He believed that determining the 3-dimensional structure of hemoglobin at the level of its atoms would lead him to describe its mechanism for oxygen uptake and delivery. After two decades of work and intricate mapping, Perutz revealed hemoglobin as a sophisticated protein molecule that uses atomic structural changes and motion to regulate its action. The changes prompt the molecule to modify its shape slightly to take on more oxygen with increasing ease. This allows the hemoglobin to pick up the largest possible oxygen load and deliver it where needed. Perutz was also able to explain the molecule’s ability to bind with, or collect, and deliver carbon dioxide and atoms of iron. After receiving a Nobel Prize in Chemistry, Perutz continued to study hemoglobin and other protein structures in diseases of the blood.

One of the world’s leading research institutes, the Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, administers the Max Perutz Fund as an annual prize for its promising graduate students in molecular biology and allied biomedical sciences.

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Mount St. Helens is a stratovolcano in the Cascade Volcanic Arc that is part of the Pacific Ring of Fire of over 160 active volcanoes. Before the 18th, seismographs recorded earthquake swarms from deep magma chambers under stress from the slip of the fractured Juan de Fuca Plate beneath the North American Plate.

Instead of erupting through its crater, magma beneath Mount St. Helens found its way through less resistant material in its north wall, creating a very large bulge. Rock slid away beneath the bulge and, with the weight removed, the pressures of gas and magma blew through the wall above the slide releasing a massive, destructive blast. For over 9 hours, it released more than 1.5 metric tons of sulphur dioxide into the atmosphere as well as ash that, by next morning, was falling on cities over a thousand kilometers away. Its pyroclastic flow of superheated gas and rock covered 600 sq km (230 sq mi). Mudflows of glacier, snowmelt, and ash coursed down natural channels of valleys and rivers taking out trees, docks, bridges, and hatcheries in their paths.

The following year, 44,515 hectares (110,000 acres) around Mount St. Helens were set aside as the National Volcanic Monument that allows the site to recover naturally and to inform researchers. Historically, Mount St. Helens has been one of the most active volcanoes in the Cascades. It continued blowing off steam and ash for another 28 years. Volcanoes are the biggest recyclers on the planet!

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He extracted liquid from the young girl’s blisters to test a theory he was formulating: if a mild form of a disease were introduced into a healthy person, it should enable that person to defend itself against the dangerous and more virulent pox form. He extracted a similar sample of liquid from the sores of a patient with smallpox. When a local farmer asked Jenner to inoculate his son against smallpox, the farmer gave Jenner permission to test his theory. After Jenner inoculated the son with a small cowpox sample, the boy came down with a mild form of cowpox but recovered quickly. Jenner inoculated him again but with the smallpox sample. The boy did not contract smallpox. Jenner’s first inoculation had enabled the boy’s body to fight off the more potent disease.

From Dr. Jenner’s 1798 book, An Inquiry into the Causes and Effects of The Variole Vaccine …Known by the Name of The Cow Pox.

Jenner was not the first to employ the method of inoculation, nor even of using cowpox as a preventative measure. However, Jenner was a cautious, careful, observant doctor who not only carried out many successful tests on others, he systematically developed, refined, tested, then personally popularized his scientific method. He called his therapy vaccination from the Latin vacca [cow] and vaccinia [cowpox]. It took several years before others believed in his treatment and for it to became accepted. As the number of smallpox deaths dropped sharply in England, Europe and North America adopted Jenner’s vaccination practice on a large scale. Jenner’s vaccine is considered one of the most significant medical advances of all time.

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He investigated digestive processes at the intracellular level – in lower animals transparent enough to be observed alive. From continued research in comparative anatomy of different species, he observed a similar process in blood systems – certain white blood cells would surround harmful bodies, bacteria, and dead tissue cells, to destroy them. He realized this was a major mechanism used to remove infectious or toxic agents. Mechnikov called this specialized cell a phagocyte from the Greek phagos [eater] and biology suffix -cyte [cell].

