Vol. 15 / No. 8 / September 2016
THE MEMBER MAGAZINE OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY
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NEWS FEATURES PERSPECTIVES
2 18 32 EDITOR’S NOTE SCIENTISTS ON SOCIAL MEDIA MINORITY AFFAIRS Being social 18 Keeping it real DREAM girl 23 Sharing science creatively 24 Navigating the murky waters 3 of social media 35 NEWS FROM THE HILL 26 Life on social media PUBLIC AFFAIRS Recess is over and there’s still lots to do in and out of academia Creating a robust research enterprise 28 Promote your paper in four easy steps 4 30 Mean girls with Ph.D.s 36 MEMBER UPDATE 18 ESSAY Scientists Some thoughts on lab communication 6 and science RETROSPECTIVE communicators describe the 38 E. C. Slater (1917 — 2016) highs and lows of CAREER INSIGHTS engaging on social media. Pointers for those curious about careers 9 in industry NEWS A holistic view of ovarian cancer 40 30 TRANSITIONS 10 e smallest bundle and the biggest transition JOURNAL NEWS 10 A new roundup of bio lms 11 Special subunit meets energy demands 42 for spermatogenesis OPEN CHANNELS 12 Isomerases determine green odor of plants 13 Sphingolipids and retinal degeneration 42 14 Sustaining seabass 15 Knockout mouse reveals links between bile acids and metabolic disorders 16 Brady wins Tabor award for transition metal signaling work 11
40 TRANSITION STATES
SEPTEMBER 2016 ASBMB TODAY 1 EDITOR’S NOTE
THE MEMBER MAGAZINE OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY Being social
OFFICERS COUNCIL MEMBERS have admired Carolyn Bertozzi’s di erent from the likes of me. But her Natalie Ahn Squire J. Booker President Victoria J. DeRose work for more than a decade. tweet and subsequent ones proved me Wayne Fairbrother. When I used to work at a now- wrong. Steven McKnight Karen G. Fleming I Past President Rachel Green defunct magazine that reported In my pro le of her in this issue Jennifer DuBois Susan Marqusee advances in analytical chemistry, of ASBMB Today, Bertozzi, who is Secretary Jared Rutter Bertozzi’s work developing mass spec- one of our members, tells us why she Celia A. Shi er Toni M. Antalis Michael Summers trometric methods to analyze complex thinks it’s important that she use Twit- Treasurer sugars at the University of California, ter to let people get to know her a bit ASBMB TODAY EDITORIAL Berkeley, caught my attention. (Ber- better. EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS ADVISORY BOARD tozzi is now at Stanford University.) e pro le is part of a special Natalie Ahn Charles Brenner Steven McKnight Chair Her papers were easy to understand section in this issue on using social Co-chairs, 2017 Annual Michael Bradley and follow, even for someone like me media for science. Just as it did to Meeting Program Floyd “Ski” Chilton who is not an expert in mass spec- journalism, social media is changing Committee Cristy Gelling trometry or glycobiology. And as I science. It’s been said before, but it Cheryl Bailey Peter J. Kennelly Chair, Education and Rajini Rao read more papers, the elegance and bears repeating: If you want to keep Professional Development Yolanda Sanchez depth of the described experiments your pulse on a broad swath of sci- Committee Shiladitya Sengupta Carol Shoulders increased my admiration for her and ence, social media is a good way to Daniel Raben Chair, Meetings Committee her group. go. at’s exactly what both David ASBMB TODAY Takita Felder Sumter During this time, social media Bachinsky and Rick Page talk about in Chair, Minority Aairs Angela Hopp became a thing. By 2012, a journalist our section on social media. Committee Executive Editor, [email protected] had to have a social media presence to Bethany Brookshire, also known omas Baldwin Rajendrani Mukhopadhyay be relevant. So I decided to join Twit- as Scicurious, discusses how to hover Chair, Public Outreach Managing Editor, Committee ter. (I already was using Facebook for over that blurry line between personal [email protected] Wesley Sundquist John Arnst my personal life and doing my part for and professional on social media. Chair, Public Aairs Science Writer, the universe’s collection of cat photos.) ASBMB Today’s executive editor, Advisory Committee [email protected] Twitter allowed for something that Angela Hopp, gives tips on how to Amnon Kohen Valery Masterson Facebook didn’t: It was possible to promote your work on social media. Chair, Publications Designer, Committee [email protected] read perspectives di erent from my Allison Frick, the American Society Lila M. Gierasch Ciarán Finn own and from those of my friends. for Biochemistry and Molecular Biol- Editor-in-chief, JBC Web Editor, c [email protected] Twitter also let me follow people and ogy’s digital media specialist, o ers a A. L. Burlingame Allison Frick organizations that I was interested in, handy guide on how to engage in best Editor, MCP Media Specialist, helping me to forge connections that practices on Facebook, Twitter and Edward A. Dennis [email protected] Editor-in-chief, JLR Barbara Gordon would otherwise be hard to make. LinkedIn. William L. Smith Executive Director, So imagine my thrill to discover And nally, acknowledging that Editor-in-chief, JLR [email protected] Bertozzi on Twitter a few years ago with the great power of social media when someone retweeted Bertozzi’s comes great responsibility, we have lament that she couldn’t get on a plane a piece by Marney White, who got For information on advertising, contact Pharmaceutical from the U.S. to Canada because she ripped to shreds on Facebook. Media Inc. at 212-904-0374 or [email protected]. had left her passport at home. You’ll note in the masthead that I was overjoyed and shocked. I now am the magazine’s managing Overjoyed because I now could fol- editor. I look forward to hearing from low a scientist I admired on Twit- you. You can email me at www.asbmb.org/asbmbtoday ter. Shocked because Bertozzi was [email protected]. Better yet, PRINT ISSN 2372-0409 admitting to making such a mun- nd the ASBMB community on Articles published in ASBMB Today re ect solely the authors’ views and not the o cial positions of dane mistake. With her high-pro le Facebook or Twitter (@ASBMB) and the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology or the institutions with which the authors accomplishments, I held her in my join us in talking about science and are a liated. Mentions of products or services are mind as someone who had a secret the awesome people who do it. not endorsements. magic touch in science that made her Rajendrani Mukhopadhyay ©2016 ASBMB
2 ASBMB TODAY SEPTEMBER 2016 NEWS FROM THE HILL Recess is over and there’s still lots to do By Benjamin Corb
embers of Congress return a $1 billion increase, it is clear that to invest. Congressional inaction liter- from their August recess the bipartisan, bicameral support exists ally can withhold from the research M week of Sept. 6 and will be to increase needed investments in community millions, if not billions, in Washington, D.C., for four weeks research at the NIH. Unfortunately, of dollars. Every day that Congress before heading back to their home time is running out for these propos- delays passage of the FY17 spend- districts for the election season. e als to navigate the legislative process, ing bills, researchers don’t receive most important thing Congress must making the likelihood of a continuing the funding needed to help improve do during those four weeks is fund resolution a near-certain outcome. the quality of life and well-being of the federal government beyond the A continuing resolution, which Americans. current scal year, which ends Sept. funds the federal government at the e scuttlebutt on Capitol Hill is 30. Under normal circumstances, previous year’s approved funding that Congress will pass a short-term Congress would have passed appro- level, ensures that, at a minimum, the continuing resolution to fund the priations bills setting funding for the government has funds in place to con- government through the November next scal year by now. But these are tinue with the status quo and avoids election. A short-term continuing res- not normal circumstances. Not setting a government shutdown. However, funding levels for scal year 2017 has continuing resolutions are generally olution is common during an election consequences to our research commu- bad for the scienti c community. year when the congressional calendars nity, especially for those investigators First, continuing resolutions, which are limited due to campaign sea- funded by the National Institutes of can last anywhere from two weeks son. But the community of research Health. to a full year, freeze funding levels at advocates must continue to pressure In early June, the Senate Appropri- agencies and leave them unable to Congress to take the necessary action ations Committee approved a funding plan properly for their next year. e to make increases in science funding proposal that would increase NIH NIH routinely has held down paylines not just bipartisan proposals but also funding for FY17 to $37 billion, a $2 while under a continuing resolution bipartisan accomplishments. billion increase over the previous year. to ensure that it has the necessary In July, the House of Representatives funding to complete the scal year. Benjamin Corb (bcorb@asbmb. approved its own funding proposal, e agency does this because it doesn’t org) is the director of public which increased NIH funding by $1 know when or if the next year’s funds affairs at the American Society billion for FY17. While we obviously will be approved or exactly how much for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. would prefer a $2 billion increase over money the agency ultimately will have
Interested in science policy? Follow our blog for news, analysis and commentary on policy issues a ecting scientists, research funding and society. Visit policy.asbmb.org.
