James Naismith invented the game of basketball. Michael Jordan helped bring the game into the national spotlight as one of the greatest to ever play. Dr. Edwin Joseph Cohn is both the James Naismith and Michael Jordan of protein science. And just like that, this might be the first article to ever reference Michael Jordan and Dr. Edwin Joseph Cohn in the same sentence. The hilarity fades quickly because it’s true. Cohn revolutionized the blood science world resulting in thousands of lives saved. His work directly impacts the field today.

Who is Edwin Joseph Cohn?

Dr. Edwin Joseph Cohn is an innovator and a pioneer in the blood science-sphere. Considered by many to be the Godfather of the science. Although his career is filled with accomplishments, perhaps his most renown is the blood fractionation project he spearheaded during World War II.

During trauma, soldiers can go into shock. As Cohn discovered, the body cannot produce enough oxygenated blood to sustain consciousness. Albumin was by far the most effective fraction for treating patients in this condition. The soldiers during WWII needed to quickly restore depleted plasma, and albumin sped this process up.

The Breakthrough?

Cohn and his technical team were able to isolate the serum albumin fraction of the blood plasma. As mentioned above, this changed the likelihood of survival dramatically for trauma victims. The discoveries didn’t stop there. Next, Cohn used gamma globulins containing a large percentage of antibodies in blood. He wanted to make sure no portion of blood went unused or wasted, especially during war when it was a precious resource. The idea by Cohn to use every component of blood was the beginning of a revolution in blood plasma. His discoveries made him a prominent figure in the PBS special Red Gold, The Epic Story of Blood.

Modified Cohn

Cohn’s impact on the industry is felt to this day. Although the process takes on many shapes and sizes, the process of separating plasma from horse, mouse, or calf, is a process traced back to the Godfather himself. In today’s cell culture media, that process takes on the shape of heat denaturing. Many are called and few are chosen in this field. Practicing heat denaturing and measuring off by a fraction of a degree can drastically reduce quality and slow development to a halt. It precise science with slices of architecture and engineering. Those that worked under Cohn or close to his associates engaged in a real world course that few are fortunate enough to have.

V.K. Daniel

Successful entrepreneurs, scientists, athletes; what do they all have in common? Most all have a great mentor. Pull the curtain back, and there are people in the wings that helped build this moment in time. V.K. Daniel founded Rocky Mountain Biologicals (RMBIO) with his son Suresh Daniel. For V.K., the people behind the wing are Dr. Edwin Cohn and Dr. Fred Rothstein. Rothstein was one of Cohn’s closest associates. Cohn’s ability to manage people was remarkable. While maybe not in the same way he extracted brilliance from plasma, the comparison is fitting because he was able to extract brilliance from his team-members. In an article about Cohn, the author describes his amazing ability to manage and inspire his students and employees:

“Remarkable as his own personality and achievements were, it is perhaps his influence on these pupils that will remain his most enduring memorial.”

Fred Rothstein was no exception. What Rothstein learned directly from Cohn, Rothstein taught V.K. Daniel. V.K. Daniel on the opportunity to create and develop under the tutelage of Dr. Rothstein. “Working with Dr. Rothstein was the most valuable experience in my career. There are few practicing scientists in this field today that have such a close lineage with Cohn and his breakthrough work. Having worked with Dr. Rothstein allows me to look at cell culture media in ways very few have experienced.”

Future of Cell Culture Supplements

Discoveries didn’t stop with Edward Cohn. Future discoveries might be credited to some of his breakthroughs, but the door is open for small and agile companies to solve a new problem. The supply of raw materials to produce fetal bovine serum (FBS) is shrinking. Without the addition of serum, proteolytic activity (breakdown of protein) ensues which results in reduced growth. Research and development labs around the world are paying both with checkbooks and with a slowing rate of innovation. Without a sense of urgency, this supply problem will lead to a decrease in the availability of potentially life saving therapies for society. V.K. Daniel and the scientists at RMBIO are addressing this problem head on.

Working with scientists on research and development teams in companies like AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim, RTI International and many more, V.K. and the team at RMBIO created Lipogro lipoprotein solution. Lipogro helps scientists and innovators continue to move forward in cell culture media effectiveness without the strict dependence on FBS. Products like these help companies produce world changing drugs.