In Paris, he consulted with Dr. Pasteur who had developed a vaccine treatment of rabies. Mechnikov was soon installed in the Pasteur Institute where he could apply his knowledge of comparative anatomy and the cellular processes of phagocytes to a study of microbes and the immune system. He continued to refine research into infectious diseases and established a theory of immunology. For his work and publications on the treatment of infectious diseases, Mechnikov became a Nobel laureate in 1908.

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With colleagues at University of British Columbia, she investigated treatment strategies for malignant cancers that would be minimally invasive and minimally toxic. Levy co-developed a drug that, exposed to light, produced a toxic effect on targeted cancer cells. The strategy was a two-step process in which a light-sensitive drug is given intravenously and enters the bloodstream where it collects around the targeted abnormal cells. Next, the doctor uses an optic fiber at the site to deliver a low-energy, non-thermal light of the exact wavelength needed to excite the drug to action. The drug, called a photosensitizer – an organic compound, chlorophyll, or dye – produces an energy transfer and a localized chemical effect that leads to the destruction of targeted tissue.

Continuing her work to develop photodynamic therapy, Levy turned her attention to Age-related Macular Degeneration. She realized that cancer cells and AMD shared a similarity since each disease forms new, abnormal tissue. Levy developed a second photodynamic drug that, when light activated, destroyed abnormal blood vessel cells in the eye to slow or stop the progress of AMD.

But that’s not all! In the midst of working on these therapies and with her colleagues who wished to remain in control of their discoveries, she launched a technology company to research, develop, acquire regulatory approvals, and deliver their products. Just over two decades later, Dr. Levy remains a very rare global example of a researching bioscientist who not only created new therapies but also created a successful biopharmaceutical company.

Dr. Levy has received many honours and awards for her medical research, innovation, and industry direction. She is a former President of the Canadian Federation of Biological Sciences, a fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, and an Officer of the Order of Canada. In her honour, the Wilmer Eye Institute at Johns Hopkins Hospital established the Julia G. Levy Professorship in Ophthalmology Chair.

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the direction of a team of volunteers chaired by Councillor Susan Myers, it was a first class event from start to finish. We were proud to attend and felt privileged to be part of The Foundation’s volunteer team. A big thank

you goes to participants from the Sault community, the organizers and sponsors of the event and the City’s leadership for their generosity and support on behalf of the citizens of this “Naturally Gifted” and special place Roberta calls home.

June 7, 2011 I attended on behalf of The Roberta Bondar Foundation, a Toronto Consultation on the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20). This was one of a number of meetings that have been convened to provide the Canadian government input on our contributions to Rio + 20.
The delegates divided up into study groups and subsequently met at joint sessions to exchange ideas. One point that was unanimously endorsed was that the government should make concrete and practical suggestions rather than espousing “motherhood” statements.
An issue of note was that there should be a concentrated effort to develop new sources of energy and energy efficient processes. There should be close examination of alternative sources of energy to avoid ones that actually use more energy than they save. The group that I was in discussed renewable energy and clean technology. For example, concerning green regeneration, solar panels are used on Mongolia in rural areas to run the basics. This is interesting, for in the developed world, this same technology is viewed as being too expensive.

Developing countries are able to avoid the whole infrastructure associated with traditional energy delivery such as power-lines. They have the opportunity to grow and leap-frog beyond such infrastructure. Therefore they can become more resilient.

Betty I Roots PhD DSc FRSC
Director
The Roberta Bondar Foundation

Forests and Biodiversity.

The North American celebrations of World Environment Day (WED) culminated in Toronto, Ontario at a press conference on Monday, 6 June with the launch of a United Nations report on forests and a report on Canada’s biodiversity by the country’s leading green economy think tank, as well as an award presentation ceremony honoring the winners of UNEP’s International Children’s Painting Competition.

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10 East St.

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