The UC Santa Cruz RNA Center recently hosted the premiere of “Cracking the Code: Phil Sharp and the Biotech Revolution” at the Landmark Del Mar Theatre. This documentary highlights the career of Phil Sharp, a Nobel laureate and molecular biologist, alongside the rapid growth of the biotechnology sector.
Following the screening, attendees engaged in a panel discussion that focused on Santa Cruz”s role in the biotech industry and the significance of RNA research. RNA, a crucial biomolecule similar to DNA, plays multiple essential roles within cells and has become foundational to modern biomedicine. The RNA Center at UCSC comprises 20 laboratories dedicated to advancing RNA-based therapeutics and diagnostic innovations. Established in 1992, the center boasts prominent researchers, including Nobel laureate Carol Greider and its founding director, Harry Noller, who received the 2017 Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences.
Phil Sharp is renowned for his groundbreaking discovery of RNA splicing in 1977, a critical biological process that facilitates protein synthesis by removing non-coding RNA segments and joining the remaining sequences. This achievement earned him the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 1993 and laid the groundwork for extensive research and various therapeutic applications, notably the COVID-19 mRNA vaccine.
“Cracking the Code” presents Sharp”s journey from his childhood on a Kentucky tobacco farm to his significant contributions in molecular biology and the biotechnology landscape. Directed by Bill Haney and narrated by actor Mark Ruffalo, the film is currently available for viewing on PBS.
The post-screening panel included Noller, Lauren Linton, executive director of UCSC”s Genomics Institute, Richard Green, a paleogenomics researcher and biotech entrepreneur, Fred Keeley, mayor of Santa Cruz, and William Fairbrother, a researcher at Brown University and a former member of Sharp”s lab. The discussion addressed various topics, including the current endeavors at the RNA Center and the challenges posed by misinformation surrounding RNA science and mRNA vaccines.
The panel kicked off with the question, “Why not Santa Cruz?” posed by Jeremy Sanford, co-director of the RNA Center. He inquired why the biotech industry has not flourished more in Santa Cruz, despite the university”s strong legacy in genomics and RNA studies. Green, who operates three biotech firms in the area, asserted that a biotech community does exist in Santa Cruz. Linton echoed this sentiment, emphasizing that UCSC and the RNA Center possess the necessary curiosity, expertise, and collaborative spirit found in established biotech hubs like Cambridge and San Francisco.
Green highlighted the importance of fostering closer ties with medical schools to enhance Santa Cruz”s appeal to biotech enterprises. Keeley mentioned ongoing discussions about the potential establishment of a medical school at UCSC. Linton noted that biotech entrepreneurs must also perceive a supportive investment community nearby to feel secure in taking the risks associated with launching a biotech business.
The panelists identified the challenging housing market in Santa Cruz as a significant barrier to attracting talent to the biotech sector. Green pointed out that recruiting for startups can be problematic because potential employees may hesitate to relocate to an area where homeownership is out of reach. Keeley stated, “The housing issue rises to the top very rapidly here,” and advocated for the creation of additional on-campus housing at UCSC to alleviate pressure on the city”s housing market for both renters and buyers. He also mentioned that an upcoming vote on Measure C could pave the way for more affordable housing developments.
Currently, Green remarked, it has become almost customary for successful companies to relocate to the San Jose area. He stated that when businesses choose to remain in Santa Cruz, it will signify that the region has established itself as a desirable destination for industry.
“We”ll know we”ve made it when that happens,” Green concluded. “When people want to stay here.”
