SunBMT focuses primarily on systems biology approaches to the development of products that tie genetic, molecular and cell biology with informatics and electronic engineering. Our vision is application of advanced bioinformatics to health care, public health and disease prevention. This includes comprehensive genomic and proteomic studies, advanced informatics, electronic biosensor development, molecular genetic/protein engineering and gene function analysis related to human disease and metabolic processes, as well as environmental hazards. Our focus is human genomic and proteomic responses to inflammations induced by infections, by environmental factors and by unhealthy behaviors encountered in daily life to provide molecular signatures to identify the specific eliciting causes of those inflammations. We expect these efforts to enable detection and intervention in health problems, for example, metabolic and inflammatory processes that lead to atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and diabetes, long before the diseases develop.
Goals
Our goals are to use a systems biology approach to capitalize on the unique engineering and scientific expertise available in the Ridgecrest/China Lake, California area to integrate biotechnology and engineering to develop products for the healthcare industry. This includes:
- Human genomic and proteomic host responses to (i) infectious diseases and other inflammatory diseases, and (ii) cardiovascular diseases, diabetes mellitus, and other chronic disease that develop over time as our immune systems respond to our life styles and environment.
- Development of Sublancin and its mutants for use in Bacillus spores detection and decontamination, and for treatment of specific infections.
- Development of other peptide and non-peptide antibiotics for multidrug-resistant bacteria, including methicillin-resistant and vancomycin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.
We also aim to develop tests for rapid diagnosis and intervention in disease processes before disease is manifest or apparent, and to market those products nationally and internationally.
Objectives
Use product oriented groups of experts to tie genetic engineering technology and electronics engineering expertise to focus on interventions or evaluation of human disease processes, such as:
- Biomolecular recognition and function
- Key functional gene and protein recognition
- Genomic response (transcriptomic) and proteomic response screening for infections and other inflammatory processes caused by transient environmental insults or reversible habits (for example, high fat diets, smoking) and modifiable metabolic processes (for example, metabolic syndrome) that can lead to chronic diseases
- Bioterrorism and environmental hazards
- Biosensor technology
- Development of Sublancin and other antibiotics against multidrug resistant bacteria
This will involve testing theories, concepts, and procedures developed by these product groups with focus on unique laboratory findings have the potential for commercial development and the subsequent preparation of products for marketing.
Key Personnel
Earl W. Ferguson, M.D., Ph.D., FACC, FACP, FACPM, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Chief Medical Officer (CMO), has an extensive background in academic, government and private medical practice, including clinical practice, medical research and management. He completed his M.D. and Ph.D. at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston and a medicine residency, cardiology fellowship and post-doctoral research in biochemistry at Duke University Medical Center. Dr. Ferguson is a retired Air Force Colonel and was an SES 6 with NASA before moving to Ridgecrest in 1996. He has also been a pioneer in the development of Internet telemedicine and other computer and informatics applications to health care since 1994. He is Director, Telemedicine, Outreach and Rural Health Care Development at Ridgecrest Regional Hospital and Director, Southern Sierra Telehealth Network that performs more than 100 interactive video telemedicine visits each month. He is also an Adjunct Professor of Health Policy and Management and a Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine, Loma Linda University.
Sun H. Paik, D.Pharm., Ph.D., President and Chief Operating Officer (COO), has had extensive research experience in cell and molecular biology, including genetic engineering, protein chemistry, pharmacology, genomics and proteomics, as well as laboratory management. She completed her D.Pharm. and M.S. in Pharmacology at the University of Sao Paulo, Brazil and a Ph.D. in cell and molecular biology at the University of Maryland at College Park. She is an Adjunct Associate Professor at Loma Linda University and was formally on the research faculty at UCLA.
Guck T. Ooi, Ph.D., Chief Scientist, has extensive basic and applied research experience and numerous publications in cell and molecular biology, with special expertise in molecular endocrinology, genomics, proteomics and bioinformatics. He completed his M.S. and Ph.D. in Applied Science at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia. He spent ten years at NIH at the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) and is an Adjunct Associate Professor at Loma Linda University and Senior Research Officer at Prince Henry’s Institute of Medical Research, Australia. He is the Scientific Editor of the Journal of Endocrinology.
Yoko Murata, D.Pharm., Ph.D., Laboratory Director, is an experienced laboratory manager with expertise in cell and molecular biology, particularly in endocrinology, microbiology, pharmacology and proteomics. She completed her D.Pharm. at the University of Sao Paulo and her M.S. and Ph.D. in radiobiology/nuclear technology at IPEN, University of Sao Paulo, Brazil. She is an Adjunct Assistant Professor at Loma Linda University.
