The Business of Biotech

As a brand new technology, recombinant DNA offered potential avenues for big profit, one of which was the promise that companies would be able to rewire microorganisms into tiny factories for making chemical products from medicine to industrial solvents.  However, recombinant DNA also represented a big risk—no one knew if the lab technique could effectively be used to make a marketable product on a large scale.  Still, the new technology piqued the interest of many investors. By the early 1980s, there was a discernible “Biotech Boom” in the United States, with a ripple of buzz about the industry and a fleet of new companies popping up.

One early start-up company, Genentech, turned to the pharmaceutical industry as place to profit from recombinant DNA. For its first product, the company set its sights on insulin, a relatively simple and well-studied protein used to treat diabetes.  Traditionally, insulin had been isolated from pork and beef pancreases, but as the demand for insulin grew with the population of American diabetics, it made sense to search for an alternate source for the drug.  Recombinant DNA offered a potential solution.

To bring recombinant insulin to the market, Genentech struck a deal with well-established pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly, which held a large share of the traditional insulin market.  Lilly would provide funds to Genentech to create the recombinant bacteria and to coax them to produce insulin.  If the Genentech team was successful in creating the insulin-producing bacteria, the microbes would then be licensed to Lilly, which would grow the bacteria and harvest their insulin on an industrial scale.

At Genentech, scientists needed to first build a synthetic human insulin gene, then insert it into bacteria using the recombinant DNA techniques.  To do so, the company hired a team of young scientists, many of them just a few years out of graduate school.  The Genentech scientists were not alone in their efforts to make the insulin gene—several other teams around the country were racing to be the first to make this valuable human protein grow in bacteria.  In the end, however, Genentech scientists won the race.

One scientist on the team, Daniel Yansura, knew the work that he was doing was historic and saved many of his tools from those first days at Genentech.  Below is a gallery of some of those laboratory objects which were donated to the museum in 2012.

