Dr. Leland H. Hartwell, Nobel Laureate, visited the School of Biotechnology during his September visit to Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham. He was particularly impressed with the quality of the virtual labs and is evaluating how to integrate them into his course for teachers on sustainability at Arizona State University. This course will be available for all Indian teachers as well.

Dr. Hartwell also visited the Agilent Lab, met with the faculty and PhD students.

Dr. Lee Hartwell is Chief Scientist at the Biodesign Institute’s Center for Sustainable Health at Arizona State University. He is a Virginia G. Piper Chair in Personalized Medicine. Additionally, he is President and Director Emeritus at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, Washington. Dr. Hartwell was awarded the Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine in 2001 for his discoveries of a specific class of genes that control the cell cycle. The cell cycle controls all aspects of cell growth and division. By identifying “checkpoint” genes that determine whether a cell is dividing normally, Hartwell provided important clues to cancer, which arises from abnormal, uncontrolled cell growth.

His interests for the past several years have turned to how researchers can use the enormous knowledge that has accumulated during the last 50 years in genetics and biochemistry to improve molecular diagnostics to benefit human health. By using powerful protein biomarkers, scientists hope to identify individuals at high risk for disease, detect cancer and other diseases at an early stage when they can be cured, and to provide improved prognostic information and better therapeutic response.

October 01, 2013
Amrita School of Biotechnology, Amritapuri