July 6, 1998 -- Some of this week's stories

Seminars Classified Ads Deadline
information		 Where to send seminars
and classified ads

Argonne teams up with Motorola, Packard
to commercialize, market advanced biochips

Rapid advances in medicine, health care and agriculture are expected from a joint research project announced today by Argonne, Motorola Inc. and Packard Instrument Company.

The project, which aims at commercializing and marketing advanced biochips and related analytical technologies, is expected to make the process of decoding genes, human or otherwise, a thousand times faster than with current technologies.

The project was announced at a June 29 telephone press conference hosted by Associate Laboratory Director Harvey Drucker. Also participating in the press confernce were Energy Secretary Federico Peña and Aleksey Ostrovsky, science attaché, Embassy of the Russian Federation.

Motorola will develop manufacturing processes to mass-produce biochips, and Packard will develop and manufacture the analytical instruments to process and analyze the biochips. Argonne's contribution, in conjunction with its Moscow research partner, the Russian Academy of Science's Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, is intellectual property in the form of 19 inventions related to biological microchips.

Motorola and Packard will contribute a total of $19 million over five years to support the joint-research agreement, making it one of the largest biotechnology joint-research agreements ever signed by a U.S. Department of Energy laboratory. Argonne's 19 inventions, which have been licensed exclusively to Motorola and Packard, are the result of more than $10 million in research support since 1994 by DOE, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, the Russian Academy of Sciences and the Russian Human Genome Program.

"With a commercial biochip to rapidly and economically perform genetic analysis, within a few years we should see better pharmaceuticals developed more rapidly, faster and more accurate medical diagnostics, a heightened ability to assess and possibly repair environmental damage, and better, more hardy, and healthier crops," said Richard McKernan, president of Packard Instrument Company.

Like computer chips, which perform millions of mathematical operations a second, biochips can perform thousands of biological reactions, such as decoding genes, in a few seconds.

The Argonne-Engelhardt biochips employ a novel "micro-gel" technology in which as many as 10,000 micro-structures are mounted on a single glass surface about the size of a microscopic slide.

Each micro-gel is like a micro-test tube in which chemical compounds can be tested against biological targets to provide answers to questions about DNA sequence, genetic variation, gene expression, protein interaction and immune response.

In addition to being faster than conventional gene sequencing methods, these biochips provide a 3-dimensional platform that allows greater sensitivity and accuracy in assaying proteins, RNA and DNA.

"Instead of reading DNA one letter or word at a time, they read whole phrases and sentences at a time," said Biologist Andrei Mirzabekov (CMB), whose research at Argonne and Engelhardt developed the biochips. "It's like speed-reading the genetic code with one hundred percent comprehension.

"By combining biochips with robots and computers," Mirzabekov said, "we can find one genetic variation among three billion DNA bases in a matter of minutes. Conventional methods take days." A DNA base is one of the four biological molecules that link together to form DNA's well-known "double-helix" molecule.

"Over the next four or five years, we plan to develop and refine the technology to mass-produce biochips," said Rudyard L. Istvan, Motorola vice president and corporate director of strategy. "This should reduce their cost and make them widely available to genetic researchers in many fields."

This biotechnology will have myriad applications in life science, including:

Medical diagnostics -- Researchers will be able to identify in minutes mutated genes that could lead to later medical problems, such as cancer, multiple sclerosis or Alzheimer's. Widespread use of biochips will also remove the guesswork from early treatment of many diseases and conditions.

Faster drug discovery and improved medical treatment -- Bioassays that determine whether a drug causes genetic mutations or has other hazardous effects can be completed in days, rather than weeks or months. The use of biochips is also expected to speed up the regulatory drug approval process.

Faster progress in life-sciences research -- For example, the regulation of gene expression, which takes months to study with conventional sequencing techniques, can be accomplished in a single, parallel experiment with this biochip technology.

Faster and more effective environmental restoration --Biochips can be used as highly sensitive detectors of microbial or organic pollution. Biochips may also help identify genes that enable some natural enzymes to detoxify chemicals and digest pollutants.