Genentech Laboratory Objects

This fermenter was used at Genentech during the early 1980s to grow recombinant bacteria for the production of proteins to be used as medicine.
Description (Brief)
This fermenter was used at Genentech during the early 1980s to grow recombinant bacteria for the production of proteins to be used as medicine. Recombinant bacteria have been genetically altered in a way that makes them capable of producing proteins they wouldn’t naturally produce.
To begin the production process, this fifteen-liter stainless steel tank was seeded with a small sample of recombinant bacteria. The tank provided an environment that encourages bacteria to grow and multiply by controlling the steam, water, temperature, and pressure in the tank. Below the tank is an agitation mechanism, that “stirred” the bacteria, ensuring even access to resources. When the bacteria grew to a number where they filled the tank, they were transferred to a larger fermentation tank as part of an industrial scale-up process.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1983-03-23
user
Genentech, Inc.
ID Number
2012.0198.01
accession number
2012.0198
catalog number
2012.0198.01
This object is part of a set-up for vertical gel electrophoresis. Gel electrophoresis is a technique that uses the electrical charges of molecules to separate them by their length.
Description (Brief)
This object is part of a set-up for vertical gel electrophoresis. Gel electrophoresis is a technique that uses the electrical charges of molecules to separate them by their length. It is often used to analyze DNA fragments.
This set-up was cobbled together by scientists in the lab at Genentech, a biotechnology company, in the late 1970s and used through the 1980s. Its different components were purchased from several suppliers in the San Francisco Bay area and assembled together with binder clips. Although gel electrophoresis set-ups were available for purchase at the time, scientists found their own set-ups to be more reliable and easier to troubleshoot.
Because of its long length, this device was particularly useful for sequencing stretches of synthetic DNA created in the lab. A long length allows for greater resolution between molecular fragments, an important consideration in sequencing efforts.
Source:
Interview with Dan Yansura, Genentech scientist, 12/20/2012
Location
Currently not on view
user
Genentech, Inc.
ID Number
2012.0198.02
catalog number
2012.0198.02
accession number
2012.0198
This object is part of a set-up for vertical gel electrophoresis. Gel electrophoresis is a technique that uses the electrical charges of molecules to separate them by their length.
Description (Brief)
This object is part of a set-up for vertical gel electrophoresis. Gel electrophoresis is a technique that uses the electrical charges of molecules to separate them by their length. It is often used to analyze DNA fragments.
This set-up was cobbled together by scientists in the lab at Genentech, a biotechnology company, in the late 1970s and used through the 1980s. Its different components were purchased from several suppliers in the San Francisco Bay area and assembled together with binder clips.
Because of its short length, this device was primarily used to perform preparative and analytical DNA work rather than sequencing, which requires a long length to provide greater resolution.
Source:
Interview with Dan Yansura, Genentech scientist, 12/20/2012
Location
Currently not on view
user
Genentech, Inc.
ID Number
2012.0198.03
accession number
2012.0198
catalog number
2012.0198.03
This plastic chamber was part of a set-up for a vertical gel electrophoresis chamber used in the lab at Genentech, a biotechnology company, in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
Description (Brief)
This plastic chamber was part of a set-up for a vertical gel electrophoresis chamber used in the lab at Genentech, a biotechnology company, in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Gel electrophoresis is a technique that uses the electrical charges of molecule to separate them by their length. It is often used to analyze DNA fragments. “Yansura,” the name of one of the scientists who used the set-up, is etched on one side of the chamber.
Location
Currently not on view
user
Genentech, Inc.
ID Number
2012.0198.04
catalog number
2012.0198.04
accession number
2012.0198
This plastic chamber was part of a set-up for a vertical gel electrophoresis chamber used in the lab at Genentech, a biotechnology company, in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
Description (Brief)
This plastic chamber was part of a set-up for a vertical gel electrophoresis chamber used in the lab at Genentech, a biotechnology company, in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Gel electrophoresis is a technique that uses the electrical charges of molecules to separate them by their length. It is often used to analyze DNA fragments.
Location
Currently not on view
user
Genentech, Inc.
ID Number
2012.0198.05
accession number
2012.0198
catalog number
2012.0198.05
This electroelution chamber was used by scientists at Genentech, a biotechnology company, in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
Description (Brief)
This electroelution chamber was used by scientists at Genentech, a biotechnology company, in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Electroelution is a technique for removing proteins and other molecules from the gel matrix of gel electrophoresis.
Sections of the gel containing the desired sample were excised and placed into a piece of dialysis tubing. The tubing was secured to the bottom of the chamber using small clips buried in a layer of modeling clay at the bottom of the chamber. Once tubing was secured, the chamber was filled with a buffer solution. An electric current was run through the chamber, causing molecules of interest to migrate across the dialysis tubing into the buffer, from which they were collected.
The modeling clay was not originally part of the chamber, but was purchased from a toy store and pressed onto the bottom of the chamber by scientists in order to provide a way to secure the clips to the bottom.
Source:
Interview with Dan Yansura, Genentech scientist, 12/20/2012
Location
Currently not on view
user
Genentech, Inc.
ID Number
