Founding Fathers Changed History

B8 COMING MONDAY ¬ ¬ ¬ • In a year marked by partisan acrimony over economic and SUNDAY social issues and growing pub- JULY 3, 2011 lic unease with multiple mili- tary engagements overseas, we seem to have forgotten our greatest strength lies in the chron. com/opinion OUTLOOK ultimate unity of Americans.

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THE 51st STATE? INDEPENDENCE DAY Puerto Rico’s gain could be loss for Texas

• An addition would lead to subtraction

By DUDLEY L. POSTON JR. RESIDENT Barack Obama Pvisited Puerto Rico last month, the first time a sitting U.S. president has visited the island since John F. Kennedy was there in 1961. A friendly crowd welcomed Obama at the airport in San Juan, and he was soon discussing the de- cades-old question about the status of Puerto Rico. Should the island become the 51st state of the U.S., become independent of the U.S., or remain a commonwealth? Around half of the island’s voters favor statehood, almost half want the commonwealth status to continue, and very few desire independence. Puerto Rico has been part of the U.S. since 1898 and its people Please see STATEHOOD, Page B9

LYNNE SLADKY : AP FOR STATEHOOD: A man holding Puerto Rican and American flags sings the U.S. national anthem during a rally in favor of statehood in Puerto Rico.

SCIENCE Houston can lead FOUNDING FATHERS in biotech CHANGED HISTORY • City has resources to excel in the field

By JOHN MENDELSOHN, M.D. Elegantly simple Declaration of Independence established the VERYyear, thousands of pa- guiding principles for what has become the greatest nation on Earth Etients from around the world travel to the Houston area for life-saving medical care. Hous- ton is home to the Texas Medical Great Britain considered the 13 colonies and Sherman was appointed to draft a formal Center, the world’s largest medical By DAVID PATTON the people in them to be subjects. But while resolution. The committee asked Jefferson to complex, but the benefit extends O our national shame, a King George collected taxes and imposed his put its collective thoughts on paper, which he beyond hands-on patient care. recent study reveals that sovereignty upon them with a strong hand, the presented to Congress on June 28. Until July Thanks to the area’s major hospi- colonists had no representation in Parliament. 2 there was not unanimous agreement that tals and universities, Houston is most American students Taxation without representation and other independence should be declared, and even one of the top regions in the world do not know the purpose harsh regulations rankled those in the new then New York abstained (joining the others a for medical research. People every- T world — the Sugar Act, the Currency Act, the week later). But on that day, 12 colonies voted Please see BIOTECH, Page B9 of the Declaration of Stamp Act and the Quartering Act in turn gen- affirmatively to cast off the yoke of British rule Independence. Like many holidays, its erated deep resentment. A Continental Con- and form a new nation. Over the next two days meaning is lost in the very celebration. gress was formed to create a unifying voice. edits were made to Jefferson’s draft, mostly the A decade of discontent grew more intense as deletion of controversial provisions on which The years of debates and collaborations evidenced by the famous Boston TeaParty in there was no consensus. On July 4 the del- among our Founding Fathers, which 1773. Resistance led to military occupation by egates reached agreement on the final wordsof British troops, including the removal of the the document that declared independence and culminated in a sweltering Philadelphia colonial government in Massachusetts and in created the United States of America based hall on July 4, 1776, changed history. its place governance by aBritish general. In upon those wonderfully expressed ideals. the environment leading to the Declaration of The Declaration of Independence is el- Of diverse personal backgrounds, Independence, political rebellion erupted into egantly simple. The guiding principles of the from independent colonies with open warfare. In April 1775, the Battles of Lex- greatest nation on Earth are engrossed on a ington and Concord marked the first formal single piece of parchment only 24 and one- different regional interests, and with military conflict, as immortalized by Ralph fourth inches by 29 and three-fourths inches. no historical model to follow, these Waldo Emerson: The original is still on displayfor all the world men declared something new in the “By the rude bridge that arched the flood, to see. It is what we stand for. At atime when Their flag to April’s breeze unfurled, men were governed by kings without the course of man — the belief that all Here once the embattled farmers stood, consent of the majority of the governed, our men are created equal and that life, And fired the shot heard round the world.” forefathers chose to recognize that men are To some the die was cast. To others, there born with certain unalienable rights that no liberty and the pursuit of happiness was still hope of repairing the tear with Eng- government may deny — and 235 years later are unalienable rights. Already at war land. The Continental Congress began meet- we reap the fruits of liberty. We are a free ing to decide the question of compromise or people because theybacked their genius with with Britain as colonies but not yet separation. The king made no offer of concili- their blood. CHRONICLE FILE declaring independence, the signers’ 56 ation, and by June 1776 momentum had swung BIOTECH BUSINESS: Kristy Reece, toward independence. A Committee of Five Patton is a partner and co-chair of the energy an associate scientist with Bacterial signatures were death warrants unless consisting of John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, practice for Locke Lord Bissell & Liddell in BarCodes, works at the Houston victory was achieved. None faltered. Ben Franklin, Robert Livingston and Roger Houston. biotechnology company’s facility on North Stadium Drive. Sunday, July 3, 2011 OUTLOOK ¬¬¬ HOUSTON CHRONICLE B9