Improved agricultural products -- Biochips can quickly and accurately detect agricultural disease and mutation, and speed tests

New center to help guard nation's infrastructure

Assuring the safety, reliability and continuity of critical national infrastructures such as telecommunications, energy supply systems and transportation networks, is the focus of Argonne's new Infrastructure Assurance Center.

Argonne created the center in response to a directive issued last month by President Clinton calling for "a national effort to assure the security of the United States' increasingly vulnerable and interconnected infrastructures."

Critical infrastructures are those systems essential to the minimum operations of the economy and government. Advances in information technology have made many of these systems increasingly automated and interdependent. As a result, they are vulnerable to equipment failures, human error, natural disasters, and physical and cyber attacks.

A breakdown in any one system has the potential to significantly disrupt the economy and national security.

To help prevent such a breakdown, the Infrastructure Assurance (IA) Center will draw upon Argonne's resources in the basic and applied sciences, instrumentation, computer sciences, and technology assessment to identify areas that are vulnerable and to develop cost-effective methods, tools, systems and technologies to protect them.

"Argonne's expertise in the disciplines required for understanding infrastructure assurance makes the lab well-equipped to address this increasingly important national issue," said Paula Scalingi, director of the center.

The IA Center will focus on several areas including:

Energy systems, transportation networks and water supply systems

Information assurance

Nuclear, biological and chemical (NBC) detection and consequence management

Emergency preparedness

Decontamination and reme-diation

Modeling and simulation

Risk assessment and management

Information management

Legal and regulatory analysis

The center will build on the lab's partnerships with infrastructure owners and operators, academic institutions, industry, government and not-for-profit research organizations. "These partnerships are critical to the success of infrastructure assurance efforts," said Scalingi.

President Clinton called for a reliable, interconnected, and secure information system infrastructure by the year 2003, and significantly increased security to government systems by the year 2000.

"Achieving this goal will depend heavily on research institutions such as Argonne, which have the multi-disciplinary expertise necessary to understand the interdependence among infrastructures, and the potential far-reaching effects of disruptions," said Scalingi.

Appeal raffle tickets on sale through July 10

Tickets for the Argonne Combined Appeal (ACA) annual raffle will be on sale daily from 11:15 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. in Argonne-East's Building 213 Cafeteria Monday through Friday, July 10.

Tickets are 25 cents each or five for $1. Tickets will also be available from ACA steering committee members and ACA coordinators at the Argonne-East employee picnic on Saturday, July 11.

This year's grand prize is two round-trip United Airlines tickets to a continental U.S. destination. Other prizes include four box seat tickets for the Chicago White Sox vs. the Cleveland Indians on Saturday, July 18; brunch at Wolf's Head Inn; brunch at Holiday Inn; a gift certificate from Sure Fire Auto Supply in Lemont, and various music CDs.

The drawing will be held at the picnic. Winners do not need to be present.

Other events on the ACA calendar this year are the second annual used book sale on Sept. 10 and 11 and the kickoff clothing drive on Oct. 5 and 6. Collection of books for the used book sale will begin in August. Details will appear in future issues ofArgonne News.

For more information on the combined appeal see the ACA home page.

First Friday Forum to focus on Women in CHM

Lin Xiang-Qun Chenc (CHM) will speak on "Women in the Chemistry Division" at the Friday, July 10 meeting of the First Friday Forum.

Visitors are invited to bring their lunches to the talk, which will begin at noon in Argonne-East's Building 201, Room 190.

The First Friday Forum is an informal gathering of Argonne women usually held on the first Friday of each month. Anyone interested in career and gender issues related to women is invited to attend.

Half-day class to provide insight on work styles

"Building The Work Relationship," a half-day course offered through Human Resources, will provide participants with a "profile" of their work styles as an aid to developing positive professional relationships at work.

Prior to class, each participants will have five of their co-workers complete behavioral style profiles of him or her. The profile analysis identifies each participant as one of four different behavioral styles: "driver," "analytic," "amiable" or "expressive."