SEPTEMBER 2016 ASBMB TODAY 3 MEMBER UPDATE
Protein Society in applying chemistry. Craik and his genome editing technology known as students explore the chemical biology CRISPR/Cas9. is tool is revolu- award winners of proteolytic enzymes, their recep- tionizing the life sciences by allowing e Protein tors and their natural inhibitors. His researchers e ciently and accurately Society, a schol- research e orts toward understanding to modify DNA. eir new technol- arly organization these proteins have aided in the rapid ogy has the potential to address a host dedicated to detection and treatment of infectious of problems, such as repairing defec- promoting the disease and cancer. Craik is also the tive genes and treating various genetic study of protein founder of Catalyst Biosciences, a illnesses. structure, biotechnology company focused on Charpentier is the director of the XU Max Planck Institute for Infection function and protease therapeutic agents. Biology and was awarded an Alexan- design, honored Benjamin Garcia, presidential der von Humboldt professorship in three Ameri- associate professor at the University of Pennsylvania’s Perelman School 2014. She is one of the co-founders can Society for of Medicine, was honored with the of CRISPR erapeutics, a biotech- Biochemistry Young Investigator Award. is award nology company that uses this new and Molecular recognizes a young scientist in the rst technology to treat genetic diseases. Biology mem- CRAIK eight years of his or her independent Doudna is a professor of molecular bers with awards career who has made signi cant con- and cell biology and of chemistry at this past July at tribution to protein research. Garcia’s the University of California, Berkley, its 30th annual research interests lie in the develop- where she holds the Li Ka Shing chan- symposium. ment and application of quantitative cellor’s chair in biomedical and health H. Eric Xu, mass spectrometry-based proteomics sciences. She is also an investigator at distinguished as a means for understanding the the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. director at the dynamic proteome and protein post- GARCIA VARI–SIMM translational modi cations. Joan Steitz recognized Research Center, was the recipient of the Hans Neurath Award, which Charpentier and Doudna for teaching is sponsored by the Hans Neurath Joan Steitz, Foundation. e award recognizes win Tang Prize the Sterling novel contributions to basic protein Two ASBMB professor of research and honors the legacy of members, molecular Hans Neurath, a prominent protein Emmanuelle biophysics and chemist. Xu had two research papers Charpentier biochemistry at on plant hormones honored as top-10 and Jennifer STEITZ Yale University, breakthroughs by the journal Science Doudna, along has been recog- in 2009 and by the Chinese Academy CHARPENTIER with Feng nized for her outstanding contribu- of Sciences in 2014. A recent paper Zhang, are tions to teaching with the William from Xu’s group on the rst X-ray being hon- Clyde DeVane Medal. laser structure of a complex between ored with the e DeVane Medal honors Yale a G-protein–coupled receptor and an Tang Prize in faculty members for their undergradu- arrestin complex also was recognized Biopharmaceu- ate teaching as well as their scholarly by Chinese Academy of Sciences this tical Sciences. achievements. Established in 1966 by year as a top-10 breakthrough. Established Yale’s Chapter of Phi Beta Kappa, this DOUDNA Charles Craik, a pharmaceutical in 2012 by award is named in honor of William chemist who is also the director of Taiwanese entrepreneur and philan- Clyde Devan, the former dean of Yale the chemistry and chemical biology thropist Samuel Yin, the Tang Prize College from 1938 to 1963. Steitz was graduate program at the University honors the outstanding achievements nominated by Yale’s undergraduate of California, San Francisco, received of individuals in four areas: sustain- Phi Beta Kappa members for her lead- the Emil omas Kaiser Award. e able development, biopharmaceutical ership and excellence as an educator. award is given to a scientist who science, sinology and the rule of law. Renowned in the eld of RNA recently has made a signi cation Charpentier and Doudna have research, Steitz leads a lab at Yale that contribution to the study of proteins been recognized for developing a novel focuses on the understanding of RNA
4 ASBMB TODAY SEPTEMBER 2016 biology. She is a Howard Hughes Shilatifard’s research is based on Medical Institute investigator and a understanding how epigenetics and recipient of the National Medal of Sci- transcription malfunction is associ- NIH UPDATE: Long ence. In 2015, the ASBMB recognized ated with the pathogenesis of human spearheads division her work with RNA with the 2015 cancer. More speci cally, he and his Herbert Tabor Research Award. group want to understand how certain at NIGMS mechanisms can activate or suppress Rochelle Wattenberg joins Virginia speci c patterns of gene expression. M. Long Shilatifard also is interested in how has been Commonwealth University inherited or environmental factors appointed Brian “Binks” can contribute to the development of director Wattenberg cancer. To date, Shilatifard’s epigenetic of the joined the inhibitors are being tested for various National department of forms of cancer, such as brain cancer LONG Institute biochemistry and childhood leukemia. of General Medical Sciences divi- and molecular By Erik Maradiaga sion of pharmacology, physiology WATTENBERG biology at Vir- and biological chemistry, known ginia Common- Freeze is FASEB’s as PPBC. NIGMS Director Jon wealth Univer- R. Lorsch made the appoint- sity in August. Wattenberg previously new president ment, citing Long’s reputation was an associate professor in the On July 1, for excellence in promoting department of medicine at University the Federation collaboration among scientists of Louisville. of American across institutional and interna- Wattenberg’s group studies the Societies for tional borders. Long completed regulation of sphingolipid metabolism Experimen- her Ph.D. in pharmacology at the by the ORMDL family of endoplas- tal Biology Uniformed Services University of mic reticulum proteins. Wattenberg FREEZE welcomed its the Health Sciences in Bethesda, received a Ph.D in biochemistry from new president, Md, and previously served as a Washington University in St. Louis Hudson H. Freeze. Freeze is the direc- faculty member at the University and completed his postdoctoral fel- tor of the human genetics program at of Maryland, Baltimore’s School lowship at Stanford University. the Sanford–Burnham–Prebys Medi- of Pharmacy. During her time at By Erik Chaulk cal Discovery Institute in La Jolla, the PPBC, Long was instrumen- California. tal in establishing the National Shilatifard receives award Among his priorities during his Institutes of Health’s Pharma- year as FASEB president is increasing cogenomics Research Network. for research excellence communication with FASEB member Long said she believes that Ali Shilati- societies. e ASBMB is one of the cross-disciplinary collaboration is fard, a biochem- member societies. “One thing is fun- the future of medical research and ist and molecu- damental: FASEB represents scientists. sees tremendous opportunity for lar biologist, From postdocs to society leaders, I such e orts within the PPBC, a has received the want us to have an open dialogue — large division that spans a broad Martin E. and scientist to scientist — about how range of basic and clinical stud- SHILATIFARD Gertrude G. FASEB can better serve its members ies from synthetic chemistry to Walder Award and the scienti c community,” Freeze traumatic injury and wound heal- for Research Excellence. is award said in a FASEB press release. ing. As director, Long said she was established to recognize out- Freeze is a past president of the intends to strengthen emerging standing researchers at Northwestern Society for Glycobiology and its rst and established elds of research University, where Shilatifard serves representative to the FASEB board of by continuing to promote col- as chairman of the biochemistry and directors. He is an ASBMB member laboration within and outside the molecular genetics department at the and serves on the ASBMB’s Public institute. Northwestern University Feinberg Outreach Committee. By Melissa Bowman School of Medicine. By Rajendrani Mukhopadhyay
