The Department of Chemical Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology welcomes colleagues, alumni, students, family, and friends to celebrate the distinguished career of Professor Clark K. Colton.

He is the first chemical engineer whose research has been devoted entirely to studies of diverse problems in biomedicine and biotechnology. He has been both a pioneer and a leader in these fields, with significant impact on the practice of medicine today and in the future. Generations of his students have gone on to populate and lead the field of biomedical engineering in academia, government, industry, and as serial entrepreneurs.

The purpose of the Symposium is to celebrate the achievements of Professor Colton and his students and to explore how their research experience in the Colton Lab and their graduate education at MIT influenced their subsequent career paths. We are grateful for Clark’s presence as we recognize his lasting impact on science, engineering, education, and mentorship.

During Clark Colton’s 55 years as a professor in the department, he has been a valued member, contributing to our research and academic community. He is a pioneer in the field of biomedical engineering and helped to revitalize our undergraduate lab courses.

Colton received his PhD from MIT in Chemical Engineering in 1969. Inspired by Ed Merrill and Kenneth Smith, his research focused on biomedical applications of chemical engineering, specifically the first study to understand mass transfer in hemodialysis (the artificial kidney). Post-graduation, he became a professor in the department and pursued a wide variety of research interests: hemofiltration (a better artificial kidney), ultrafiltration of protein solutions, blood microfiltration for plasmapheresis, oxygen transport in blood, enzyme engineering, and transport of lipoproteins across endothelium into blood vessel walls with application to atherosclerosis. His research related to diabetes spanned his entire career, beginning with development of an implantable electrochemical glucose sensor to be coupled with an insulin pump for glucose control and then a hybrid artificial pancreas comprised of islet cells encapsulated in a polymeric device. Colton pioneered study of the role of oxygen in the performance of such devices and its effect on islet insulin secretion. He was the first academic chemical engineer at a major research university who spent his entire research career on mainly biomedical subjects. Consequently, his students pioneered many new areas of biomedical research and went into highly diverse careers not previously populated by chemical engineers.

Colton served as acting department head in 1977-78 and appointed the first graduate admissions committee. He subsequently chaired that committee for a decade and established the basic framework of graduate recruiting that continues to be used today. In 1988 he chaired the celebration of 100 years of Course X, the Centennial of Chemical Engineering Education, that brought leading scholars in chemical engineering to a retreat off campus to discuss the future of chemical engineering education followed by a convocation that filled Kresge Auditorium with alumni and friends of the department.

Colton has left an indelible mark on both undergraduate and graduate education in the department. He had the unique perspective of being both a student of and then professor leading Course 10.56 “Chemical Engineering in Medicine,” and taught several bioengineering courses. In the 1990s, Colton helped to revitalize the 10.26/27/29 undergraduate projects laboratory, working with industry partners to provide students the opportunity to solve real-world chemical engineering problems while learning to communicate professionally and navigate team dynamics.

Colton has been recognized with the Camille and Henry Dreyfus Foundation Teacher-Scholar Award, Allan P. Colburn Award (AIChE), Curtis W. McGraw Research Award (ASEE), Gambro AB Award (International Society of Blood Purification), Lifetime Contribution Award (Bioartificial Organs) from the Engineering Foundation, a Food, Pharmaceutical, and Bioengineering Division Award from AIChE, and inclusion in 100 Chemical Engineers of the Modern Era. He is a founding fellow of the American Institute of Medical and Biological Engineering, and was elected fellow of the American Association for Advancement of Science and the Biomedical Engineering Society.

