2007 Annual MeetingNortheastern Association of

Graduate Schools

A Professional Science Master’s Degree inMolecular Biotechnology

Ali EskandarianAssociate Dean, College of Professional Studies

The George Washington University

March 22, 2007

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Outline

• A Brief history of the CGS/Sloan grant at GW– Why Molecular Biotechnology?

• Necessary partnerships– External and internal

• Marketing and recruitment– More marketing

• Addressing the difficulties

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A Brief History

• Sloan and Ford grants at CGS– Financial Mathematics, Proteomics, Dual

diagnosis (substance abuse and mental illness), Museum & social service, Fine art and art appraisal

• From Planning to Implementation– Molecular Biotechnology

• Housing the degree inside the institution– College of Professional Studies

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Partnerships

• Internal partnerships– Champions among the faculty– A friendly central administration– Anticipating the obstacles

• External partnerships– Essential for internships– Helpful in grounding the curriculum in marketplace

realities– Helpful in marketing the program to both internal and

external constituents

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Marketing & Recruitment

• Internal efforts– Never enough resources, use every tool

available – direct mail, advertising, poster and brochure

production, info sessions, web presence, press release, visits to other institutions

– Establish a dialog between the key faculty and the marketing reps as early as possible

• External efforts– CGS, Congress, Associations …and more

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Difficulties

• Administrative nightmares– Faculty ownership, course ownership, etc.

• Student preparation– Background non-uniformity, and remedies?

• Advising and mentoring– Advising early and often by faculty– Mentoring and help from students– Strategies for cohesion (topical seminars)

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The End

Any Questions?

Would you like to review (quickly) what we present in our Info Sessions?

College of Professional StudiesThe George Washington University

Thanks for joining us. The session will begin shortly.

A New Master’s Degree inA New Master’s Degree in

Molecular BiotechnologyMolecular Biotechnology Unique Preparation for a Biotech CareerUnique Preparation for a Biotech Career

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Faculty Leadership GroupFaculty Leadership Group

Ali Eskandarian, Ph.D. Ali Eskandarian, Ph.D. Associate Dean College of Professional Studiesali.eskandarian@gwu.edu(202) 994-8192

Mark Reeves, Ph.D.Mark Reeves, Ph.D.Program Director and Professor Department of PhysicsColumbian College of Arts and Sciencesreevesme@gwu.edu(202) 994-6279

Richard Donnelly, Ph.D.Richard Donnelly, Ph.D.Program Co-director, Chair and ProfessorDepartment of Information Systems and Technology ManagementSchool of Businessrgd@gwu.edu(202) 994-7155

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The George Washington University

• Established in 1821 by Congressional Charter

• 9 Schools, including the College of Professional Studies (CPS)

• Over 20,000 students – including 10,000 graduate and professional students

• Campuses at Foggy Bottom & Mt. Vernon (DC) and Loudoun County (Virginia)

• Graduate Centers in Alexandria, Arlington, Ashburn, and Hampton Roads, Virginia

• Contract programs for corporate and government clients offered on site

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The Biotech Revolution!The Biotech Revolution!

• Biology is undergoing profound changes and the biotechnology industry is a strong disruptive force.

• The biotech/medical device industry is the fastest growing in the United States today.

• Universities and industry now collaborate very effectively in applied science areas.

• The impact is global and profound, and a new educational approach is needed to keep up.

“The dominant science of the 21st century will be biology”

– Freeman Dyson, physicist, futurist and Templeton prize winner

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Why Molecular Biotechnology?Why Molecular Biotechnology?

• Winning concepts for new technologies and devices emerge from imaginative exploitation of discoveries in biological science and physics.

• Successful biotech products and processes are developed through effective integration of math, computer science and engineering.

• Greatly enhanced innovation in biotechnology is achieved through incorporation of appropriate business strategies and methods.

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Why a Master’s in Molecular Biotechnology?Why a Master’s in Molecular Biotechnology?

