A Documentary Film Premiere
PLUS
A post-screening conversation with
University of Kentucky Scholars
Luke H. Bradley, Mark T. W. Ebbert, Chelsea Ex-Lubeskie,
Mary Sheppard, and Ian McClure
Cracking the Code tells the story of Dr. Phillip A. Sharp, a Kentucky farm boy turned Nobel-prize winning scientist, and his central role in the birth and proliferation of the biotechnology industry.
Sharp's 1977 discovery of RNA splicing set the stage for a revolution in molecular biology, enabling research into a new class of medicines predicated on recombinant DNA techniques. His contributions kickstarted an industry that has exploded into one of the most pivotal and innovative sectors in the American economy and set the foundation for biotechnology’s greatest triumphs, ranging from the development of synthetic insulin and human growth hormone to the COVID-19 vaccine.
ABOUT THE PANEL
Luke H. Bradley, PhD | Professor and Alumni Chair, Department of Neuroscience, UK College of Medicine; Lewis Honors College Faculty; CEO & Co-Founder, Avast Therapeutics
Mark T. W. Ebbert, PhD | Regular Faculty, UK Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, Associate Professor, Internal Medicine and Joint Appointment, Neuroscience
Chelsea Ex-Lubeskie, MS | R&D Partnerships Manager, UK College of Medicine and UK HealthCare
Mary Sheppard, MD | Assistant Professor, Family and Community Medicine, UK College of Medicine and Joint Appointments in Physiology and Surgery
Ian McClure, Moderator | Vice President for Innovation, UK HealthCare; Associate Vice President for Research, Innovation and Economic Impact, UK Research