SEPTEMBER 2016 ASBMB TODAY 5 RETROSPECTIVE E. C. Slater (1917 – 2016) By Piet Borst
ith the death of Edward mulated by Paul Boyer, who received Charles Slater, “Bill” for the Nobel Prize for his work. W friends, biochemistry loses one In 1955, Slater accepted the of the giants of the eld of bioenerget- biochemistry chair of the medical ics. An excellent biochemist, Slater faculty at the University of Amster- was also an outstanding mentor and dam. e laboratory was housed in a a gifted administrator who turned former leper hospital, and the science Biochimica et Biophysica Acta into was in poor shape, but Slater soon one of the most inuential biochemi- assembled a cast of foreign postdoc- cal journals of the 1960s and ’70s and toral fellows and foreign colleagues who contributed to the governance of coming for sabbaticals, and within a numerous organizations, including the year the rst graduate students were International Union of Biochemistry recruited. Eventually, the Amsterdam and Molecular Biology (1). biochemistry department would grow Slater was born on Jan. 16, 1917, into a super department, serving four
in Melbourne, Australia, where he PHOTO COURTESY OF PIET BORST faculties — medicine, chemistry, biol- studied chemistry at Ormond Col- Edward Charles Slater ogy and dentistry — that were housed lege at the University of Melbourne. in three di erent locations in the city. for Research in Parasitology, where Before 1940, it was not possible to Slater chaired the department sup- he set up collaborations with several get a doctorate in Australia. In 1946, ported by seven (associate) professors, Slater and his wife, Marion, a biolo- excellent sta members. Studies with mostly recruited from the ranks of gist he had met while working at the dinitrophenol, an uncoupler of oxida- his pupils. As biochemistry expanded Australian Institute of Anatomy dur- tive phosphorylation, led Slater to in the 1960s and ’70s, Slater’s pupils ing World War II, moved to Cam- formulate a theory for the coupling landed chairs in many other Dutch bridge, England. of oxidation to phosphorylation that universities. At Cambridge, Slater started his became known as the chemical theory Eventually Slater became the most Ph.D. research with David Keilin, of oxidative phosphorylation (3) to inuential biochemical scientist in a parasitologist who was famous for distinguish it from the chemi-osmotic the Netherlands, dominating Dutch discovering the cytochromes of the theory formulated in 1961 by Peter biochemistry in the second half of the mitochondrial respiratory chain. Mitchell. e competition between 20th century. His exceptional talents Using the Keilin-Hartree heart-muscle these two theories would dominate as a scientist and organizer allowed preparation, now known to contain bioenergetics in the 1960s (4). Mitch- him to attract the best students, fragments of the mitochondrial inner ell’s theory eventually would prevail, postdocs and colleagues on sabbatical membrane, Slater discovered that the and he would receive the Nobel Prize. and to inspire and educate them. An respiratory chain was inhibited by the Slater searched in vain for the ideal role model with high standards, dithiol di-mercaptopropanol, or BAL, chemical high-energy intermediates a devotion to well-planned research at a new component of the chain (2). postulated by the chemical theory of and deep knowledge of the literature, Initially called the BAL-labile factor, oxidative phosphorylation. Eventu- he did a superb job organizing and this component was later dubbed the ally Jan Rosing, Jan Berden and Slater running his department. Slater factor. found tightly bound ATP and ADP Once in Amsterdam, Slater increas- After a one-year postdoctoral in the highly puri ed F1-ATPase- ingly contributed to the organiza- fellowship in the lab of the future complex. Slater then realized that the tion of biochemistry in the world. Nobelist Severo Ochoa at New York high-energy intermediate might be a He was secretary of the Committee University, Slater returned to Cam- high-energy state of this complex. A on Biochemical Nomenclature of bridge for an independent position complete form of this conformational the International Union of Pure and in David Keilin’s Molteno Institute hypothesis for ATP synthesis was for- Applied Chemistry (1959–1964)
6 ASBMB TODAY SEPTEMBER 2016 and contributed in many ways to the leadership, BBA grew to become the biochemical societies. He was a fellow running of European Molecular Biol- largest scienti c journal in the world of the British Royal Society, a member ogy Organization and the European and long remained one of the best. of the Royal Netherlands Academy Molecular Biology Laboratory. He Slater continued running BBA until of Arts and Sciences, and a foreign chaired the EMBO Fund Committee 1982, often together with former member of the academies of science from 1974 to 1978 and was a long- pupils and close international col- of Argentina, Australia, Belgium standing auditor of EMBO. He was leagues. He remained honorary execu- and Sweden. In the Netherlands, he president of the EMBL Council and tive editor and worked for BBA until received the Royal Dutch Shell Prize, chairman of the organization’s search he was well into his 80s. and the Dutch queen made him committee when it selected Lennart Slater’s retirement from the univer- Knight of the Order of the Dutch Philipson to succeed John Kendrew to sity in 1985 did not end his involve- Lion, one of the highest distinc- be director-general of EMBL. ment with science and teaching. He tions bestowed on scientists in the Slater enjoyed the social side of moved to Lymington in the south Netherlands. science. He liked the scienti c excite- of Britain and became an honorary Slater was in excellent health until ment and camaraderie of scienti c professor at the University of South- well into his 90s. He skied at his meetings and the interaction with ampton, where he contributed to the second home in Switzerland until colleagues at committee meetings. teaching of biochemistry and admin- 80, sailed single-handedly on the Hence, it is not surprising that a istrative tasks. e university thanked North Sea until 90, continued writ- person of Slater’s scienti c stature him for his e orts with an honorary ing lucid and interesting overviews and managerial qualities would be doctorate. He also received an honor- of the history of the development of recruited by the IUBMB for help. In ary doctorate from the University biochemistry, and kept up a lively 1964, he became a council member, of Bari in Italy in recognition of his correspondence with colleagues and from 1971 to 1979 he acted as trea- contributions to the highly success- former pupils. His last years were surer, in 1985 he became president- ful Bari-Amsterdam Symposia on di cult: He lost his only daughter to elect and from 1988 to 1991 he served Bioenergetics, the rst truly European cancer, and his wife became deaf and blind. He leaves behind his wife (100 as president of the IUBMB. From biochemical symposia. years old), three grandchildren and his 1999 to 2000, he served as treasurer Slater received many other honors son-in-law. He will be remembered by for a second time. during his professional life, such as a wide circle of former colleagues and To many biochemists, Slater was honorary membership in the British pupils as a warm friend and unforget- known as Mr. BBA (5). Under his Biochemical Society and four other table mentor. REFERENCES 1 Slater, E.C., Compreh. Biochem. 40, 69 – 203 (1997). Piet Borst ([email protected]) is an emeritus profes- sor of clinical biochemistry and molecular biology 2 Slater, E.C., Nature 161, 405 (1948). at the University of Amsterdam and the former 3 Slater, E.C., Nature 172, 975 – 978 (1953). director of research of the Netherlands Cancer 4 Slater, E.C., Eur. J. Biochem. 1, 317 – 326 (1967). Institute in Amsterdam, where he is now a staff 5 Slater, E. C., Biophysica Acta: e Story of a Biochemical Journal (1986). member.
