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Library – Archives – Humanities  / Education / Center for Humanities & History of Modern Biology / Exhibits, Projects and Initiatives / Plant Science, Biotechnology, & Agriculture

The Early Days of Biotech on Long Island

Sometimes it takes a dramatic success story to bring a university into biotech. Jim Hayward, currently of Applied DNA Sciences, describes how Barry Coller of the Department of Hematology at Stony Brook developed “what was really the first blockbuster monoclonal antibody, a drug called ReoPro” that “reversed the effects of platelet-dependent strokes… It became used in high-risk angioplasty, and it was licensed to Lilly and became the largest licensing revenue in the history of Stony Brook University, but was also their first real toe into biotech commerce.” At that point, in the early 1980s, many scientists viewed biotech ventures with skepticism, and “Barry was quite courageous in being amongst the first to do that…it changed everyone’s mind. Now everyone wanted to do it.” [laughs]

Jim Hayward / Applied DNA Sciences

Plants need nitrogen to grow, but a significant portion of the nitrogen in fertilizers is not absorbed by the soil or used by the growing plants. Rather, it washes away into waterways, rivers, and the ocean. This in turn has had devastating effects on marine life. In some areas, excessive nitrogen in the oceans has caused algae blooms that kill wildlife, make it dangerous for people to consume fish or shellfish or in some cases even swim in affected waters. This problem isn’t limited to poorer countries. Nitrogen pollution is a serious problem here on Long Island. In our case, the nitrogen comes primarily from septic tanks and cesspools, although nitrogen from agricultural fertilizers also plays a role. Nitrogen pollution in the waters around Long Island has hampered fishing, made it dangerous to eat seafood from some areas, and caused environmental changes that make coastal areas more prone to flooding.