Wistar Institute: 'Saving lives through science'

Although its large brick building stands conspicuously in the middle of campus, lining the north side of Spruce Street between 36th and 38th streets, the Wistar Institute is entirely independent of the University. Founded in 1892 with the motto "saving lives through science," the Wistar Institute of Anatomy and Biology was initially a museum of sculptures and models of human anatomy that also housed research laboratories. Prior to Wistar's founding, the museum that became part of the institute was located in Logan Hall. But its contents there were neglected and damaged by a fire. At the bequest of William Pepper, then president of the University, the University donated the land where the institute now stands, and Isaac Wistar donated $100,000 for construction of the building where the Institute is presently located. The Wistar Institute now employs approximately 500 scientists, researchers, administrators and support staff. It received about $23 million in federal grants and donations in 1994. According to Wistar spokesperson Heidi Boorstein, the approximately 200,000 square foot building contains about 50 different laboratories. Rubella and recombinant rabies vaccines were developed at Wistar, as were various methods of treating and detecting cancer, Boorstein said. "The work that goes on here is so important, and I have a lot of respect and admiration for our scientists," Boorstein said. "They're so brilliant -- we get the best of the best." She added that Wistar's scientific and support staff is very diverse and multicultural. "We're a big melting pot," Boorstein said. Among this staff are about 40 Penn students -- mostly chemistry graduate students -- who work at the institute. Although the two are separate entities, "Penn and Wistar work very symbiotically," Boorstein said. Wistar physicians and scientists neither treat nor experiment on human subjects directly, but much of their work eventually benefits human patients. Wistar Business Development Assistant Director Cherise Kent explained that results from Wistar experiments are delivered to commercial companies who can "use them and make something that's available and helpful to the public." Pharmaceutical and biotechnological companies are the primary recipients of the research. Although entrance to Wistar is strictly monitored by security guards and access cards are necessary to enter the building, Boorstein said no classified research takes place at Wistar. She explained that the institute's tight security policies are in place to protect expensive equipment, fragile scientific experiments and potentially harmful chemical agents.

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