SEPTEMBER 2016 ASBMB TODAY 7 8 ASBMB TODAY SEPTEMBER 2016 NEWS A holistic view of ovarian cancer By Rajendrani Mukhopadhyay
he American Cancer Society which signaling pathways were most ing survival outcomes of the women estimates that about 22,280 activated in HGSC,” says Rodland. with ovarian cancer than other prog- T women this year will receive a Rodland adds that the researchers nostic signatures. rst-time diagnosis of ovarian cancer. wanted to compare cases of HGSC Moreover, Chan explains that the e cancer, which has various forms, that had the worst outcomes, where Hopkins group of researchers selected is the most lethal disease of the female the women died in less than three 122 of the 196 samples based on a reproductive system. years, with cases in which patients de ciency in homologous recombi- In a paper published in the journal lived for ve years or longer. e hope nation, a process that is supposed to Cell on June 29, researchers presented was that the comparison would give repair damaged DNA. Ovarian cancer one of the largest studies ever done of scientists fresh clues about the disease. patients with the de ciency usually the most malignant type of ovarian e team examined 169 tumor get treated with a particular drug. cancer. e scientists carried out pro- samples and identi ed 9,600 proteins Chan notes that the study revealed teomic analyses of highly malignant from all the samples. ey focused several protein post-translational tumors and then integrated their data on 3,586 proteins common to all the modi cations that were associated with genetic and clinical information. samples and combined their analyses with the de ciency that “might help e detailed view of the tumors gave with genetic and clinical data. e explain why not every patient with the the researchers a better understand- team found that a critical malfunction homologous recombination de ciency ing of what makes these tumors so in HGSC involved changes in DNA responds to the same drug treatment,” aggressive. where parts either were deleted or he says. “ is nding could help select In 2011, e Cancer Genome copied more than once. patients for the right therapy.” Atlas, a project undertaken by the Duplications of sections in chro- e researchers now are working National Cancer Institute, provided mosomes 2, 7, 20 and 22 caused 200 to validate their observations using a a list of genetic mutations in ovarian proteins to be produced in greater completely di erent set of patients, cancers. “ e Cancer Genome Atlas numbers. When they looked more but Rodland says that the current did a fantastic job of cataloging the closely at those 200 proteins, the study unequivocally shows the impor- genomic aberrations associated with researchers found “the a ected pro- tance of a holistic view. “You have to many di erent cancer types, includ- teins were highly enriched for func- look at the whole ow of informa- ing the most lethal form of ovarian tions related to cell motility, invasion tion, from genome to transcriptome cancer,” which is high-grade serous and immunity,” says Rodland. ese to proteome and phosphoproteome, carcinoma, or HGSC, says Karin functions help make a cancer more in order to get a complete picture of Rodland at the Paci c Northwest aggressive. cancer biology,” she says. Rodland National Laboratory. She co-led the Proteins undergo post-translational points out that the protein phosphor- study published in Cell with Daniel modi cations, which inuence their ylation data helped the team identify W. Chan at Johns Hopkins University. functions. By looking at the copies activated pathways that provided “an e researchers, who came from of proteins produced as well as their additional level of information about nine institutions across the U.S. post-translational modi cations, the cancer biology that cannot be derived and were funded by the NCI, were investigators were “able to derive a from genomic data alone.” interested in how genetic defects signature from the pattern of a ected a ected proteins, which are one of the proteins that could discriminate Rajendrani Mukhopadhyay workhorses in the cell. “We were also between patients with short and long ([email protected]) is interested in protein phosphorylation overall survival with a highly signi - the managing editor for ASBMB as a marker of information ow in cant probability,” says Rodland. is Today. Follow her on Twitter at the cancer cell and as a way of telling signature was much better at predict- twitter.com/rajmukhop.
SEPTEMBER 2016 ASBMB TODAY 9 JOURNAL NEWS A new roundup of biofilms By Hailey Gahlon
Bio lms are sticky. Often slimy development. For example, ve digua- and good at adhering to surfaces, nylate cylcases have been shown to be these complex microbial communities involved in the transition from the thrive in moist environments. ey motile to the surface-attached stage. can be disruptive. For example, they In the fourth minireview, Jef- clog pipes, contribute to dental plaque fery S. Kavanaugh and Alexander R. and wreak havoc with implanted Horswill at the University of Iowa medical devices. Many pathogenic discuss peptide-quorum sensing in the microorganisms that form bio lms gram-positive bacterium Staphylococ- pose serious medical problems, as the cus. e quorum sensing system is resulting infections are often di cult termed the accessory gene regulator, to treat. or agr, system. Kavanaugh and Hor- Bio lms, which can be formed swill outline the inuence of various by both bacteria and fungi, create environmental factors, such as pH, an extracellular matrix made up of reactive oxygen species and nutrients proteins, DNA, lipids and sugars. e that can inuence the agr system. matrix facilitates molecular commu- ey also suggest that future work to nication between the microorganisms e second minireview, by John understand key signaling molecules of within the bio lm to enable adherence Gunn, Lauren Bakaletz and Daniel the agr system could aid in the devel- to surfaces. e matrix also is involved Wozniak at Ohio State University, dis- opment of better therapies to treat in the development of antibiotic cusses the extracellular matrix of three staphylococcal infections. bacteria, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, resistance. e Journal of Biological Bio lms are involved in antibiotic Haemophilus inuenza and Salmo- Chemistry recently published a ve- resistance, but their involvement nella enterica. e authors describe part thematic minireview series that is not well understood. In the fth the variety of approaches researchers focuses on bio lms and their role in minireview, Heleen Van Acker and have taken to target the extracellular human health and disease. e series Tom Coenye at Ghent University in matrix, including matrix-degrading Belgium describe two mechanisms of was edited by JBC associate editor enzymes, small-molecule inhibitors antibiotic resistance. First, they focus Norma Allewell at the University of and immunotherapeutics. ey also on eux pumps that remove intracel- Maryland. suggest that a clearer understanding lular antibiotics to keep the concen- Exopolysaccharides provide of the role of the matrix in bio lm tration of the drug below a critical functional and structural integrity production could come via the devel- threshold. e authors note that little to bio lms. e rst minireview in opment of animal models that better is known about the regulation and the series, by Donald C. Sheppard mimic human infection. expression of eux pumps in bio lm at McGill University and P. Lynne Martina Valentini and Alain Fil- growth. e second mechanism they Howell at the University of Toronto, loux at Imperial College London discuss involves persister cells that describes their role in pathogenic investigate the role of cyclic-di-GMP can tolerate high levels of antibiotic fungi. Although the enzymes that signaling in bio lms with the model compounds. e authors also explore form fungal bio lms of Candida organism Pseudomonas aeruginosa one confounding area of research, the albicans and Aspergillus fumigatus in the third minireview. Cyclic-di- question of whether persister cells are lack sequence homology with bacte- GMP is a second messenger that is dormant cells with inactive antibiotic rial exopolysaccharide biosynthetic involved in the life cycle of bio lm targets or have di erent metabolic enzymes, they are functionally similar formation, which begins with surface states. in many ways. e similarity extends attachment, then colony maturation to therapeutic targets; for example, a and nally dispersion. Studies of two new class of anti-fungal drugs called enzymes involved in cyclic-di-GMP Hailey Gahlon (h.gahlon@ echinocandins inhibits a beta-1-3 glu- imperial.ac.uk) is a Marie Curie metabolism, mutant diguanylate postdoctoral research fellow at can synthase in C. albicans and shows cylcases and phosphodiesterases, have Imperial College London. potential anti-bio lm activity. demonstrated their role in bio lm