BIOTECH: Houston has resources STATEHOOD: Gain for Puerto Rico to be a leader in science field could mean a loss for Texas

CONTINUED FROM PAGE B8 past 100 years, the Houston Mendelsohn is the president of CONTINUED FROM PAGE B8 people would be allowed to benefits, both for Puerto Rico where have benefited from economy has repeatedly re- The University of Texas M.D. have been citizens of the U.S. vote in presidential elections and, to a certain degree, for research-based discoveries invented itself to answer the Anderson Cancer Center, since 1917. Residents of Puer- and they would have formal Obama and the Democrats. made — or inspired — by needs of one emerging indus- named the top cancer hospital to Rico may vote in United representation in the Senate Puerto Ricans living in the physicians and scientists in try after another — cotton, in the nation by U.S. News States presidential prima- and House. U.S. tend to vote Democratic this field during the past few oil, energy and medicine are & World Report’s “America’s ries, and they send delegates A White House task force in presidential elections, par- decades. examples. These transitions Best Hospitals” survey. He to the national conventions recently recommended that ticularly in New York where I believe the potential in have not been easy, but each also has significant experience of the Democratic and Re- Puerto Rico conduct a plebi- the bulk of the 4.6 million the Houston area for expan- new industry has generated in the laboratory; his research publican parties. But they scite in the next year and a mainland Puerto Ricans sion and commercialization tremendous economic de- during two decades helped do not vote in presidential half to decide whether to re- live. But there are more than in the field of biotechnology velopment in Houston. The pioneer the development of elections, and they do not main as a commonwealth or 800,000 Puerto Ricans liv- parallels — and may even biotech revolution will do cancer therapies that target have official representation to become a part of the U.S. ing in Florida, and the Puerto surpass — the promise for the same, and I look forward the aberrant genes, gene in the U.S. House of Repre- On his visit there, President Rican voters there went for commercializing research to helping accelerate its products and cell-signaling sentatives or in the Senate. Obama promised he would Bush in 2004 and for Obama discoveries I observed in San growth. pathways that cause the If Puerto Rico became the support what the Puerto Ri- in 2008. Diego more than 25 years ago disease. 51st state, then, of course, its cans desire. Statehood has its It is time to ask if Puerto as an academic researcher. Rico becomes the 51st state Many of the Houston of the United States, how area’s resources are compa- many seats in the U.S. House rable or superior to those will Puerto Rico receive, and, available in other leading more importantly, which biotech regions. The region U.S. states will lose seats captures more than $1.8 bil- to Puerto Rico. Since it is lion in annual support for unlikely that the House will academic research and devel- increase its number of seats opment. This is conducted at beyond 435, seat assignment Rice University, Texas A&M is a zero-sum game. If a new University, Baylor College of state is added, there will not Medicine, the University of be an increase in the number Houston, three University of House seats. One excep- of Texas System institutions tion to this rule occurred (UT M.D. Anderson Cancer with the admission of Alaska Center, UT Health Science and Hawaii in the late 1950s. Center and The University of For one session of Congress Texas Medical Branch), Texas MAYRA BELTRAN : CHRONICLE BRENNAN LINSLEY : AP there were 438 seats (one Southern University and CANCER DRUG: Atul Varadhachary holds a vial of Ta lactoferrin at IN PUERTO RICO: President Barack Obama waves to a crowd for Alaska and two for Ha- NASA’s Johnson Space Cen- the Agennix office. The Houston biotech firm received approval to gathered inside a hangar at the Muniz Air National Guard Base, waii). However, with the ter. Our region also is home move forward with Phase III clinical trials for its lung cancer drug. shortly after his arrival in San Juan, Puerto Rico, last month. results from the next census to 150 life science companies, in 1960, the House reverted which have far lower aggre- back to its basic number of gate annual expenditures. 