2012.0198.15
accession number
2012.0198
catalog number
2012.0198.15
This white plastic electrophoresis comb has 17 tines.
Description (Brief)
This white plastic electrophoresis comb has 17 tines. Scientists at Genentech, a biotechnology company, made this comb themselves in the late 1970s by cutting it out of a sheet of plastic.
Electrophoresis combs are used to create the wells in gels for electrophoresis, a technique that uses the electrical charges of molecules to separate them by their length. It is often used to analyze DNA fragments. When a gel is poured, a comb is inserted. After the gel solidifies, the comb is removed, leaving wells for samples.
Location
Currently not on view
user
Genentech, Inc.
ID Number
2012.0198.16
accession number
2012.0198
catalog number
2012.0198.16
This power supply was used to provide an electric current for gel electrophoresis and electroelution in the lab at Genentech, a biotechnology company, in the early 1980s.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
This power supply was used to provide an electric current for gel electrophoresis and electroelution in the lab at Genentech, a biotechnology company, in the early 1980s.
Location
Currently not on view
user
Genentech, Inc.
ID Number
2012.0198.59
catalog number
2012.0198.59
accession number
2012.0198
This silver metal canister once contained Sau 3AI, an enzyme commonly used in molecular biology.
Description (Brief)
This silver metal canister once contained Sau 3AI, an enzyme commonly used in molecular biology. Sau 3AI belongs to a class of enzymes known as restriction enzymes, which are useful for their ability to cleave DNA only at locations containing specific sequences of nucleotides, the small chemical units which make up the longer DNA molecule. Sau 3AI recognizes the sequence GATC and will cut before the G.
This particular canister of Sau 3AI was used to create recombinant DNA molecules at Genentech, a biotechnology company, in the early 1980s.
Source:
GeneON, “Sau3AI.” http://www.taq-dna.com/sau3ai-_91.html
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1985-09
user
Genentech, Inc.
ID Number
2012.0198.28
accession number
2012.0198
catalog number
2012.0198.28
This silver metal canister once contained Eco RI, an enzyme commonly used in molecular biology.
Description (Brief)
This silver metal canister once contained Eco RI, an enzyme commonly used in molecular biology. Eco RI belongs to a class of enzymes known as restriction enzymes, which are useful for their ability to cleave DNA only at locations containing specific sequences of nucleotides, the small chemical units that make up the longer DNA molecule. Eco RI recognizes the sequence GAATTC and will cut between the G and first A.
This particular canister of Eco RI was used to create recombinant DNA molecules at Genentech, a biotechnology company, in the early 1980s.
Source:
National Library of Medicine Medical Subject Headings. “Deoxyribonuclease EcoRI.” http://www.nlm.nih.gov/cgi/mesh/2011/MB_cgi?mode=&term=Eco-RI
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1985-03
user
Genentech, Inc.
ID Number
2012.0198.27
accession number
2012.0198
catalog number
2012.0198.27
This silver metal canister once contained Hind III, an enzyme commonly used in molecular biology.
Description (Brief)
This silver metal canister once contained Hind III, an enzyme commonly used in molecular biology. Hind III belongs to a class of enzymes known as restriction enzymes, which are useful for their ability to cleave DNA only at locations containing specific sequences of nucleotides, the small chemical units that make up the longer DNA molecule. Hind III recognizes the sequence TTCGAA and will cut between the A’s.
This particular canister of Hind III was used to create recombinant DNA molecules at Genentech, a biotechnology company, in the early 1980s.
Source:
GeneON, “Hind III.” http://www.taq-dna.com/hindiii-_76.html
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1985-01
user
Genentech, Inc.
ID Number
2012.0198.29
accession number
2012.0198
catalog number
2012.0198.29
This object is a petri dish lid with a circular paper grid featuring the numbers 1–50 taped to it.
Description (Brief)
This object is a petri dish lid with a circular paper grid featuring the numbers 1–50 taped to it. The paper grid was photocopied out of a laboratory manual, most likely one published by the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory or Maniatis Laboratory.
The lid was used in the laboratory at Genentech, a biotechnology company, as a way to distinguish between bacterial colonies. It was placed under a clean petri dish, and bacterial colonies were transferred onto the dish, one colony per grid square. Colonies could then be tracked using their grid number. A small sample from each colony could be removed and tested to give the characteristics of the entire colony. This system was essential at Genentech where often scientists needed to keep track of 100s to 1000s of colonies per research project.
Source:
Interview with Dan Yansura, Genentech scientist, 12/20/2012
Location
Currently not on view
user
Genentech, Inc.
ID Number
2012.0198.31
accession number
2012.0198
catalog number
2012.0198.31
This object is a petri dish lid with a circular paper grid featuring the numbers 1–100 taped to it.
Description (Brief)
This object is a petri dish lid with a circular paper grid featuring the numbers 1–100 taped to it. The paper grid was photocopied out of a laboratory manual, most likely one published by the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory or Maniatis Laboratory.
The lid was used in the laboratory at Genentech, a biotechnology company, as a way to distinguish between bacterial colonies. It was placed under a clean petri dish, and bacterial colonies were transferred onto the dish, one colony per grid square. Colonies could then be tracked using their grid number. A small sample from each colony could be removed and tested to give the characteristics of the entire colony. This system was essential at Genentech where often scientists needed to keep track of 100s to 1000s of colonies per research project.
Source:
Interview with Dan Yansura, Genentech scientist, 12/20/2012
Location
Currently not on view
user
Genentech, Inc.
ID Number
2012.0198.30
accession number