10 ASBMB TODAY SEPTEMBER 2016 JOURNAL NEWS
Special subunit meets energy demands for spermatogenesis By Amber Lucas
e balance between mitochondrial membrane glycolysis and oxidative phos- with a topology and structure phorylation plays a central that parallels that of MPC1. role in many cellular pro- Using bioluminescence cesses, such as cell function, resonance energy transfer and cell fate and disease progres- respirometry experiments that sion. Pyruvate, a product monitored pyruvate ux, the of glycolysis that acts as an investigators also were able to electron donor for oxidative show that MPC1L not only phosphorylation, links these can interact physically with two pathways together. In a MPC2, the other subunit in recent paper published in the the MPC complex, but also Journal of Biological Chem- forms a functional complex. istry, Benoît Vanderperre and is functional complex is colleagues at the University able to facilitate pyruvate of Geneva in Switzerland dis- PHOTO COURTESTY OF BENOÎT VANDERPERRE import into the mitochondria covered a new subunit for the Images of mouse seminiferous tubule showing nuclei (blue), the synaptonemal at rates comparable to the complex that carries pyruvate complex from spermatocytes (green), and the MPC1-like subunit in mitochon- MPC1/MPC2 complex. across the inner mitochon- dria (orange/red). So if MPC1 and MPC1L drial membrane. e subunit third MPC subunit involved in the have similar functions at simi- appears to be found only in placental switch between fermentation and lar e cacies, why does the cell expend mammals and is thought to play a respiration, but characterization of the energy to make both of them? It turns role in meeting the energy demands of MPC in higher eukaryotes remains out that, while their functions are spermatogenesis. incomplete. is led to the search for similar, their expression patterns are Glycolysis and oxidative phosphor- other components that may make up not. MPC1 is expressed ubiquitously, ylation are vital for cellular energy the MPC in higher eukaryotes. while MPC1L is highly expressed in production. Glycolysis breaks down Vanderperre and colleagues the testes and may also be expressed in sugar to form precursors for other discovered the new subunit, called fetal heart and ovaries. metabolic pathways, a small amount MPC1-like, or MPC1L for short, is raises questions about the of ATP and pyruvate. Oxidative while searching for proteins similar role of MPC1L in spermatogenesis phosphorylation is responsible for the to the MPC1 and MPC2 nucleotide and how it may be linked to cell fate majority of ATP production within sequences. e investigators found determination and function in this the mitochondria and uses pyruvate there is a high degree of sequence speci c cell type. Metabolic processes as an electron donor. Understanding conservation between MPC1 and have been shown to play important how pyruvate is transported within MPC1L, with slight variations in the roles in di erentiation, so Vanderperre the cell is important for appreciat- length of the C-terminus. and colleagues speculate that the extra ing how cytosolic and mitochondrial Genes with high-sequence similar- expression of MPC1L could help meet metabolism are coordinated and how ity do not always behave analogously metabolic processes are important for higher demands for MPC function at the protein level, so the team set during spermatogenesis in placental cell fate and function. out to determine the correspondence mammals. Pyruvate is transported across the between MPC1 and MPC1L. ey inner mitochondrial membrane by began by looking at subcellular local- a complex called the mitochondrial ization of MPC1L using immunouo- Amber Lucas (aluca685@gmail. pyruvate carrier. MPC is made up com)is a graduate student at rescence. e immunouorescence Carnegie Mellon University. of two subunits, MPC1 and MPC2. data showed that MPC1L is a mem- Studies with yeast have uncovered a brane protein inserted in the inner
SEPTEMBER 2016 ASBMB TODAY 11 JOURNAL NEWS
Isomerases determine green odor of plants By Lee D. Gibbs
When a plant’s tissue gets damaged, it gives o a green, leafy odor. In an e ort to make crops like tomatoes more appealing to consumers, breed- ers of fruits and vegetables are interested in masking or sweet- ening this odor, which can a ect a food’s avor. Conven- tional breeding methods have been tried, but with limited results. Some researchers think genetic identi cation methods may hold the key to odor and avor enhancement. e leafy odor of plants is characterized by green leaf volatiles. GLVs are composed of six-carbon compounds that provide not only the charac- teristic green leaf odor but also characteristic aromas and avors to fruits and vegetables. Researchers have identified hexenal isomerases that give plants their characteristic smell. One compound, (E)-2-hex- ment and phylogenetic tree analysis tomato plants. (Z)-3-hexenal is the enal, was identi ed early on in GLV and found that HIs belong to a family main volatile that determines wild- research and named the leaf aldehyde. of a functionally diverse proteins type tomato avor and is responsible But the enzyme or enzymes involved containing a conserved barrel domain. for the green, leafy odor of tomatoes. in (E)-2-hexenal production had yet ey discovered that the three ey showed that transgenic tomato to be identi ed. catalytic amino acids histidine, lysine plants accumulate the (E)-2-hexenal, In a recent article in the Journal and tyrosine are conserved in various in contrast to wild-type tomato of Biological Chemistry, Yasuo plant species and form a catalytic site plants that mainly accumulate (Z)- Yamauchi and his team at the Gradu- known as catalytic HKY in HIs. HIs 3-hexenal. is study demonstrates ate School of Agricultural Science at enzymatically isomerize a six-carbon that the conversion of (E)-2-hexenal Kobe University in Japan discuss how compound called (Z)-3-hexenal to to (Z)-3-hexenal by HI contributes they identi ed (Z)-3:(E)-2-hexenal (E)-2-hexenal; 3-hexyn-1-al, another to a sweeter green odor of tomatoes. isomerases, or HIs, as essential to the six-carbon compound, acts as a is genetic identi cation of volatile production of the (E)-2-hexenal in emissions of tomato fruits made by plants. e team found that various suicide substrate for HIs by binding irreversibly to histidine. is sug- Yamauchi’s team may provide tomato plant species have homologous HIs breeders with an opportunity to aban- and that red paprika, a bell pepper gests that the catalytic mode of HI is a keto-enol tautomerism reaction, don conventional breeding methods variant, has especially robust HI and turn to genetic manipulation for which is a chemical equilibrium activity. ey extracted and puri ed improvement of tomato avor. HI from red paprika to determine its between a ketone or aldehyde and enzymatic role in the production of an alcohol mediated by a catalytic histidine residue. Lee D. Gibbs (Lee.Gibbs@live. the (E)-2-hexenal and to evaluate its unthsc.edu) is a doctoral can- ability to enhance the odor of tomato e researchers compared trans- didate at the University of North plants. genic tomato plants overexpressing Texas Health Science Center. e researchers performed align- the red paprika HI with wild-type
12 ASBMB TODAY SEPTEMBER 2016 JOURNAL NEWS Sphingolipids and retinal degeneration By Dawn Hayward
Two uses for the same drug. It’s been done before with success. Take aspirin, which alleviates pain and is a blood thinner. Or Wellbutrin, which helps smokers quit and is an antide- pressant. In a recently published paper in the Journal of Lipid Research, researchers took a multiple sclerosis drug called Gilenya from Novartis and gave it a new use: treatment of retinal degeneration. Why Gilenya? Gilenya, which also goes by the name FTY720, initially was used in multiple sclerosis, a cen- tral nervous system disorder involv- ing the destruction of certain nerve cells. Gilenya is an altered version of a natural product and has immunosup- pressive e ects, particularly through the blockade of sphingolipid synthe- sis. is last point is key, as retinal degeneration also is known to involve sphingolipid biosynthesis. Retinal degeneration is a catchall term for a group of diseases whose hallmark is photoreceptor cell death. is cell death has many contribut- Gilenya, a multiple sclerosis drug, may have a new use as a treatment for retinal degeneration. ing factors, one of which is ceramide, post-natal day 22 and have 50 percent ment, many questions remain. First, a sphingolipid whose role in retinal photoreceptor death at postnatal day the exact pathway between ceramide degeneration has been investigated 45. is occurs because they have a biosynthesis and photoreceptor cell by the group of Nawajes Mandal at mutated rhodopsin gene. death needs to be established. Second, the