9:00 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.	Welcome Continental Breakfast
9:30 a.m.	Accomplishments of Prof. Colton Keith Dionne, MIT M.S. Technology and Public Policy, 1987, PhD MIT Chemical Engineering, 1989 | CEO Luxa Biotechnology
Enzyme Engineering*
9:40 a.m.	From Nanotechnology to mRNA Vaccines: Overcoming Skepticism and Barriers to New Cancer Treatments and Global Health Solutions Bob Langer, MIT ScD 1974 | Institute Professor, MIT
Atherosclerosis
9:55 a.m.	Atherosclerosis to Migraine: A Biotech Journey in Drug Development Bob Bratzler, MIT PhD 1974 | Director, Manistee Therapeutics
10:10 a.m.	A Life in the Hyphen: Tales from a Surgeon-Engineer Jay Schnitzer, PhD Chemical Engineering, 1973, M.D. Harvard, 1973 (HST, Harvard-MIT joint program) | Director, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research; President, Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc.
10:25 a.m.	Life as a ChemE in BME George Truskey, MIT PhD 1985 | R. Eugene and Susie E. Goodson Distinguished Professor of Biomedical Engineering
10:40 a.m.	Break
11:00 a.m.	Clark’s Impact on My Academic Career: From Atherosclerosis to Tick Marks on the Inside of Axes Abdul Barakat, MIT MS 1988, PhD 1994 | AXA Professor, Ecole Polytechnique, France
11:15 a.m.	Biological Transport from 1975 to Now Nicholas Peppas, ScD, MIT, Chemical Engineering 1973 (with Ed Merrill), Postdoc with Clark Colton and Ken Smith 1975-1976 | Cockrell Family Regents Chair in Engineering, Director, Institute of Biomaterials, Drug Delivery and Regenerative Medicine, Professor, McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering, Professor Department of Biomedical Engineering, Professor Department of Pediatrics, Professor Department of Surgery and Perioperative Care, Dell Medical School, and Professor Division of Molecular Pharmaceutics and Drug Delivery, College of Pharmacy
Enzyme Engineering (continued)
11:25 a.m.	From ATP Synthesis to Immunotherapy: How Clark Colton Redefined the Chemical Engineer Orn Adalsteinsson, MIT M.Sc 1974, PhD 1976 | Founder, President, and CEO of the International Strategic Cancer Alliance (ISCA)
11:35 a.m.	Tribute to Clark (Video Presentation) Andre Lamotte, MIT ScD 1976 | Co-Founder and Vice Chairman LowAlt Technologies AG (Switzerland)
11:45 a.m.	My Pilgrimage from Science to Diplomacy (Pre-recorded) Jose Maria Costa Lafarga, MIT PhD Chemical Engineering 1980, MPA Harvard University 1988 | Retired from Associate Professor of Chemical Engineering at the Universidad Politécnica De Valencia
11:55 a.m.	Friendship, Bioseparations and Tennis Georges Belfort, PhD, University of California, Irvine; DSc (Engr) (honoris causa) | Institute Professor of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
12:00 p.m.	Lunch
1:00 p.m.	Clark Colton and MIT ChemE Kristala Prather, SB 1994 MIT Chemical Engineering; PhD University of California, Berkeley 1999 | Arthur Dehon Little Professor, Department Head, MIT Chemical Engineering
Membrane Processes
1:10 p.m.	My Journey in Membranes — and a Thank You to Clark Andrew Zydney, MIT PhD 1985 | Bayard D. Kunkle Chair and Professor of Chemical Engineering, Penn State University
1:25 p.m.	A Journey from Dialysis to Rare Diseases Sujatha Karoor, Post Doctoral fellow: 1992-1995 MIT | Head of Scientific Affairs, Orphalan SA
1:30 p.m.	From the Colton Lab to a Life in the Law — Not as Big a Departure as You May Think Mike Pomianek, MIT MSCEP 1990; PhD 1998 | Shareholder and IP attorney at Wolf Greenfield, P.C.; Chair of Cleantech Practice Group
Immune Engineering, etc.
1:35 p.m.	The Colton Effect: Science, People, and Lasting Influence (Pre-recorded) Martin (Maish) Yarmush, PhD (Biophysical Chemistry) Rockefeller University 1979, MD Yale University 1983 | Paul and Mary Endowed Chair of Science and Engineering, Distinguished Professor of Biomedical Engineering, Rutgers University; Director, Center for Engineering in Medicine and Surgery, Mass General Brigham/Harvard Medical School
Diabetes