• A Science Bachelor’s degree is inadequate preparation for meaningful placement in Biotech.

• The common next step in science, the Ph.D., is a big step, intended as preparation for a research career.

• GW’s new Professional Master’s degree is the right preparation for entry into the biotechnology field, or later for a Ph.D.

• GW’s Master’s in Molecular Biotechnology (MMB) appropriately cuts across the disciplines of physics, biology and business, as a traditional Master’s cannot.

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Traditional Academic DisciplinesTraditional Academic Disciplines

Physics Chemistry Biology

Math

StatisticsComputing

Applied Science& Engineering

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New Interdisciplinary Biotech New Interdisciplinary Biotech

Systems Biology

Physics of Biotech Devices

Computer Science& Informatics

Business &Innovation

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Educational Objectives of GW’s MMBEducational Objectives of GW’s MMB

• Build on basic principles in molecular biology, device physics, and modeling for the development of innovative new technologies and products.

• Integrate scientific and technical expertise with successful business practices in technology management and innovation.

• Develop effective team work and leadership skills in projects focused on new product development and technology venture concept creation.

• Apply classroom learning in structured internships with well-defined projects and goals in local industry, government and non-profit entities.

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Cyclin-Cdk binding in cell cycleCyclin-Cdk binding in cell cycle

Biology Doubling DNA

Cell Growth

Cell Division (Mitosis)

R

Cell Division (Mitosis) – depends upon Cdk2-cyclin binding

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Biology

Medicine

Cyclin-Cdk binding in cell cycleCyclin-Cdk binding in cell cycle

HIV Genome

Cdk-Cyclin binding is essential for HIV-1 Replication

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Biology

Cyclin-Cdk binding in cell cycleCyclin-Cdk binding in cell cycle

Medicine Cdk

Cyclin

A) B)

Cdk

Cyclin

Cdk

Cyclin

A)

Cdk

Cyclin

A) B)

Cdk

Cyclin

B)

Cdk

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Computational Prediction:Small peptide fits into binding Cdk binding siteCyclin-Cdk complex can’t form (Physics)

PhysicsCdk

Cyclin

A) B)

Cdk

Cyclin

Cdk

Cyclin

A)

Cdk

Cyclin

A) B)

Cdk

Cyclin

B)

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Biology

Cyclin-Cdk binding in cell cycleCyclin-Cdk binding in cell cycle

Medicine

PhysicsCdk

Cyclin

A) B)

Cdk

Cyclin

Cdk

Cyclin

A)

Cdk

Cyclin

A) B)

Cdk

Cyclin

B)

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PBMC Infection (HIV-1 UG/92/029, SI)

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

0 6 12 18 24 Days Post Infection

p24

(p

g/m

l)

PBMC

PBMC + SI

PBMC + SI + WT peptide

PBMC + SI + 41/44 peptide

~ 95% HIV activity suppression GW Medical School

Biochem

F. Kashanchi, GWU, MC

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Technological response (vaccine development)

Biology

Medicine

PhysicsCdk

Cyclin

A) B)

Cdk

Cyclin

Cdk

Cyclin

A)

Cdk

Cyclin

A) B)

Cdk

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Biochem

Successful Innovation is not AssuredSuccessful Innovation is not Assured

Discovery . . . Development . . . Deployment

• Scientific discovery is only the first step

• Additional R&D may lead to a prototype

• Prototype trials may lead to market launch

• Launch may lead to commercial success

As innovation proceeds, business decision-

making and technology management play a

greater and greater role, for good or bad.Business

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Business Cases You’ll Learn to AddressBusiness Cases You’ll Learn to Address

Learn to Avoid and Repair . . .

Case: Promising discoveries are repeatedly ignored by management, and an industry leader declines.

Case: A slow, mistake-ridden development project kills what would have been a successful new product.

Learn to Identify and Promote . . .

Case: A team of scientists develops a strong venture concept and gives birth to a future industry giant.

Case: Powerful innovation assessment tools are used to identify opportunities and successfully exploit them.

