The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current, August 31, 1995, Image 2

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845-1661
A&M professor leads
search for TB vaccinen
Amy Browning, The Battalion
Dr. Robin Autenrieth shows off one of her trading cards on which she
is featured. The cards will appear in stores this week.
□ A task force is
searching for a new
vaccine to combat the
disease that kills more
than 3 million people
a year.
‘Way Cool Scientist’: Prof seeks
to stimulate kids' science interest
By Maria Jimena Albarracin
The Battalion
□ Dr. Robin Autenrieth
is featured on a trading
card for children.
By Javier Martinez
The Battalion
It may not be as valuable as a
Babe Ruth rookie card, but a
trading card with the picture of a
Texas A&M professor may give
children something just as valu
able — an interest in science.
Dr. Robin Autenrieth, an as
sociate professor of engineering,
will appear on a trading card as
a “Way Cool Scientist” for the
Bill Nye the Science Guy televi
sion program.
The Sky Box Trading Cards,
which bear a picture of Autenri
eth along with a brief descrip
tion of her research, will appear
in stores this week.
The cards will have an easy ex
periment related to Autenrieth’s
work for kids to try at home.
Photographs for the card were
taken in June, and Autenrieth
received advanced copies two
weeks ago.
“I thought I looked kind of
dweeby,” Autenrieth said. “But
my daughters assured me I
looked good.”
Autenrieth was put on the
card after Mike Downey, a sci
ence writer for the Texas Engi
neering Experiment Station,
suggested her to a Bill Nye sci
ence writer at a meeting of the
American Association for the
Advancement of Science.
Along with her husband, Dr.
James Bonner,Autenrieth is
currently researching biode
graders such as new strands
of bacteria.
These biodegraders will be
used to safely deal with toxic
materials found in oil spills and
outdated chemical weapons.
Other cards in the 94-card set
will have stickers and punch-outs
that can be made into mobiles.
Topics will range from the human
brain to the periodic table.
The cards are part of the
program’s plan to get children
interested in science by dis
pelling stereotypes of scientists
as “nerds.”
“You are always combating
that kind of stereotype,” Downey
said. “That’s why we try and pro
mote people like Robin.”
Bill Nye the Science Guy airs
on PBS at 4 p.m. on weekday af
ternoons, as well as on commer
cial cable networks.
Although this season’s
episodes have already been
filmed, Autenrieth and Bonner
are on the short list of featured
“Way Cool Scientists” to appear
on next season’s shows.
A World Health Organiza
tion, WHO, task force led by a
Texas A&M professor is
searching for new vaccines for
tuberculosis.
Tuberculosis, a lung disease,
affects 1.9 billion people around
the world and 15 million people
in the United States.
About 26,000 new cases of
TB are reported yearly in the
United States. TB is spread
through the air, and there
have been recent outbreaks in
hospitals and prisons in
the United States.
Dr. David McMur-
ray, the chairman
of the task
and
force
A&M medical
microbiology and
immunology professor, said a
lack of funding for treatment
of the disease has deterred
the development of a vaccine.
“In the early 1970s, it ap
peared as though tuberculosis
was on the way out as a
health threat in this country,”
McMurray said, “and when
that determination was made,
funding for tuberculosis re
search dropped almost to zero.
Until the late 1980s, there
was very little money being
spent on TB research.”
In the late 1980s, a resur
gence of TB spurred an in
crease in funding for research.
Part of these funds went into
development for a vaccine.
One vaccine, the BCG vac
cine, is not used in the United
States because it present At
risks, especially in peop];^.,
whose immune systems havL
been weakened by the HR
virus or other conditions.
McMurray, who haJ
chaired the WHO task forctl
for four months, has beenl
working on a vaccine for tw;
years. The task force coonk
nates vaccine development!
and testing activities in ordetj
to prevent unnecessary dupli ;
cation of information.
The laboratory is oneofsiil
in the United States withfacilf
ities to test the bacteria re|
sponsible for TB.
“Today, we have tested!
total of 13 experimental vacl
cines in this model system,’!
McMurray said. “Severali
them give a level of protection!
which is equal to,[
if not betteij
than, the BCC[
vaccine.”
Graduate stu-l
dents have been takinjl
an active role in the inves f
tigation. The team of re j
searchers is composed ofa
full-time technician and five!
doctoral students.
One doctoral student, Guii j
iang Dai, came to work with!
McMurray in 1993 fromhisj
home country of the People)
Republic of China wherel
had been researching TB.
“I am very confident in the j
research,” Dai said.
