2024 SBE's James E. Bailey Award Lecture

This award is sponsored by the Society for Biological Engineering.

The Society for Biological Engineering's Bailey award recognizes outstanding contributions in the field of biological engineering. In memory of Professor James Bailey for his many pioneering contributions to biotechnology, this award is presented to an individual who has had an important impact on biological engineering and whose achievements have advanced the profession.

James Bailey's educational legacy touched many modern biochemical and biological engineers in the profession today. The award is presented to an individual who embodies the spirit of James Bailey, one that is a pioneer, a mentor, an innovator, an integrator of biology and engineering, a teacher, and whose achievements have provided a major impact to the field of biological engineering.

We are pleased to announce K. Dane Wittrup, Chemical Engineering & Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), is the recipient of the 2024 James E. Bailey Award.

Engineering Protein Biopharmaceuticals:  Theory & Practice

K. Dane Wittrup, Chemical Engineering & Biological Engineering, MIT

Protein recognition dynamics mediate most biological functions, making protein binding engineering a powerful approach to correct pathophysiological conditions. Although once overlooked due to the inability to formulate them as oral pills, protein drugs now represent the fastest-growing segment of pharmaceuticals. These drugs offer greater potency and selectivity compared to small molecules, and superior safety and manufacturability over cell therapies.

While computational design is advancing rapidly, directed evolution remains the most powerful method to engineer protein binding. This process can be optimized using chemical engineering kinetics, leading to powerful technologies like yeast surface display. Yeast display enables quantitative screening for binding kinetics, specificity, stability, and expression levels. Currently, over 70 antibodies engineered by yeast display are in clinical trials.

Simple models of reaction and transport can definitively address how tumor targeting efficiency for systemically administered proteins depends on molecular size and binding affinity. These analyses provide protein engineers with straightforward design criteria for developing novel drug candidates.

Recently, methods have been developed to dramatically improve the therapeutic index of potent immunostimulatory cytokines. These methods use specific retention mechanisms to localize effects to tumor tissues without causing systemic toxicity, and are being tested in clinical trials.

Biotechnology Progress Award for Excellence in Biological Engineering Publication

The Biotechnology Progress Award for Excellence in Biological Engineering Publication winner will also be recognized during the James E. Bailey Award session.

The Biotechnology Progress Award for Excellence in Biological Engineering Publication recognizes outstanding contributions to the literature in biomedical engineering, biological engineering, biotechnology, biochemical engineering and related fields. The award, which is presented annually at the AIChE Annual Meeting, celebrates excellence and foundational contributions to biotechnology and biological engineering through a body of work: a seminal paper, a review, a research report, or other material of significant interest and importance.