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How is Convergence Helping Science and Medicine?. A case study of the VIA-CI Project. CSUCI Background. CSUCI: former Camarillo State Hospital 2001, Founding faculty member Opened for students fall, 2002 Science building opened fall, 2003 First freshman class graduated spring, 2007
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How is Convergence Helping Science and Medicine? A case study of the VIA-CI Project
CSUCI Background • CSUCI: former Camarillo State Hospital • 2001, Founding faculty member • Opened for students fall, 2002 • Science building opened fall, 2003 • First freshman class graduated spring, 2007 • Commitment to strong science undergraduate and graduate programs: Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Mathematics, and Nursing • Service/ Experiential Learning, International and multicultural perspectives • Fully Accredited, as of 7/19/07
Convergence • “the merging of distinct technologies, industries, or devices into a unified whole,” Merriam Webster
A Case Study in Convergence: The VIA-CI Project • Convergence I: • Limited funding for acquiring instrumentation at CSU Channel Islands • Community colleges and private universities had the same problem • Convergence II: • Modern Instrumentation with Auto-samplers • Virtual Conferencing/ Remote Desktop • Virtual Instrumentation Access at CSU Channel Islands (VIA-CI Project)
Amgen Foundation Grant • $950,000 to the CSU Channel Islands Foundation from Amgen Foundation • Purchase of modern instrumentation • Installation of Amgen donated equipment • Remote operation by Educational Partners
Why Molecular Structure Determination? • Drugs typically fall into two categories: • protein therapeutics (Amgen’s Epogen) • small synthetic molecules (Aspirin, Taxol) • Maximize favorable (binding) interactions between small molecules and cellular receptors (proteins) • Shape of protein pocket • Shape of drug and how shape influences binding affinity
Gleevec Story: Structure-Based Drug Design • Novartis: new drug development for Chronic Myeloid Leukemia • Chromosomal aberration causes abnormal protein to be synthesized by cancer cells • Weak and non-differentiating drug prototype • Structure of drug modified so that it had a good “lock and key” fit with the abnormal protein
Remotely Operable, Molecular Structure Facility • X-ray Diffraction • NMR • GCMS
Westmont College California Lutheran Moorpark College College of the Canyons Ventura College Pierce College Oxnard College CSU Channel Islands Pepperdine University Educational Partners
Non-Convergence: Multiple Site Instrumentation >$10 Million to Implement
Convergence: the VIA-CI Concept $1 Million to Implement VIA-CI
Educational Partner sites secure tunnel firewall and switch VIA-CI Server NMR GC-MS How VIA-CI Works
Challenges • Developing a Perspective of Value • Different needs of 2 year vs. 4 year Educational Partners • Computer infrastructure and scheduling • Faculty development/ training • Long-term funding for sustaining and expanding the VIA-CI Project • Atomic Force Microscope ($65K)
Opportunities • Dissemination of the VIA-CI approach • Recruitment of students • Collaboration between campuses • Sharing of best practices • Grant opportunities for inter-institutional collaborations/ research
Conclusion • Innovative approach to collaboration among institutions of higher education • Model for a cost-effective approach to facilitating an advanced scientific and technological education