1:50 p.m.	From Modeling Glucose and Insulin Pharmacodynamics to a Career in Drug Delivery, Medical Diagnostics and Drug Development (Online Presentation) Robert Hillman, MIT SM in Chemical Engineering 1978; PhD ETH-Zurich 2003 | Co-Founder, President and CEO at CeleCor Therapeutics
1:55 p.m.	Oh, The Places You’ll Go! Keith Dionne, MIT M.S. Technology and Public Policy, 1987 & PhD MIT Chemical Engineering, 1989 | CEO Luxa Biotechnology
2:10 p.m.	Break
2:25 p.m.	Oxygen Demands of Islets in Culture and After Transplantation Susan Bonner-Weir, PhD 1971 Case Western Reserve | Senior Investigator, Joslin Diabetes Center; Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School
2:40 p.m.	A Time of Rapid Discovery in the Field of Encapsulated Cellular Transplantation Robert Johnson, PhD Princeton University 1979 | Semi-retired Research Professor, Institute for Cellular Transplantation, University of Arizona & CSO Procyon Technologies LLC
2:50 p.m.	The Quest for a Functional Cure for Diabetes: The Colton/MIT Influence Klearchos Papas, Georgia Tech: Chemical Engineering Bachelors, Masters, PhD (1986-1996); MIT ChemE 1999-2003, Research Associate | Professor of Surgery, Director of the Institute for Cellular Transplantation, University of Arizona
3:05 p.m.	Break
Tumor-Targeted Drugs
3:20 p.m.	A Short Walk from Building 66 to Genzyme Center and the Years Thereafter Kevin Brower, MIT MS CEP 2006, PhD 2011 | Global Head of Purification Development, Sanofi
Stem Cells
3:25 p.m.	I Left Grad School and Got a Job Daryl Powers, PhD MIT Chemical Engineering 2007 | Director of MS&T at Bristol Myers Squibb
3:35 p.m.	Stem Cell-Derived Islets for Type 1 Diabetes Cell Replacement Therapy Jeffery Millman, PhD MIT Chemical Engineering, 2011 | Alan A. and Edith L Wolff Professor of Endocrinology, Professor of Medicine and Biomedical Engineering, Washington University School of Medicine
3:50 p.m.	Stochastic Gene Expression: My Random Career (So Far) Jit Hin Tan, MIT SM CEP 2004, MBA 2013, PhD CEP 2013 | Senior Director, Strategic Initiatives – AI Transformation, CyberArk Software Ltd.
Concluding Remarks
4:00 p.m.	Clark Colton and the Biomedical Engineering Program at MIT Rena Bizios, Lutcher Brown Endowed Distinguished University Chair, Professor of Biomedical Engineering; Department of Biomedical Engineering and Chemical Engineering, University of Texas San Antonio
4:05 p.m.	Reflections Clark Colton, PhD MIT Chemical Engineering, 1969, Professor of Chemical Engineering, MIT
4:30 p.m.	End of Symposium. The auditorium will remain open until 5:00 p.m.
*Research area of thesis

MIT has several preferred hotels in the campus area, three of which are in Kendall Square:

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Other MIT preferred hotels include:

Via Public Transportation

Boston’s public transportation system is the MBTA, known as “the T.”
Subway: From any terminal at Logan Airport, take the Silver Line bus to South Station. At South Station, change to the Red Line subway to Kendall/MIT (inbound toward Alewife). The ride should take about 30 minutes and is free.

Bus: The 64, 68, and 85 lines stop near the MIT Welcome Center. The #1 bus stops on Massachusetts Avenue, about a 15-minute walk from the Welcome Center.

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From Logan Airport

Taxi or Rideshare: Taxi fare from the airport is about $35–$40, and a rideshare service can range from about $20–$35. During non-rush hour, the ride will take about 15 minutes; during rush hour, it may take 30 minutes or more.

Subway: From any terminal at Logan Airport, take the Silver Line bus to South Station. At South Station, change to the Red Line subway to Kendall/MIT (inbound toward Alewife). The ride should take about 30 minutes.

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Parking
Attendees may park at either of the following pay-to-park lots, both of which are open to the public on weekends and within walking distance of Building 66:

33 Amherst Street, Cambridge
20 Albany Street, Cambridge

Kathy Briana: kbriana@mit.edu | 617-905-6658