Cryobiology as viewed by the engineer

Abstract

If one looks over the list of disciplines represented by those of us on this panel one cannot fail to be impressed with the wide range of training and experience which is listed under the title “Interdisciplinary Approach to Cryobiology.” I, myself, could not help but be reminded of those questionnaires which are calculated to evaluate the intelligence of high school students, job applicants, etc. The question usually presents a number of words and requests a check mark against one of the words which does not belong in the context of the others. I am sure that if such a question listed the disciplines of t,hose of us on this panel and presented it to groups of people unfamiliar with cryobiology, a check mark would be placed alongside the word “engineer” by almost 100%~ of those taking the test. This, of course, is not particularly surprising and serves only to emphasize that there exists even in today’s complex technology a fundamental lack of understanding of the interdisciplinary approach which has become necessary. Cryobiology is, in my own opinion, a classical example of a science in which meaningful progress depends very heavily upon the cooperation and collaboration between many t,echnological disciplines. As an engineer I have had the privilege, over the past several years, of being a part of the team represented on this panel and to have played some small part in the tremendous advances which have been accomplished in the low temperature preservation of biological materials. As a result of this experience, and because I am the one most likely to receive the check mark, I feel that I can make a few comments and suggestions which might be of interest and of value in furthering the progress of cryobiology. Before I talk specifically about an engineer’s view of cryobiology, I would like to make some comments of a more general nature. In any scientific effort requiring inputs from many