David Sanders (biologist)
Encyclopedia
David Sanders is an Associate Professor of Biological Sciences at Purdue University
. He received his Bachelor of Science
degree from Yale College
in Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry. He conducted his Ph.D. research in Biochemistry with Dr. Daniel E. Koshland, Jr., who was then editor of the journal Science
, at the University of California at Berkeley.
He originated the idea of the "Molecule of the Year" feature in Science. He was a Visiting Scientist at the University of California at San Francisco, and then a postdoctoral fellow at the Whitehead Institute
for Biomedical Research, which is affiliated with M.I.T. It was there that he began his studies on the entry of viruses into cells with a focus on the inhibition of infection and applications to gene therapy
.
He joined the Markey Center for Structural Biology at Purdue University in 1995, where he is the leader of the Molecular Virology program and also a member of the Cancer Center. He was the discoverer of a biochemical reaction that leads to the entry of cancer-causing retroviruses into cells. He also is the holder of a U.S, patent on a novel gene-therapy delivery technique. His work on the Ebola virus
led to his participation in the U.S. Defense Threat Reduction Agency
's Biological Weapons Proliferation Prevention Program, a product of the Nunn-Lugar legislation. His responsibilities included inspecting the Vector laboratory in Siberia
, which was the site of biological-weapons development in the era of the Soviet Union
. He has investigated the transmission of viruses from other animals, especially birds, to humans and has been invited to speak on ethics, biodefense, evolution, gene therapy, vaccination and influenza viruses in public forums including regular interviews on WIBC in Indianapolis, He is a recipient of a National Science Foundation
Career Award for his work on an enzyme that is involved in production of the greenhouse gas and potential energy source, methane He is also an American Cancer Society Research Scholar. In 2003 he conducted his sabbatical research at the Weizmann Institute in Israel
.
Sanders was the Democratic candidate for Congress in the 4th District of Indiana in 2004 and 2006. He was also elected by Democrats of the 4th Congressional District of Indiana to serve as a delegate pledged to Barack Obama
at the 2008 Democratic National Convention
.
On January 21, 2010, Dr. Sanders filed as a candidate for Indiana's 4th Congressional District followed by an appearance on CNN with the announcement of Steve Buyer
's resignation and the launch of a new campaign web site: http://www.sandersforcongress.org/
Purdue University
Purdue University, located in West Lafayette, Indiana, U.S., is the flagship university of the six-campus Purdue University system. Purdue was founded on May 6, 1869, as a land-grant university when the Indiana General Assembly, taking advantage of the Morrill Act, accepted a donation of land and...
. He received his Bachelor of Science
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
degree from Yale College
Yale College
Yale College was the official name of Yale University from 1718 to 1887. The name now refers to the undergraduate part of the university. Each undergraduate student is assigned to one of 12 residential colleges.-Residential colleges:...
in Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry. He conducted his Ph.D. research in Biochemistry with Dr. Daniel E. Koshland, Jr., who was then editor of the journal Science
Science (journal)
Science is the academic journal of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and is one of the world's top scientific journals....
, at the University of California at Berkeley.
He originated the idea of the "Molecule of the Year" feature in Science. He was a Visiting Scientist at the University of California at San Francisco, and then a postdoctoral fellow at the Whitehead Institute
Whitehead Institute
Founded in 1982, the Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research is a non-profit research and teaching institution located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA....
for Biomedical Research, which is affiliated with M.I.T. It was there that he began his studies on the entry of viruses into cells with a focus on the inhibition of infection and applications to gene therapy
Gene therapy
Gene therapy is the insertion, alteration, or removal of genes within an individual's cells and biological tissues to treat disease. It is a technique for correcting defective genes that are responsible for disease development...
.
He joined the Markey Center for Structural Biology at Purdue University in 1995, where he is the leader of the Molecular Virology program and also a member of the Cancer Center. He was the discoverer of a biochemical reaction that leads to the entry of cancer-causing retroviruses into cells. He also is the holder of a U.S, patent on a novel gene-therapy delivery technique. His work on the Ebola virus
Ebola virus
Ebola virus causes severe disease in humans and in nonhuman primates in the form of viral hemorrhagic fever. EBOV is a Select Agent, World Health Organization Risk Group 4 Pathogen , National Institutes of Health/National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Category A Priority Pathogen,...
led to his participation in the U.S. Defense Threat Reduction Agency
Defense Threat Reduction Agency
The Defense Threat Reduction Agency is an agency within the United States Department of Defense and is the official Combat Support Agency for countering weapons of mass destruction . DTRA's main functions are threat reduction, threat control, combat support, and technology development...
's Biological Weapons Proliferation Prevention Program, a product of the Nunn-Lugar legislation. His responsibilities included inspecting the Vector laboratory in Siberia
Siberia
Siberia is an extensive region constituting almost all of Northern Asia. Comprising the central and eastern portion of the Russian Federation, it was part of the Soviet Union from its beginning, as its predecessor states, the Tsardom of Russia and the Russian Empire, conquered it during the 16th...
, which was the site of biological-weapons development in the era of the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
. He has investigated the transmission of viruses from other animals, especially birds, to humans and has been invited to speak on ethics, biodefense, evolution, gene therapy, vaccination and influenza viruses in public forums including regular interviews on WIBC in Indianapolis, He is a recipient of a National Science Foundation
National Science Foundation
The National Science Foundation is a United States government agency that supports fundamental research and education in all the non-medical fields of science and engineering. Its medical counterpart is the National Institutes of Health...
Career Award for his work on an enzyme that is involved in production of the greenhouse gas and potential energy source, methane He is also an American Cancer Society Research Scholar. In 2003 he conducted his sabbatical research at the Weizmann Institute in Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
.
Sanders was the Democratic candidate for Congress in the 4th District of Indiana in 2004 and 2006. He was also elected by Democrats of the 4th Congressional District of Indiana to serve as a delegate pledged to Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
at the 2008 Democratic National Convention
2008 Democratic National Convention
The United States 2008 Democratic National Convention was a quadrennial presidential nominating convention of the Democratic Party where it adopted its national platform and officially nominated its candidates for President and Vice President of the United States. The convention was held in Denver,...
.
On January 21, 2010, Dr. Sanders filed as a candidate for Indiana's 4th Congressional District followed by an appearance on CNN with the announcement of Steve Buyer
Steve Buyer
Stephen Earle Buyer is the former U.S. Representative for , and previously the , serving from 1993 until 2011. He is a member of the Republican Party. Buyer holds the rank of Colonel in the United States Army Reserve....
's resignation and the launch of a new campaign web site: http://www.sandersforcongress.org/