435 seats. I doubt that this Experienced management METRO will occur again, that is, that talent exists and inexpen- Congress will allow a tempo- sive real estate on which to rary increase of more seats expand facilities abounds, for Puerto Rico prior to the but Houston has fewer major Getting around town 2020 census, and then revert biotech companies compared back to 435 seats after the with other regions with com- new (2020) census data are parable university research issued. programs. I have used 2010 census Key research leadership data to answer the above areas include: oncology, by bus is not so simple questions. The U.S. Census genomics, cardiovascular Bureau has already deter- medicine, neuromedicine, mined the distribution of metabolic disease, biodefense House seats based on data and emerging infectious dis- from the 2010 census. I have ease, nanotechnology and Houston needs to expand taken this listing of the informatics. 385 seats for the 50 states Although our academic public transportation options (remember that every state science is outstanding, we automatically gets assigned cannot apply discoveries a seat before the census data to benefit the most people By JOANNA ZHENG come into play) and have until we convert them into on’t get me a.m. bus, which can come recalculated the apportion- products, such as a drug, wrong; Houston anytime between 8:20 a.m. ment distribution and the so- an instrument, a device or is a great city. and not at all (as it did once, called 2010 priority values a technique. And Houston, D leaving myself and three oth- for Puerto Rico. I first added despite its impressive track It’s big, it’s er riders stranded on the side- Puerto Rico to the 50 states record, struggles to attract vibrant and sometimes walk to await the next bus at and gave each of the now 51 the biotechnology venture people even remember to 9 a.m.) Halfway through the states its automatic first seat. capital and start-up compa- route, I hop off the bus to wait I then allocated the remain- nies essential to fueling the turn on their signals before for the transfer at a stop just ing 384 seats (that is, seat 52 types of economic growth swerving across three beforethe Heights. Although CHRONICLE FILE through seat 435) using the and scientific innovation lanes of freeway. there’s waiting in the sticky morn- REFLECTIONS ON PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION: Getting Equal Proportions method, that currently exist in Bos- ing heat for 10 or 15 minutes around Houston without an automobile can be a challenge. the approach that is used to ton, Silicon Valley and San always something to do, can be a pain, especially for a allocate House seats on the Diego. There is room for our no matter what part of young, coffee-less intern on basis of the population size academic institutions and town you’re in, and great Monday morning, I am well provements that can be made expand both the use and the of each state. Puerto Rico community leaders to help burger joints and ethnic aware that without the bus, I to the Metro system. A recent access of Houston’s public would receive an additional build more bridges between would have no other wayof study released by the Brook- transportation. The city,in four seats, beyond its auto- university laboratories and eateries dot the landscape getting to work. ings Institution rates Houston conjunction with several com- matic first seat, for a total corporate research. like powdered sugar There are very few other as number 72 out of 100 ma- munity development nonprof- of five. Specifically, after Texas lawmakers and gov- swimming in a syrupy young people on the buses, jor U.S. metropolitan areas in its, is planning to use a$3.75 receiving its first seat, it will ernment leaders have taken and for the first few days ability of its residents to ac- million federal Sustainable then receive the 128th seat, important steps to narrow pool atop a slice of French I was the object of curious cess jobs via public transpor- Communities Regional Plan- the 209th seat, the 294th this gap. Since 2005, the toast. But the city’s one stares and puzzled looks from tation. Only about 44 percent ning Grant to do just that. seat and the 378th seat. And Texas Emerging Technology great drawback is that by the other regulars. Most of of working-age residents live The groundwork has been according to my application Fund has allocated more than them are middle-aged or el- near abus stop,and only33 done, and the energy and of the Equal Proportions $197.2 million in funds to 133 virtue of its characteristic derlyminorities, and Iwould percent of jobs in the city (15 commitment that character- method to the 2010 popula- early-stage