The team has been working!
on a guinea pig model of pui |
monary tuberculosis, which!
widely recognized as the mos
relevant model of TB in smal
animals because it mimics the [
development of TB in humans.
“We have a very human-like 1
disease which is produced inf
the guinea pig,” McMurrajj
said. “If we vaccinate the!
guinea pigs before we infect!;
them and the vaccine protectsf
them, then we have a h
likelihood of expecting
same result in humans.”
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The Battalion
Jody Holley, Night News Editor
Stacy Stanton, night News Editor
Michael Landauer, AggielifeEditor
Nick Georgandis, Sports Editor
Stew Milne, Photo Editor
Editorial Staff
Rob Clark, Editor in Chief
STERLING Dayman, Managing Editor
Kyle Littlefield, Opinion Editor
GrETCHEN Perrenot, City Editor
Staff Members
City Desk - Assistant Editor: Wes Swift; Reporters: Maria Jimena Albarracin, James Bernsen, Javier
Martinez, Elizabeth Todd, Courtney Walker & Tara Wilkinson; Stringers: Sean Chaffin,
lavier Hinojosa, Melissa Keerins, Kasie Byers & Michelle Lyons
Aggielife Desk - Assistant Editor: Amy Collier; Feature Writers: Libe Goad, Jan Higgin
botham, Amy Protas, Brad Russell & Amy Uptmor; Columnists: Rachel Barry I
Elizabeth Garrett; Page Designers: Helen Clancy & Robin Greathouse
Sports Desk - Assistant Editor: Kristina Buitin; Sportswriters: Tom Day, Philip Leone, Lisa NanceS
David Winder; Stringer: Robin Greathouse; Page Designers: Rachel Frady & Christopher Long
Opinion Desk - Assistant Editor: Elizabeth Preston; Columnists: Pamela Benson, Erin I
Chris Stidvent & David Taylor; Contributing Columnists: H. L. Baxter, Brian A,
Beckham, Jason Brown, Erin Fitzgerald, Juan Hernandez, Adam Hill, Alex Miller,
Jim Pawlikowski & Lydia Percival; Editorial Writers: David Hill & Jason Winkle:
Editorial Cartoonists: Brad Graeber & Gerardo Quezada
Photo Desk - Assistant Editor: Tim Moog; Photographers: Amy Browning, Robyn Calloway,
Louis Craig, Nick Rodnicki, Eddy Wylie & Evan Zimmerman
Page Designers - News: Missy Davilla, Kristin Deluca, Zach Estes & Tiffany Moore; Sports:
Rachel Erady & Christopher Long; Aggielife; Helen Clancy & Robin Greathouse
Copy Editors - (ennifer Campbell & Janet Johnson
Graphic Artists - Toon Boonyavanich & James Vineyard
Strip Cartoonists - Quatro Oakley, Valerie Myers, Brandon Onstott, Ed G., John Lemon & DaveD.
Office Staff - OrncE Manager: Julie Thomas; Clerks: Kasie Byers & Heather Harris
News: The Battalion news department is managed by students at Texas A&M University in the
Division of Student Publications, a unit of the Department of Journalism.
News offices are in 013 Reed McDonald Building. Newsroom phone: 845-3313; Fax: 845-2647
Advertising: Publication of advertising does not imply sponsorship or endorsement by TheBal-
talion. For campus, local and national display advertising, call 845-2696. For classi
fied advertising, call 845-0569. Advertising offices are in 015 Reed McDonald and of
fice hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Fax: 845-2678.
The Battalion (UPS 045-360) is published daily, Monday through Friday during the fall and spring
semesters and Monday through Thursday during the summer sessions (except on University
holidays and exam periods), at Texas A&M University. Second class postage paid at College
Station, TX 77840.
Postmaster: Send address changes to The Battalion, 230 Reed McDonald Building, Texas A&M
University, College Station, TX 77843.
►
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Q ( FfT involved!
and have fun doing it!
First Meeting : Sept. 5
8:30 p.m., 601 Rudder
Then go to Silver Taps.
Some of our upcoming events include:
^ BONFIRE CUT & STACK
MARDI GRAS
It's Luau Night
Wear a grass skirt
^ HAUNTED HOUSE
ALL NIGHT FAIR
and you may
^ BONFIRE BUDDIES
BIG EVENT
win a prize!!
^ MISTLETOE BASH
SPRING BANQUET
OFF CAMPUS HOUSING FAIR
DINNER CLUB
^ REPLANT
INTRAMURAL SPORTS
PARENTS WEEKEND GOLF TOURNAMENT
For more information, please call the OCA office at 845-0688
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