By Corey Switzer
It’s important for me to remember, and to note more often than I do, that there’s more to engineering than heavy industry, device innovation, or the creation of alternate energy sources.
Engineering breakthroughs also happen on the atomic & cellular levels that end up being the most meaningful form of innovation to human life; the preservation of life.
Buffalo, NY is the fortunate home to Roswell Park Cancer Institute – a research facility and hospital dedicated to “understand, prevent and cure cancer”.
JUST TODAY RPCI held a press conference about a “landmark immunotherapy vaccine trial” for what they’re calling the dendritic cell vaccine which is custom designed/chemically engineered for each patient to “eradicate cancer cells and prevent relapse” in cancers such as bladder, breast, brain, esophageal, hepatocellular, kidney, lung, melanoma, ovarian, prostate, sarcoma & uterine.
When I first read that sentence, I swear my heart leapt into my throat and I had to choke back tears. How many loved ones have we lost to these cancers? How many loved ones may now potentially be saved?!
DEFINITION – Dendritic Cell – a KEY regulator cell found in the human body. Dendritic cells regulate the immune system by activating and stimulating growth of T-Cells and antibodies when the immune system is compromised. (thanks www.medterms.com)

In a very simplified explanation, the dendritic cell vaccine would use these cells from a patient, stimulate them with special proteins and re-inject them into the human body.
RPCI maintains that a large part of their optimism with this trial is due to the new, unique, FDA approved, “Therapeutic Cell Production Facility” they are utilizing. It’s a custom manufactured barrier isolator that will facilitate this unique vaccine production.
DEFINITION – Barrier Isolator – A device that physically isolates the lab tech from a work process to prevent contamination. (Wikipedia)

The Barrier Isolator is called an Xvivo System processing chamber and is manufactured right here in New York by a company called BioSpherix. This new innovation on the part of BioSpherix is able to significantly decrease cellular contamination, and control the heat and gas levels inside the chamber (previous machinery do not hold a candle to the capability of this Xvivo system).
http://www.biospherix.com/equipment/cytocentric/xvivo-system.html
Dr. Odunsi – Director of RPCI’s Center for Immunotherapy (also developed the vaccine) said “this trial will be only the beginning of a very robust program of activity in the area of using the human immune system to fight cancer”.
I think this trial is an incredible living testament to the symbiotic relationship that is established between innovators of any industry and the innovative manufacturers who engineer custom equipment in order to replicate and reproduce (manufacture) the breakthroughs that push humankind to new plateaus.
CONGRATULATIONS ROSWELL PARK! I will be watching your progress on this study J
To read the press release with your own eyes:
http://www.roswellpark.org/media/news/roswell-park-launches-landmark-immunotherapy-vaccine-trial