Tiny technologies could help Oregon make it big

With a carefully trimmed beard and wire-rimmed glasses, Kevin Drost seems like an ordinary man with ordinary thoughts — until the conversation turns to Siamese fighting fish.

The Associated Press magicvalley.com

In his eyes, the exotic fish holds an important key to Oregon’s economic future. Scientists believe they can produce a tiny biohazard sensor using unique, toxin-detecting cells in the fish’s skin.

"If we can do what I think we can do, we can have multiple million-dollar business here," said Drost, co-director of the Microtechnology Breakthrough Lab at Oregon State University. "We are way ahead of everyone else in this particular field."

Some of Oregon’s most influential residents believe research done at the tiniest of scales — on molecules one-billionth and one-millionth of a meter in size — will save the state from its economic tailspin and prop up its business infrastructure for years to come.

Oregon has plenty of competition: Dozens of states and individual universities have already delved into so-called nano- and microtechnology research. Yet state leaders say Oregon has a distinct advantage in the relatively unexplored area of "multiscale," a field that combines nanoscale research with microtechnology work.

Supporters of the state’s newly minted initiative insist that with planning and adequate funding, Oregon will evolve into an internationally recognized leader and reap the rewards of hundreds of commercial spin-offs.

One of the biggest challenges will be to get Oregon’s universities to coordinate their research and funding strategies, planners say.

"Nanotechnology has emerged as one of the strongest concentrations in this state, but everyone’s doing it in a slightly different way with a slightly different view," said Jim Johnson, a former Intel site manager and high-tech supporter.

"If we were all talking with each other, we could find a lot of ways to reinforce each others’ activities," he said. "We can have a significant impact on the country and the world."

The Oregon Council for Knowledge and Economic Development, formed in 2001, will serve as lobbying platform for scientists, business leaders and lawmakers interested in Oregon’s multiscale future.

Republican state Sen. Ryan Deckert of Ontario introduced legislation earlier this month that would provide $30 million in start-up funding and long-term bonds to the Microtechnology Breakthrough Lab, a research partnership between Oregon State and the Pacific Northwest National Lab in Richland, Wash.

Drost, co-director of the lab, said that the funding — and the existence of the council itself — will rally Oregon’s scientists and help them better coordinate their efforts.

"It’s critical. Trying to get college professors to do anything (together) is like trying to herd cats," he said. "Simply having them advocate this is a huge improvement. It carries a lot of weight."

Drost’s lab has several projects in play, and already receives $6 million from the Defense Department in research grants. Some of its research could be commercialized within three years; Drost said other work has already spawned a few proprietary spin-offs that might offer Oregon State part-ownership.

Current projects include the fish-inspired "biosensor" for detecting airborne toxins or E. coli bacteria in meat; a lightweight, portable pump to cool soldiers in bulky biohazard suits; and hydrogen-producing systems for fuel cells that could soon power pollution-free cars and charge-free cell phones.

The next step, lab directors say, is to coordinate the microscale projects at Oregon State with research in nanotechnology at the University of Oregon to create new "multiscale" products with mass appeal. Portland State and Oregon Health & Science University could also collaborate.

"I think what’s critical here is for Oregon to invest enough money so that we’re so far ahead that it’s too expensive for California to try to catch up," Drost said. "The question isn’t, are there billion-dollar industries in this field, but will they be in Oregon?"

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