companies, and sprawling layout, a car is bet good money that there are percent in the suburbs) are izes change are there. Maybe tion data from the Census $173 million in grant match- virtually indispensable. some who have been making accessible within 90 minutes. in a few summers, the next Bureau, the five states that ing and research superiority Forthe hapless fewwho this commute every day for Public transportation seems batch of interns will be able would lose representatives if funds to Texas universities. moreyears than I’ve been to be the “poor man’s option,” to cruise effortlesslythrough Puerto Rico is added as the The state-funded Cancer find themselves without alive. The bus driver waves and despite the great environ- the city courtesyofnew and 51st state are Florida, Wash- Prevention and Research In- one, Houston suddenly and smiles to them when they mental and financial benefits improved bus systems. Until ington, Texas, California and stitute of Texas has awarded turns from roomy playpen get on, and pauses at their it brings, very few residents then, I’ll just work on try- Minnesota. Without Puerto $382 million in cancer re- stops without any signal as are willing to take advantage ing to get the bus driver to Rico as a new state, the 2010 search, commercialization into terrifying jungle. a matter of course. There is of the system. One native remember my stop without a census data show that Texas and prevention grants since Living within the inner a certain camaraderie that Houston friend half-jokingly signal. gains four new seats, Florida 2010. The business com- loop dramatically improves exists in this small world of informed me that I probably two, Washington one, and munity is another important the odds of being able to find public transportation, aworld knew the bus system better Zheng,amember of the Yale California and Minnesota contributor; groups such aworkable bus route. At 8:15 I’m happy to be part of, if only than people whohad lived University Class of 2014, is none. If Puerto Rico is added as BioHouston, for which I every morning, I rush to the for the summer. here their entire lives. interning at a Houston company as a new state, Texas will serve as vice chair, function bus stop to make the 8:25 But there are certainly im- The challenge, then, is to this summer. only gain three new seats, as matchmakers for innova- Florida one, Washington tors and venture capital. none and California and Min- In September, I will nesota will each lose a seat. change roles at M.D. Ander- The Congress has the final son Cancer Center, where authority regarding the ad- I have had the privilege of mission of a new state. Most serving as president and assume that if Puerto Rico working with incredibly submits a petition for state- talented researchers, doc- hood, the House and Senate tors and staff for the past 15 would pass a resolution au- years. Following a sabbati- thorizing statehood. But I re- cal at Harvard and MIT this ally wonder if the passing of fall, I will return to the M.D. a resolution will be that easy. Anderson faculty as the co- It will be interesting to see if director of the new Sheikh the senators and representa- Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan tives from the five states that Institute for Personalized will lose seats, especially the Cancer Therapy. I also will Republican-voting Texas, and become the L.E. and Virginia the swing-state of Florida, Simmons Fellow in Health would favor such a resolu- and Technology Policy at the tion. Seat assignment in the James A. Baker III Institute U.S. House is a zero-sum for Public Policy at Rice Uni- situation. If Puerto Rico (or, versity. My new roles will for that matter, Washing- give me a chance to focus ton, D.C.,) becomes a state, on the broader world of bio- some of the 50 states must medical research and the best necessarily lose seats. The ways to create public policies next few years could well be that facilitate collaborative interesting ones with respect scientific discovery involving to the kinds of political and academia and companies. demographic issues raised As our regional biotech- here. nology industry develops, it will drive growth in many Poston is a demographer and other economic sectors: law, a professor of sociology in finance, design, construc- the College of Liberal Arts tion, consulting and hous- PHOTO PROVIDED BY METRO at Texas A&M University in ing, among others. In the LIFE ON THE BUS: A summer intern finds it’s not that easy getting around Houston using the city’s public transportation options. College Station.