University of Oklahoma Health e investigators administered the precise mechanism of action of Sciences Center. In fact, in previously Gilenya to these rats at both the early Gilenya also needs to be established. published work, the Mandal group and late stages of the disease and And, of course, many more studies identi ed ceramide as a critical player examined eye health, gene expression with this drug in animal models have in retinal degeneration by using Gile- and sphingolipid levels. With early to be completed. nya in a rat model of light-induced dosing of Gilenya came improved rod Still, this study makes a signi cant retinal degeneration. and cone function as well as lowered contribution to the search for retinal- In the current JLR study, Mandal ceramide biosynthesis gene expression, degeneration drugs. Treatments for and colleagues turned their focus to two positive signs of improvement. this disease are few and far between, a laboratory rat model, one which In addition, the investigators noticed and beginning with a Food and Drug more frequently is used in the retinal that the sphingolipid pro le, a feature Administration-approved drug is a degeneration eld. is rat model that was altered in the disease model, good start to alleviating this disorder. closely matches how retinal degenera- was reset, and they observed normal tion happens in humans. Using this Dawn Hayward (dhaywar5@jhmi. levels of associated enzymes were edu) is a graduate student at the popular model gives a better idea of observed with Gilenya administration. Johns Hopkins University School the e ects of the drug. ese trans- While Gilenya may appear to be a of Medicine. genic animals start losing their sight at winner for retinal degeneration treat-
SEPTEMBER 2016 ASBMB TODAY 13 JOURNAL NEWS Sustaining seabass By Alexandra Nail
A major challenge of the aquaculture industry is meeting the worldwide demand for sh. With the rising demand, the the cost of the shmeal is increasing. A widely used solution to cut costs is to replace some of the pro- tein-rich components of shmeal with plant-based carbohydrates. In a recent paper in the Journal of Lipid Research, Ivan Viegas and colleagues from the Universities of Coimbra and Barcelona investigated whether a high-carbohydrate diet increases fat deposits in seabass. Seabass, which are
carnivorous, can tolerate PHOTO COURTESY OF IVAN VIEGAS up to 30 percent of their Farm-raised seabass can have high fat deposits that may compromise their flavor. diet being replaced with de novo lipogenesis, which is primar- enzymes important for NADPH pro- digestible carbohydrates without com- ily responsible for converting carbo- duction, as NADPH provides energy promising their growth rate. However, hydrates into fat. To determine if the for de novo lipogenesis. Viegas and the replacement causes farm-raised same process occurred in seabass, Vie- colleagues discovered that NADPH seabass to have more fat deposits than production was moderately increased their wild counterparts. e fat lowers gas and colleagues fed the sh a diet in the sh on the high-carbohydrate the quality and taste of meat, there- with either high-protein or a com- bined protein-and-starch content. To diet, but it was not su cient to fore lowering the overall value of the increase de novo lipogenesis. nal product. tease apart the lipid pro les, sh were placed into tanks containing deuter- In the future, additional processes, Various methods have been used to such as tissue lipid retention or study lipid accumulation in di erent ated water. e hydrogen isotope was incorporated into triacylglycerol, the decreased fat breakdown, need to be sh species fed partial carbohydrate evaluated to identify the mechanism diets, but a consistent explanation for main component of fat. After six days, the investigators iso- of lipid accumulation in sh fed increased adiposity has not emerged. high-carbohydrate diets. Furthermore, lated liver and serum samples from the While it is clear that farmed sh implementing breeding selection sh and measured the lipid pro les have higher fat content, scientists strategies for lean farmed sh may using nuclear magnetic resonance. e don’t know if the higher fat content be an e ective solution to satisfy the investigators found that even though is due to increased lipid synthesis or ever-growing demand for high-quality decreased lipid breakdown. plasma and liver triglyceride levels in seabass. Farm-raised seabass have increased the sh fed the high-carbohydrate diet plasma, liver and whole-body lipid were higher, the lipid pro les revealed Alexandra Nail (alexandra. levels as a result of high-carbohydrate no signi cant changes in de novo [email protected]) is a doctoral diets. In mammals, high-carbohydrate lipogenesis between sh fed the two candidate at the University of intake increases the activity of a path- di erent diets. Kentucky. way in liver and adipose tissue called e investigators also measured
14 ASBMB TODAY SEPTEMBER 2016 JOURNAL NEWS Knockout mouse reveals links between bile acids and metabolic disorders By Jennifer Shing
Bile acids help us absorb dietary fats and fat-soluble nutrients. e enzyme cholesterol 7α-hydroxylase, or Cyp7a1, converts cholesterol into bile acids in the rst step of the clas- sic bile acid synthesis pathway. In a recent study published in the Journal of Lipid Research, John Chiang at Northeast Ohio Medical University and colleagues describe their charac- terization of a new Cyp7a1 knockout mouse. Although previous research focused on a Cyp7a1 knockout mouse with a mixed genetic background, the PHOTO COURTESY OF JOHN CHIANG genetically engineered mouse in this Pure-background knockout mice help researchers better understand bile acid composition. report had a pure genetic background. normal levels of Cyp7a1 and earlier acids are responsible for both pool e researchers found that their new studies using mixed-background composition and glucose sensitivity. knockout mouse, when compared Cyp7a1 knockout mice. While an explanation for these with the original knockout mouse, Although mixed-background results is unknown, the authors sus- survived better, had higher glucose knockout mice died without dietary pect that fecal bile acid reabsorption tolerance and was less likely to develop supplementation of bile acids or vita- from the intestine helped the knock- metabolic disorders. mins, the pure-background Cyp7a1 out mice accommodate the relative Chiang and colleagues were inter- knockout mice were smaller but decline in classic bile acid synthesis. ested in understanding the inuence appeared normal. e mice survived When fed a Western diet, the mice of bile acid synthesis on liver metabo- despite their decreased bile acid pool likely reasbored the bile acids and lism and disease. Mice from mixed size, which was 40 percent less than avoided metabolic disorders and dia- genetic backgrounds are more vari- in wild-type mice. ere were more betes. Also, speci c bile acids enriched able, because they come from parents hydrophilic bile acids and less of the in the pure-background knockout of di erent genetic strains. ese mice cholic acid in the knockout mice, mice may have triggered cellular sig- with mixed origin cannot be used for indicating a shift toward alternative naling in the body, causing improved nutritional studies, because the results bile acid synthesis. glucose tolerance. could be inuenced by genes or diet. e investigators also noted that is investigation reveals how bile is is why the researchers created a the knockout mice showed improved acid pool makeup a ects glucose and Cyp7a1 knockout mouse that had a glucose tolerance compared with wild- energy homeostasis. It also reminds single genetic background for dietary type mice when fed a normal diet. researchers to consider genetic back- studies. Even on a Western diet, the knockout ground whenever studying mouse With their new knockout mouse, mice did better in tolerating glucose models. In the future, this new Chiang and colleagues performed than wild-type mice. To understand Cyp7a1 knockout mouse could be metabolic and dietary studies. ey whether changes were caused by used to examine how bile acid compo- studied multiple physiological charac- altered bile acid composition, the sition may help protect the body from metabolic disorders. teristics, including bile acid pool and authors fed the mice a diet supple- composition, glucose tolerance, and mented with cholic acid. ey found energy metabolism under a normal or Jennifer Shing (jennifer.shing@ that the changes in bile acid makeup gmail.com) received a Ph.D. in Western diet, high in fat and choles- and glucose tolerance in the knockout molecular pharmacology and terol. All results were compared with mice mimicked the results in wild- experimental therapeutics from results using wild-type mice expressing type mice. erefore, changes in bile the Mayo Clinic.
