Dr. Richard Swaja, Endowed Chair in Regenerative Medicine at MUSC.
October 21, 2009
MidlandsBiz:
Please tell us a little about your background and why the opportunity in South Carolina appealed to you.
Dr. Richard Swaja:
Scientists want an opportunity to show what they can do and to make a difference. For me, this opportunity was afforded by the South Carolina CoEE Program. The program has a regenerative medicine focus area which provided institutional support, access to statewide research and technology transfer resources, and an environment conducive to collaborative research and education. In addition to opportunity, the commitment of state-wide university and government leaders to developing a strong science base for the regional economy was an attractive factor for my choice to come to South Carolina.
My undergraduate and graduate degrees are in physics, and my initial career focus was on applying nuclear physics to energy and defense applications. As things progressed, I became involved in medical and environmental applications that encompassed a broad range of physics and eventually engineering principles and methods. These physical science, engineering, and biomedical experiences led to a career transition to bioengineering, which is based on multidisciplinary approaches.
I was fortunate to be at the right place at the right time and to work with many visionary leaders on the development and implementation of federal, regional, and national bioengineering research, education, and technology transfer programs that set the stage for the current field. I am interested in regenerative medicine because I appreciate the potential of the field to revolutionize healthcare delivery and because I am familiar with many of the scientific disciplines necessary to advance the field.
MidlandsBiz:
Tell us about your work at MUSC.
Dr. Richard Swaja:
My CoEE Endowed Chair is in regenerative medicine at MUSC. My primary appointment is as a Professor in the Bioengineering Department at Clemson University and as Director of the joint Clemson-MUSC Bioengineering Program. I am also director of the South Carolina Bioengineering Alliance, which is a collaborative agreement among Clemson, MUSC, and USC.
At MUSC, I work very closely with the new Department of Regenerative Medicine and Cell Biology and many of the clinical departments to (1) develop and implement research and education programs related to bioengineering (multi-disciplinary and multi-organizational science) and (2) coordinate efforts to develop statewide programs in regenerative medicine and biofabrication. There is no shortage of work to do, and there is certainly no shortage of dedicated and genuinely concerned staff at all levels across the state. It is very exciting and rewarding.
MidlandsBiz:
You have been spearheading plans for the first CoEE Council of Chairs meeting, which will be held later this month in Columbia. Tell us a little more about that event and what you hope to accomplish.
Dr. Richard Swaja:
The first CoEE Council of Chairs Conference is scheduled for October 30 in Columbia. This meeting is in response to a recommendation from a 2009 external review of the CoEE Program by the Washington Advisory Group, which suggested that a Council of Endowed Chairs be established to provide state leadership in matters related to science and technology. The conference has three goals: (1) formally establish a CoEE Council of Chairs, (2) identify opportunities and strategic actions for the council to meet its mission and support the regional economy, and (3) showcase the scope and impact of the CoEE Program. Accomplishing these goals will strengthen the efficacy, impact, and visibility of the CoEE Program.
MidlandsBiz:
The event will bring together for the first time all of the CoEE Endowed Chairs who have been recruited to South Carolina. What is the significance of this gathering?
Dr. Richard Swaja:
Since the program’s establishment, the number of endowed chairs has grown each year to the current total of 22. These internationally-recognized researchers encompass the entire technical scope of the CoEE Program and provide expertise in a broad range of scientific disciplines and applications. This event will be the first time that the endowed chairs will meet as a group to work together to maximize the benefits of the CoEE Program by coalescing state-wide resources.
MidlandsBiz:
I understand that the afternoon portion of the upcoming event is open to the public as a CoEE Showcase. What do you hope the public will learn about the CoEE Program?
Dr. Richard Swaja:
This session will consist of presentations by four endowed chairs who represent different CoEE Program focus areas—transportation, energy, nanoscience, and healthcare. The public will learn about the scope, progress, and directions of these programs and will hear about impacts on the regional economy, quality of life, the state’s science base, and our national importance. We want to ensure that the public is aware of the value and importance of the CoEE Program and of the exciting research that the internationally recognized endowed chairs are conducting in the state.
MidlandsBiz:
The CoEE Program creates university-based research centers. Can you help our readers better understand how discoveries in the lab can lead to the creation of high-paying jobs in the state, which is the ultimate goal of the program?
Dr. Richard Swaja:
A good regional example of how discoveries in the laboratory can be translated to well- paying jobs is the Research Triangle Park (RTP) in Raleigh, North Carolina. The RTP was launched about 50 years ago with many of the same objectives as the CoEE Program in South Carolina – to strengthen and develop the technology base of the regional economy. Researchers at the RTP have contributed to novel inventions such as the UPC code, 3D ultrasound imaging, and Taxol and AZT—two important drugs used in the treatment of cancer and AIDS, respectively. Conducting the basic research and development that leads to such novel discoveries and translating the advances into commercial applications requires many scientists, technicians, clinicians, entrepreneurs, and other support professionals. Today, RTP has more than 40,000 workers with an average annual salary of $56,000.
MidlandsBiz:
As the state faces another tight budget year, what would you tell the South Carolina General Assembly about the importance of the CoEE Program?
Dr. Richard Swaja:
External evaluations of the CoEE Program indicate that it is doing what it is intended to do – develop the regional economy and enhance the state’s science base. Partly because of the program, there is unprecedented collaboration among the research universities and four-year schools. Despite a challenging economy, programs are progressing and goals are being met. This is a critical time in the state’s development of a science-based element of its economy, and the CoEE Program is essential to continued progress.
MidlandsBiz:
Many research centers created through CoEE have private-sector partners who have invested in research at the state’s universities. Can you name some of the reasons why these companies are investing and how they are benefitting?
Dr. Richard Swaja:
One of the primary attractions for private sector investment in the state’s universities is the quality of the science. The CoEE Program provides internationally-recognized leadership for these programs, and current and planned infrastructure provides great facilities for conducting the research and development. One example is the International Center for Automotive Research (CU-ICAR) at Clemson Unive
rsity where Timken has invested in facilities focused on power train technology development. A second example is that BASF has recently given a large grant to CoEE Endowed Chair Brian Benicewicz for his work on high-temperature fuel cells at USC. In the CoEE for Regenerative Medicine, the BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina Foundation is sponsoring one of my fellow endowed chairs, Dr. Martin Morad, who is working on a cardiac pacemaker based on biological materials and electrophysiological signaling.
Dr. Richard Swaja is the CoEE Endowed Chair in Regenerative Medicine at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC). The Centers of Economic Excellence (CoEE) Program uses state and private funds to create advanced research centers at Clemson University, the University of South Carolina, and Medical University of South Carolina in an effort to develop South Carolina’s knowledge-based economy and create high-skill, high-paying jobs.
