track the
as many others do, that biotechnology will continue to de- progression of new biological concepts that will lead to prod-
velop at a rate that has not been seen since the birth of micro- ucts with the highest potential for Army use.
processor-based personal computers. It was against this I wish to thank the committee members for their excellent
backdrop of a rapidly changing science, and an even more efforts and the many hours they spent gathering, analyzing,
rapidly changing translation of science into technology, that summarizing, and interpreting information, debating the
the committee addressed the issues in this report. messages that this information contained, and assembling an
Second, the scope of biotechnology is expanding so fast excellent product.
that scientists and engineers have difficulty reconciling their I would also like to thank Mr. Robert Love, study direc-
perceptions of what is and isn’t included; in fact, new and tor, for assembling the committee’s findings into this report.
important subdisciplines with linkages to future technolo- His ability to coordinate the genesis and writing of this
gies, such as proteomics, have just emerged in the last few multidisciplinary report was essential to the success of this
years. A third challenge has been to prepare a report that project. His patience, dedicated effort, insights, and disci-
could satisfy and be understood by an audience composed of plined approach are much appreciated.
both generalists and specialists, as well as by those in the
Army who must make the hard decisions on S&T priorities
among all technology areas.
Michael R. Ladisch, chair
Committee on Opportunities in Biotechnology
for Future Army Applications
vii
Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
Opportunities in Biotechnology for Future Army Applications
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/10142.html
Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
Opportunities in Biotechnology for Future Army Applications
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/10142.html
Acknowledgments
This report has been reviewed in draft form by individu- Larry Lehowicz, U.S. Army (retired), Quantum Research
als chosen for their diverse perspectives and technical exper- International
tise, in accordance with procedures approved by the NRC’s Matthew S. Meselson, NAS, IOM, Harvard University
Report Review Committee. The purpose of this independent Mehmet Sarikaya, University of Washington
review is to provide candid and critical comments that will Phillip A. Sharp, NAS, IOM, Massachusetts Institute of
assist the institution in making its published report as sound Technology
as possible and to ensure that the report meets institutional Joseph F. Soukup, Science Applications International
standards for objectivity, evidence, and responsiveness to Corporation
the study charge. The review comments and draft manu-
Although the reviewers listed above have provided many
script remain confidential to protect the integrity of the de-
constructive comments and suggestions, they were not asked
liberative process. We wish to thank the following individu-
to endorse the conclusions or recommendations nor did they
als for their review of this report:
see the final draft of the report before its release. The review
of this report was overseen by John C. Bailar, IOM, Univer-
Claudia Benack, ENSCO, Inc. sity of Chicago. Appointed by the National Research Coun-
Corale L. Brierley, NAE, Brierley Consultancy LLC cil, he was responsible for making certain that an indepen-
R. John Collier, Harvard Medical School dent examination of this report was carried out in accordance
Joseph M. Davie, IOM, Biogen, Inc. (retired) with institutional procedures and that all review comments
Gary S. Fischman, University of Illinois at Chicago were carefully considered. Responsibility for the final con-
David K. Gifford, Massachusetts Institute of Technology tent of this report rests entirely with the authoring committee
John Halver, NAS, U.S. Army (retired) and the institution.
ix
Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
Opportunities in Biotechnology for Future Army Applications
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/10142.html
Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.