SEPTEMBER 2016 ASBMB TODAY 15 JOURNAL NEWS Brady wins Tabor award for transition metal signaling By Melissa Bowman
Donita C. Brady won the Journal of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. As of Biological Chemistry/Herbert a graduate student in the laboratory Tabor Young Investigator Award in of Adrienne Cox, Brady described recognition of her promising work at the mechanism by which an atypical the interface of cancer biology, signal Rho GTPase co-opts polarity pro- transduction and cellular use of transi- teins in epithelial cells to contribute tion metals. Brady is a presidential to tumorigenic phenotypes. In her assistant professor in the department postdoctoral work at Duke University of cancer biology at the University in the lab of Christopher Counter, of Pennsylvania Perelman School of she uncovered a link between copper acquisition and a mitogenic kinase Medicine. PHOTO COURTESY OF DONITA BRADY Brady and her group are working Donita Brady received the Tabor Award in June at signaling pathway. Her postdoctoral to identify and characterize novel the FASEB Conference on Trace Elements in Biology research since has contributed to the roles of transition metals in kinase and Medicine in Montana from JBC Associate Editor development of a new cancer therapy, Ruma Banerjee. signaling pathways in healthy cells. and Brady hopes that her current Previous studies by Brady’s group have metal-dependent pathways in cancer work will continue to produce novel identi ed a requirement for copper in therapy. therapies. the regulation of the kinase complex Brady grew up near Virginia Beach MEK1/2 in the MAPK pathway. and majored in chemistry at Radford Melissa Bowman (mbowma14@ College, where she also played Divi- alumni.jh.edu) is a scientist and Brady hopes this research ultimately health policy communicator in will enable her lab to develop pharma- sion I softball. She received her Ph.D. Washington, D.C. cological interventions to target these in pharmacology from the University
Upcoming ASBMB events and deadlines Sept. 19–23: National Postdoc Appreciation Week SEPTOCT
Oct. 3: ASBMB “ e Art of Science Communication” online course begins Oct. 6–9: ASBMB Special Symposium: Transcriptional Regulation by Chromatin and RNA Polymerase II, Snowbird, Utah Oct. 13–15: Society for Advancement of Hispanics/Chicanos and Native Americans in Science National Conference, Long Beach Convention Center, booth #226, Long Beach, Calif.
Nov. 9–12: Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students, booth #701, Tampa, Fla.
NOVDEC Nov. 17: Abstract submission deadline for ASBMB 2017 Annual Meeting, Chicago
Dec. 1: Travel award deadline for the ASBMB 2017 Annual Meeting, Chicago Dec. 3–7: American Society for Cell Biology annual meeting, booth #835, San Francisco
16 ASBMB TODAY SEPTEMBER 2016 SEPTEMBER 2016 ASBMB TODAY 17 SCIENTISTS ON SOCIAL MEDIA
18 Keeping it real 23 Sharing science creatively 24 Navigating the murky waters of social media 26 Life on social media in and out of academia 28 Promote your paper in four easy steps 30 Mean girls with Ph.D.s
18 ASBMB TODAY SEPTEMBER 2016 Keeping it real Carolyn Bertozzi isn’t afraid to discuss ‘the petty humiliations of life’ on social media By Rajendrani Mukhopadhyay
t is easy to be in awe of Carolyn Bertozzi. In 1999, she became a I MacArthur fellow for her research in glycobiology. She was just 33. She has been an investigator with the Howard Hughes Medical Institute since 2000. She won election to the National Academy of Sciences as well as the National Academy of Medicine (formerly the Institute of Medicine). And that’s not all of her scienti c awards and honors. Bertozzi, an endowed professor at Stanford University, leads a team of more than 30 people whose mission is to use tools of chemistry to study biology and develop new molecules for improving human health. Projects in the lab include the development of mass spectrometric methods to study glycosylated proteins in cells, with particular applications in cancer and stem-cell research, and understand- ing some of the key enzymes in the bacterium that causes tuberculosis and using the information to create a PHOTO COURTESY OF LINDA A. CICERO FOR STANFORD NEWS SERVICE point-of-care diagnostic device for the Carolyn Bertozzi uses Twitter to show the realities of life as a scientist. disease. Michael Marletta at the Uni- couldn’t y from the U.S. to Canada versity of California, Berkeley, notes because she had forgotten her passport that Bertozzi is “just the best” at using at home, Bertozzi delighted her Twit- a variety of disciplines to “understand ter followers by listing her top 10 complicated biology.” travel blunders. (One was forgetting With all the success that Bertozzi her bag on an airport shuttle, which has earned, you might think that she resulted in a bomb squad being called has a golden touch. is is where her in.) It prompted one of her followers Twitter feed comes in. to quip, “MacArthur geniuses: ey’re “It’s good for me to air all the petty just like us!” humiliations of life” on Twitter, says at’s precisely the point. “I think Bertozzi, which she regularly uses to people feel that scientists are not real share science news and aspects of her people with real lives and real prob- life to her more than 2,000 followers. Two years ago, on discovering she CONTINUED ON PAGE 20
SEPTEMBER 2016 ASBMB TODAY 19 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 19 some Harvard sites,” she says. “ en I discovered there were a bunch of lems that are mundane,” says Bertozzi. chemists who are tweeting, so I started “I gured I could dispel that myth on following them. e funny thing is, Twitter.” within a few months, all of sudden, Bertozzi belongs to a cohort of I was so up on current events.” e scientists who now regularly use same happened with the scienti c Facebook and Twitter for the sake of literature because of all the journal science. A 2015 report, “How scien- newsfeeds she was following. tists engage the public,” from the Pew As any overscheduled scientist, Research Center, done in collabora- Bertozzi notes she doesn’t have the tion with the American Association time to read news and scienti c papers for the Advancement of Science, in print or at various websites. How- stated that 27 to 47 percent of AAAS ever, Bertozzi found she could follow members use social media to discuss current events in real time on Twitter science or stay abreast of scienti c “when I’m stuck in line at Safeway,” developments. Nearly half of the she says. “I can do it when I’m at the scientists on social media are looking airport stuck in line. It’s all on my to attract both specialized and general phone.” audiences to their discussions and en, a few months into joining heighten awareness of the scienti c Twitter, came Bertozzi’s social-media enterprise. breakthrough: “By accident, once or twice, I tweeted something original Opening up from my own mind.” Bertozzi wasn’t an early adopter of ose tweets ended up getting social media. “I never had a Facebook shared widely and garnered Bertozzi page. I skipped that entire era appar- more followers. She realized that the ently,” she says. social media platform was a great way e change happened in 2014 to discuss the various issues facing when she became editor for a jour- science and scientists. And she could nal, ACS Central Science, which is use the social media platform to show published by the American Chemical that, despite all her success, she is Society. Some of ACS’s employees fallible. encouraged Bertozzi to use Twitter to Bertozzi has used Twitter to air promote the journal. her biggest peeves about misconcep- Initially, Bertozzi was highly tions of science (“Chemicals=bad, skeptical about the value of Twitter. scientists=old white men, Like other social media platforms, it chemistry=boring or all done (where appeared to revolve around “mostly is our Breakthrough Prize!”)). She stupid minutiae,” says Bertozzi. has jumped in on discussions about But she soldiered on and started to the purpose of postdoctoral stints follow journals that had Twitter feeds. (“Postdoc = training/mentored posi- en she discovered Berkeley’s feeds. tion. Should expect support for job (Bertozzi’s laboratory was based in search”). She has given career advice Berkeley before her move to Stanford to younger scientists (“Communicate in 2015.) e feeds from the di erent research with story telling skill, under- schools on campus helped her plug stand peoples’ motivations, know into various events and research hap- audience, think big”). pening on campus. Bertozzi also uses Twitter to discuss She soon discovered that a num- openly the challenges of a full-time ber of universities “have all these job and parenthood. Bertozzi and her interesting Twitter feeds. So I started wife have three boys, all under age following Cornell, MIT, Caltech and 8. “ is whole idea of work–family