Participants learn how to adapt their styles to that of others to reduce interpersonal tension within work relationships, which allows for a more collaborative focus on the job.

The course (HR630) is scheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 4, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. in Argonne-East's Building 202, Room B169. Participants must register for the course no later than Friday, July 10, to allow for the completion of the behavioral style profiles.

Contact John Hyzer (HR) at ext. 2-3410 for more information.

Users Group to discuss Linux OS

TheLinux computer operating system will take center stage at the next meeting of the Argonne Computer Users Group, on Tuesday, July 7, at 3 p.m. in Argonne-East'sBuilding 203 Auditorium (Note change in location).

The agenda includes discussions of RedHat Linux Version 5.1, Linux at DND-CAT, RedHat Linux Configuration Checklist and RedHat Linux availability in the Electronics and Computing Technologies Division.

‘Mardi Gras’ comes to Argonne Park on July 11

Argonne-East's 51st annual employee picnic will be held Saturday, July 11, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Argonne Park.

Argonne, DOE andUniversity of Chicago employees are invited. Admission is free.

This year's picnic has a "Mardi Gras" theme and will feature a bungee run, Ferris wheel, big slide, "Red Baron" plane ride, moonwalk, pony ride and a petting zoo.

There will be a golf-chipping contest, a pie walk and a coloring contest for children. Other attractions will include carnival-style games, hay rides, bingo and "Nite Life," pop-rock band playing a variety of music.

Marriott Corp. will provide food and beverages for purchase.

Volunteers wanted

The Argonne Club is seeking employees or their family members to help out at part of all of the picnic. All volunteers will receive a T-shirt. For more information, call Sara Hahn (XFD) at ext. 2-5736 or send e-mail to hahn@aps.anl.gov.

ANL-West plans picnic on July 18

The 47th annualArgonne-West employee picnic will be held at Heise Hot Springs July 18 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Lunch will be served from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and includes roast beef, roast pork and Horvath dogs, baked potatoes, baked beans, corn on the cob, green salad and a dinner roll. There will be skewered hot dogs for the children. Argonne-West managers will serve ice cream sundaes.

Robbie Flores (RPS) will provide music and other entertainment. For the children, there will be pony rides, an inflatable castle, sack races, three-legged races, fishing, piñatas and a circus tent. For the adults there will be golf (tee times will be from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.), volleyball and horseshoe tournaments.

Volunteers are needed to help at the picnic. Contact Jeff Shelton (ED), picnic chairman, at ext. 3-7877.

Classes cover diversity, presentations, CPS review

Human Resources will offer several classes at Argonne-East in July.

Complete class information is listed on the Human Resources World Wide Web page under "Performance Development." Register through a Training Management System representative. For more information, call Betty Iwan (HR) at ext. 2-3410.

Classes include:

Diversity Awareness (HR139) will help employees understand what diversity is and how it compares to equal opportunity and affirmative action. The class will be held on Thursday, July 16, from 9 a.m. _ 10 a.m. in Building 201, Room 274. The class is free.

CPS Review: Management (HR261) consists of three major subject areas: behavior science, human resources management, and organizations and management. The class will be held July 22 _ Aug. 21, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Building 201, Room 238. The cost is $210.

Professional Excellence For Secretaries (HR231) will be a "Brown Bag Lunch Seminar" held from 11:30 a.m. _ 1 p.m. in Building 201, Room 238 on Wednesday, July 15. This seminar describes how to become a professional secretary by explaining the important role a secretary plays in any organization. The cost is $40.

Presentation Excellence (HR532) will provide techniques to help participants look, sound and feel confident, organized and effective. The class will be held on Thursday and Friday, July 16-17, from 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. in Building 362, Room F108. The class is free.

Leadership and Motivation (HR641) provides an analysis of leadership and employee motivation. The course will be held on Thursday, July 9, from noon to 5 p.m. in Building 362, Room F108. The cost is $25.

Space is still available in the Facilitating Effective Meetings (HR636), which covers a six-step meeting process and practice group facilitation techniques. The class will be held on Thursday, July 23, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. in Building 201, Room 274.