Review of Bugging Cancer

In Bugging Cancer, Professor Ananda Chakrabarty (an Associate Editor of Bioengineered) and his colleagues at the Chicago Oncogroup provide a fascinating account of the development of Neezalin, a fictitious anti-cancer drug of bacterial origin.¹ Based loosely on the story of Azurin, an anti-cancer protein isolated by Chakrabarty from the bacterial pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa, the book provides a compelling view of scientific endeavor from basic research to commercial application.

An interesting feature of the book is that each chapter is written by a different member of the Chakrabarty laboratory, each assuming a unique persona with a different background and thus an independent view of the story. The main protagonist, Dr Sam Roy, is a brilliant clinician of Indian origin, who immigrates to the US to fulfill his lifelong goal of curing cancer (a disease that caused the premature death of his beloved mother). In Sam we see the drive and determination needed to advance in the world of science; the necessity and willingness to move to a different country, leaving behind both friends and family, to pursue one’s goals is a common feature of academic life and one that is rarely aired in the popular press. The perennial issues of funding constraints and the inherent difficulties associated with engaging with funding bodies are alluded to, forcing Sam to move again from the States to the fictional Bluefrostland, to continue his research—despite putting significant pressures on his budding relationship with librarian Erin Golberg.

Erin, the all American girl and love interest, is the conduit through which we view the patients’ perspective. With a familial history of breast cancer, we learn that Erin is predisposed to developing the disease. In echoes of the movie “Decoding Annie Parker,” we are informed of Erin’s dilemma: testing positive for the BRCA1 mutation. Sam explains the significance of the BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations and, in doing so, introduces Myriad Genetics, the company that holds the patent on the tests.

It is from this point on that we become aware of the role of scientific patents, their necessity in protecting and monetizing scientific research, and the negative associations that can serve to stymie drug development and application. It is at this point that we are introduced to George, the patent attorney. George’s character is the antithesis of the altruistic Sam, who is willing to sacrifice everything for his research. For George, the goal is to “find a huge potential client” to keep his social climbing wife in the lifestyle to which she has become accustomed.

Later in the story we encounter Brian, the son of German immigrants who fled their homeland for New York in 1940. Through Brian, we are introduced to the concept of collaborative research, a common feature of academic life. An expert in gene therapy, Brian’s work will enable the expression of the Neezalin gene in germ cells, allowing the body to produce the anti-cancer agent itself—a trait that can be passed on to subsequent generations, thereby potentially eliminating cancer forever.

The authors’ approach of making complex issues, at the intersection of science and law, accessible to a lay audience should be lauded. Chakrabarty and his team have taken a courageous step into the unknown and, in doing so, have gone some way toward demystifying the inner workings of an otherwise cloistered institution. Despite a lack of consistency of style and continuity in places—a consequence of different authors tackling different chapters—I found this book to be an engaging read and an excellent introduction for anyone interested in science, medicine, and the law.

Chakrabarty AM. Bugging Cancer: Daring to Dream Logos Press ISBN: 1934899364

10.4161/bioe.29530