2012.0198
catalog number
2012.0198.30
This inverted microscope was used at Genentech, a biotechnology company. In a traditional light microscope (the kind most often used in high school biology classes), the light source comes from below a slide-mounted specimen and the observer views it from above.
Description (Brief)
This inverted microscope was used at Genentech, a biotechnology company. In a traditional light microscope (the kind most often used in high school biology classes), the light source comes from below a slide-mounted specimen and the observer views it from above. By contrast, an inverted microscope’s light source comes from above and the sample is viewed from the bottom.
This configuration eliminates the need for slide-mounting the specimen for observation and allows the observer to view samples in flasks or petri dishes. For this reason the inverted microscope is particularly useful in work with living cells and tissue culture, allowing both observation and manipulation of the sample.
Sources:
Goldstein, David. “Inverted Microscope.” Microscopy-UK. 1998. http://microscopy-uk.org.uk/mag/indexmag.html?http://microscopy-uk.org.uk/mag/artjul98/invert.html
Olympus. “Inverted biological microscope.” http://www.olympus-global.com/en/corc/history/story/micro/headstand/
Location
Currently not on view
date made
before 1995
circa 1970
user
Genentech, Inc.
maker
Olympus
ID Number
2012.0198.60
accession number
2012.0198
catalog number
2012.0198.60
This microforge was used at Genentech, a biotechnology company.Laboratory technicians use microforges to heat and shape glass in order to create very small, delicate instruments for work with living cells under a microscope.
Description (Brief)
This microforge was used at Genentech, a biotechnology company.
Laboratory technicians use microforges to heat and shape glass in order to create very small, delicate instruments for work with living cells under a microscope. This model was designed to “provide seven different basic operations for transforming fine capillary tubing, solid glass rods, and various fusible materials into an endless variety of micro-tools.” These micro-tools typically come in the form of extremely fine needles, pipettes, or hooks. They are used to manipulate or inject living cells under a microscope.
The need for the microforge developed after the invention of the micromanipulator, a tool designed to hold and manipulate tools under a microscope with a precision greater than that of the human hand.
Sources:
Curtin Scientific Company. “mini-maker!” Southwest Retort 22:9, May 1970. http://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc111167/m1/24/
Institut Pasteur “Pierre de Fonbrune.” http://www.pasteur.fr/infosci/archives/fnb0.html
Location
Currently not on view
date made
about 1970
user
Genentech, Inc.
maker
Curtin Matheson Scientific, Inc.
ID Number
2012.0198.61
accession number
2012.0198
catalog number
2012.0198.61
maker number
V58092
model number
MF-67
serial number
46590
This object is a micropipettor for measuring and transferring small, precise volumes of liquid. It was used by scientists at Genentech, a biotechnology company, for small reactions such as digesting DNA.The micropipettor was developed by Dr.
Description (Brief)
This object is a micropipettor for measuring and transferring small, precise volumes of liquid. It was used by scientists at Genentech, a biotechnology company, for small reactions such as digesting DNA.
The micropipettor was developed by Dr. Warren Gilson in 1972.
Sources:
Gilson, “About Us.” http://www.pipetman.com/AboutUs.aspx
Zinnen, Tom. “The Micropipette Story.” WisconIngenuity. http://www.biotech.wisc.edu/outreach/pipettestory.html
Location
Currently not on view
date made
January 1986-January 1991
user
Genentech, Inc.
maker
Gilson, Inc.
ID Number
2012.0198.34
accession number
2012.0198
catalog number
2012.0198.34
serial number
D20630A
This silver metal canister once contained T4-DNA ligase, an enzyme commonly used in molecular biology.
Description (Brief)
This silver metal canister once contained T4-DNA ligase, an enzyme commonly used in molecular biology. T4-DNA ligase helps create bonds between the ends of fragments of DNA.
This capability makes it useful in the laboratory when scientists want to combine DNA from two different sources in order to create recombinant DNA. This particular canister of T4-DNA ligase was used to create recombinant DNA molecules at Genentech, a biotechnology company, in the early 1980s.
Source:
Aehle, W. (2007). Enzymes in industry: Production and applications. Wiley-VCH.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1984-08
user
Genentech, Inc.
ID Number
2012.0198.26
accession number
2012.0198
catalog number
2012.0198.26
This silver metal canister once contained DNA-polymerase, an enzyme commonly used in molecular biology.
Description (Brief)
This silver metal canister once contained DNA-polymerase, an enzyme commonly used in molecular biology. In living organisms, it plays an important role in DNA replication and repair, by helping to speed along the process of linking together nucleotide bases into the chains that make up DNA.
This particular canister of DNA-polymerase was used in DNA sequencing efforts at the labs at Genentech, a biotechnology company, in the early 1980s.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1983-08-16
user
Genentech, Inc.
ID Number
2012.0198.23
accession number
2012.0198
catalog number
2012.0198.23
This inoculating turntable consists of a circular platform that rotates on its base. A petri dish was placed on the turntable, which was spun by hand.
Description (Brief)
This inoculating turntable consists of a circular platform that rotates on its base. A petri dish was placed on the turntable, which was spun by hand. This allowed a laboratory technician to streak bacteria onto the dish in even concentric circles.
It was used in the laboratories at Genentech, a biotechnology company.
Source:
Fischer Scientific. “Fischer Scientific Inoculating Turntables.” http://www.fishersci.com/ecomm/servlet/fsproductdetail_10652_791058__-1_0
Location
Currently not on view
user
Genentech, Inc.
maker
Fisher Scientific Company
ID Number
2012.0198.53
accession number
2012.0198
catalog number
2012.0198.53

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