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Curriculum HighlightsCurriculum Highlights

• Physics of Biotechnology focuses on the connection between understanding basic knowledge and applying that knowledge to the development of new devices.

• Genomics, Proteomics, and Bioinformatics are at the forefront of the biotechnology revolution, providing new insights about the biodiversity of life on our planet, and impacting biomedical research by leading the way to new therapies for genetic and microbial diseases.

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Curriculum HighlightsCurriculum Highlights

• Management of Innovation equips students with methods useful in identifying opportunities and developing new technical products, including new management approaches and key ethical issues.

• Technology Entrepreneurship/Intrapreneurship

emphasizes the creation of new biotechnology ventures and developing new business proposals within firms. Technology Commercialization focuses on competitive analysis, shortening time-to-market, and marketing biotechnology products.

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Curriculum HighlightsCurriculum Highlights

THE CAPSTONE PROJECT

Students integrate the knowledge and skills learned in the Molecular Biotechnology program in a six- to twelve-month project tackling real industry problems through either independent guided research and writing or team projects.

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Sample Course ScheduleSample Course ScheduleYear One

Fall 2007

PSMB 263: Management of Innovation (3)

Preparatory content (6 credit-hours of the following):

BiSc 102: Cell Biology (3)

Phys 165: Electromagnetism (3)

Csci 144: Introduction to Bioinformatics (3)

Spring 2008

PSMB 261: Physics of Biotechnology I (3)

Phys 128: Biophysics: Physics in Life Sciences (3)

Phys 281: Computational Physics (modeling) (3)

Summer 2008

PSMB 264: Technology Entrepreneurship & Intrapreneurship (3) PSMB 262: Physics of Biotechnology II (2)

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Sample Course ScheduleSample Course Schedule

Year Two

Fall 2008

PSMB 265: Commercialization of Science and Technology (2)

Bioc 236: Fundamentals of Genomics and Proteomics I (2)

Bioc 254: Fundamentals of Molecular Biology (3)

Phys 243: Solid-State Physics: Structure and Binding (3)

Spring 2009

PSMB 266: Capstone Project (1)

Bioc 237: Fundamentals of Genomics and Proteomics II (2)

CSci 207: Scientific Databases (3)

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Careers in Molecular BiotechnologyCareers in Molecular Biotechnology

At the lab bench:new deviceselectronicssensorsvaccinesdrug deliverybiochemistrygenetic engineering

You will develop the working knowledge to move flexibly between the lab bench and biotechnology management.

In management:new product conceptsproject managementproduct marketingproduct line managemententrepreneurshipventure capital

consulting

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• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field of science, applied science or engineering

• Minimum GPA of 3.0

• GRE results

• Statement of purpose

• At least two letters of recommendation

• Admissions decisions on rolling basis

For additional information, please visitwww.gwu.edu/gradinfo

AdmissionsAdmissions

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Mark ReevesProgram Director

reevesme@gwu.edu

Richard DonnellyProgram Co-director

rgd@gwu.edu

Lynn GriffinProgram Representative

griffinl@gwu.edu

College of Professional Studies The George Washington University

805 21st Street NW, Suite 301Washington, DC 20052

202-994-2083 Fax: 202-994-7718

Program ContactsProgram Contacts

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• GWU Information (202) 994-4949

• Admissions Office (202) 994-6210

• Financial Aid Office (202) 994-6620

• Registrar’s Office (202) 994-4900

• Veteran’s Benefits (202) 994-4925

• On the web http://www.cps.gwu.edu

Additional ContactsAdditional Contacts

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Careers in Molecular BiotechnologyCareers in Molecular Biotechnology

At the lab bench:new deviceselectronicssensorsvaccinesdrug deliverybiochemistrygenetic engineering

You will develop the working knowledge to move flexibly between the lab bench and biotechnology management.

In management:new product conceptsproject managementproduct marketingproduct line managemententrepreneurshipventure capital

consulting