Introduction
Herbert Boyer and Stan Cohen have made great moves in the field of biotechnology. They combined in a great venture that made them both impactful and respected in their various fields. Using their great insight and their research, they were able to invent a method that cloned genetically engineered molecules in foreign cells. With Herbert Boyer in the forefront, they were able to engineer a multibillion- dollar industry. After meeting at a conference in Hawaii in 1972, they were able to combine their skills. Cohen had developed a way to introduce plasmids with antibiotic properties into some bacteria. He could also use the method to clone and isolate genes carried by the plasmids. Boyer on the other hand had managed to isolate an enzyme that could cut strings of DNA into cohesive and precise segments. Their expertise caused them both to receive awards. They are both deserving of the Carleton Prize for Biotechnology.
Research and Body of Work
Contribution of Herbert Boyer and Stan Cohen
Stan Cohen and Herbert Boyer were able to launch a multibillion-dollar biotechnological industry that is still relevant today. In 1973, soon after they met, they quickly determined that they could add genes to a single cell from an organism. This caused the genes to replicate in the cell. The two of them together are responsible for the recombinant DNA (rDNA). Boyer and Cohen did not stop there. They moved on to complete cloning experiments that were more complicated. In their cloning experiments, they recognized the advantages of incorporating human genetic information into bacteria to replicate the body’s ability to fight disease and infection.
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Scientists had known for a long time that bacteria had extra loops of DNA (foundation, 1980) . Such loops were known as plasmids. Naturally, bacteria were able to swap these plasmids with each other. This allowed the transfer of beneficial genes that aided in antibiotic resistance. Herbert Boyer had the know- how on restriction endonucleases (cutting open the loops of plasmids). Cohen on the other hand had done extensive research on the plasmids and that is why they made such a great pair and decided to partner up.
Recombinant DNA is considered a more significant achievement in molecular biology than that of Watson and Crick (1953) (Jones, 2015) . Joining forces with Robert Swanson, Boyer created Genentech, a biotechnology firm which has been responsible for great leaps in biotechnology. One of those leaps includes the genetical engineering of human insulin (Science History Institute, 2017) . Not limited to one achievement, Genentech Inc. is involved in more research including how to alter crops to help deal with global food shortages.
Before Genentech, Boyer had succeeded in expressing mammalian protein in bacteria. They were able to do this at USCF at the City of Hope Medical Center in California (Science History Institute, 2017) . They noticed that the hormone, which was produced in the human brain was key in producing the growth hormone (Suliman Khan, 2016) . The recombinant somatostatin (Suliman Khan, 2016) acted no different from the naturally occurring substance. Cohen focused on academic research and consulted for Biotechnology Company but Boyer was more involved in commercial work. The two of them have paved way for plenty of research on recombinant DNA and made great contribution to improvements in biotechnology.
Despite their major achievements, Cohen insisted that they had not sought to be the spark to the flame of a multi- billion-dollar idea (Huges, 2001) . He sa id that they just stumbled on genetical engineering as they were working towards understanding basic biological dilemmas. Such humility and thirst for knowledge makes them quite the pair and can also attribute to their success. It is also the reason why they are best suited to receive the Carleton Prize for Biotechnology.
Cohen and Boyer are game changers in the biotechnological fields. Despite being able to come up with recombinant DNA, they have managed to revolutionize the biotechnology field. Toying around with their findings and involving themselves in deep research allowed them to birth a great field. They were able to revolutionize biotechnology and be the first to get a clean break in molecular biology.
Conclusion
The Cohen- Boyer collaboration must have been the best thing that happened to biotechnology. The two scientists are even considered by some as the ground- breakers for exciting work in molecular biology. The two scientists, especially Boyer are also very keen on the materialization of their work into a great company that has earned them plenty of money. That aside, the two have also received plenty of nominations and awards for their exemplary work. Quite by coincidence, as most things happen, this pair were able to revolutionize molecular biology. Their patenting (Jones, 2015) was able to bring them loyalties in 27 million dollars which is more than most scientists can claim. Because of their thirst for knowledge and the desire to pass it on, they both still teach in universities. Cohen even consults for biotechnological firms. This is why they should be awarded the Carleton Prize for Biotechnology.
References
foundation, A. a. (1980). Cloning genes by recombinant DNA technology. Albert and Mary Lasker foundation . Retrieved from http://www.laskerfoundation.org/awards/show/cloning-genes-by-recombinant-dna-technology/
Huges, S. S. (2001). Making Dollars Out of DNA. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Jones, M. (2015). The Invention of Recombinant DNA Technology. LSF Magazine , 18.
Science History Institute. (2017). Herbert W. Boyer and Stanley N. Cohen. Science History Institute , 4. Retrieved from https://www.sciencehistory.org/historical-profile/herbert-w-boyer-and-stanley-n-cohen
Suliman Khan, M. W. (2016). Role of Recombinant DNA Technology to Improve Life. International Journal of Genomics . Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5178364/