20 ASBMB TODAY SEPTEMBER 2016 balance — what could be more of a misnomer for your life than the word ‘balance’?” she says. “It’s a complete joke.” Bertozzi says she believes younger scientists, especially women, need to see that even the most successful people don’t have their act together at all times. “Women get this weird impression that somehow, you have to be so perfect to be successful,” she says. “ at’s not true at all.” (On Twit- ter, she has dismissed the idea that she is a perfect mother, following up with a few parenting tips including “Eat ice cream before pizza as lesson in how to blunt insulin spike.”) She recounts a time when she was visiting a university to give a talk and was taken to lunch by some of the graduate students at the university. One of the students couldn’t fathom that Bertozzi changes her children’s diapers. “It’s not like there’s a diaper- changing robot under my bed!” she says. “It’s hard to know where it started, but people think that you’re somehow a di erent species” when you’re a successful scientist. ‘I can’t believe I let that happen’ Bertozzi doesn’t want to set false standards. It’s not just on Twitter that Bertozzi is willing to reveal her bumps PHOTO COURTESY OF BERTOZZI LAB and bruises. On a “People Behind the Bertozzi is known as a masterful communicator. Science” podcast that was taped in January, Bertozzi spoke about the mis- have the same ambitions, the same takes she made when she began setting interests,” she said during the podcast. up a laboratory at Berkeley’s chemistry “Of course, no two people are alike, department as a new assistant profes- much less ve people. I found myself frustrated that they couldn’t read my sor in 1995. Like many junior faculty mind.” members, Bertozzi fumbled. “Some- Bertozzi soon learned that she had one gives you the keys to the car, but to communicate her expectations you never really learned how to drive,” clearly. She had to appreciate that dif- Bertozzi said during the podcast. “You ferent people had di erent work styles have no experience, really, in manag- and motivations and that she had to ing a research enterprise.” tailor her mentorship and manage- She assumed her rst batch of ment to the person. graduate students would be copies of “I had a lot of work to do on my her. “ ey would have the same com- mitment to their research, they would CONTINUED ON PAGE 22
SEPTEMBER 2016 ASBMB TODAY 21 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 21 ery, she makes sure that she doesn’t repeat those mistakes, and she reviews soft skills early on. I really screwed up how she is pacing the narrative. As she a lot of things. I had students leave my puts it, “every lecture you give should lab out of frustration with me,” said have an arc, a story, and it should Bertozzi in the podcast. “In retrospect, build up a cathartic moment.” I can’t believe I let that happen.” Woo says that she tries to emulate But now, Bertozzi excels as a men- Bertozzi’s presentation style because tor. “You’ll be very hard-pressed to “I’ve seen people come from totally nd somebody to say anything bad di erent chemistry backgrounds go about Carolyn,” says Christina Woo, to her talk and come out like ‘Wow, who recently completed a postdoctoral I actually learned something from stint with Bertozzi and is starting her that!’” own laboratory at Harvard University. Bertozzi understands how leaving “She is an especially supportive men- out information is as important as tor who really gets how to support her leaving in information when telling a postdocs and students.” story. “She’s very much a minimalist Marletta sounds rueful about when it comes to making slides,” says Bertozzi’s recent exit from Berkeley. Peter Robinson, a recent Ph.D. gradu- “Carolyn is a fantastic recruiter of ate from the lab who now is the chief students,” he says. “Now that she’s at scienti c o cer of a startup company Stanford, that’s a problem for us here! called Enable Biosciences. “Even She has this ability to connect right though we publish a lot of papers and away. e connection comes from have a lot of data, if you go to one listening to people, seeing what they of her talks, she might summarize an are like and what they are interested entire project by showing what that in, and nding a way to intersect with group is trying to achieve in a single that.” well-designed slide.” e approach Bertozzi takes to Emotional connection make her lectures compelling mirrors the approach she has toward Twitter. Marletta and Woo describe Bertozzi She cares about sharing her passion for as a masterful communicator who research and making science accessible knows how to draw in an audience to whomever may be interested. and make them care about what Bertozzi says her colleagues look she has to say. She is a consummate at her askance when she’s busy taking storyteller. photos at department functions to Some of her mastery comes from tweet. “ ey laugh at me and think the fact that Bertozzi is a skilled jazz it’s so silly because they think of it and rock keyboardist who performed as a teenage girl’s pastime, which is in a band in college and seriously con- probably what I would have thought templated majoring in music. Being a couple of years ago,” says Bertozzi. a musician has given Bertozzi a taste “I feel it’s too bad because we’re doing for the thrill that comes from form- ourselves a disservice by disdaining a ing a connection between the person mode of communication that so many on-stage and the audience. e goal of millions of people use. What a waste a lecture, just as in a musical perfor- of an opportunity to show people mance, says Bertozzi, is “you’re trying what you do and who you are.” to create an emotion that you share with the audience.” Rajendrani Mukhopadhyay Every time she gives a lecture that ([email protected]) is falls at, Bertozzi does a postmortem. the managing editor for ASBMB By asking herself where she lost the Today. Follow her on Twitter at audience or lost steam with her deliv- twitter.com/rajmukhop.
22 ASBMB TODAY SEPTEMBER 2016 SCIENTISTS ON SOCIAL MEDIA Sharing science creatively By Sapeck Agrawal
David Bachinsky launched the depending on my schedule. I have company Molecular Creativity in the about 5,000 followers on Twitter, so late 1990s and created a Facebook I post more stu on that site — like page of the same name a decade links to articles — but a subset of later. His wide-ranging coverage of those tweets get posted on Facebook. the whole of molecular biology and A few hours per week are spent updat- biochemistry and his frenetic posting ing information. style have made the Facebook page something of a social media phenom- Which story has been the enon among scientists and science lov- ers. He also is active on Twitter with most popular so far? almost 5,000 followers. ere was a video from Eric Green Bachinsky did postdoctoral research Molecular Creativity’s social media feeds highlight (director of the National Human in pathology, genetics and molecular interesting science. Genome Research Institute) that did biology at Massachusetts General Hos- after I nished as a research fellow in well about the genomic landscape pital and then became an instructor in genetics at Harvard Medical School. — history and future directions of nephrology at Tufts University. He fol- I had decided to not go the academic genomics from the perspectives of the lowed that up with a position funded route but to try consulting — with NHGRI. Reviews and videos seem by the Howard Hughes Medical Insti- mixed success. e company ended as to get more attention than research tute at Harvard Medical School. a corporation in 2007 when I became articles. Sapeck Agrawal spoke to him about a resident scholar and senior scientist his background, how the Facebook at (the biotech company) Intrexon. It page came to be and what inspires its was relaunched in 2009 as a mecha- What is the most rewarding upkeep. e interview has been edited nism to get some consulting aspect of maintaining a for length and clarity. opportunities. page like this? When did you start the I like sharing information that I page, and what motivated nd interesting. I populated a cork What stories interest you? board in a hallway with the front you to do it? My interests in molecular, bio- pages of the Journal of Biological chemical and cell biology as related Molecular Creativity was incor- Chemistry and related journals while mainly to humans are what dominate porated in Massachusetts in 1998 a Ph.D. student. I ran the continuing the Facebook posts. Ideally, the take- medical education pathology seminar away message for visitors to the page is series while at Massachusetts General that health science is really interesting Hospital. I think communicating and it can be fun to learn new stu science and medical information is that makes connections that might an important rst step in obtaining have been considered separate and funding and support from individuals distinct areas of research. I hope to who might be ignorant of the great fertilize new ideas in my diverse audi- progress in biochemical, genetic and ence, which seems to be international. medical sciences. How much time do you Sapeck Agrawal (sapeck.srivas- spend on the page? [email protected]) is a medical and science writer with a Ph.D. in PHOTO COURTESY OF DAVID BACHINKSY I work alone and post informa- molecular biology. Bachinsky is the force behind Molecular Creativity. tion periodically throughout the day,
SEPTEMBER 2016 ASBMB TODAY 23 SCIENTISTS ON SOCIAL MEDIA Navigating the murky waters of social media By Rick Page
orking in a profession where of biomedical research to our elected personal life and the other for my pro- success hinges on securing the o cials and the lay public as abso- fessional life. LinkedIn is a great tool W next grant or publishing the lutely necessary. My commitment to for networking and is professionally next big paper, scientists are excep- advocating for increased and sustained focused, though it tends to be highly tionally trained to distill complexity funding for biomedical research is compartmentalized into discussion into simpler elements. Grant writ- why I joined the American Society for groups for speci c sub elds, prone to ing may be a scientist’s ultimate test Biochemistry and Molecular Biology’s spam, and largely populated by job in communicating via e cient and Public A airs Advisory Committee. I seekers. Although Facebook is the e ective prose. Twitter is essentially use Twitter as a platform to commu- most popular social media platform an extreme exercise in e cient and nicate the signi cance of biomedical in the world, it can be di cult to e ective writing, albeit with decid- research in both societal and eco- keep your professional and personal edly lower stakes than grant writing nomic terms and to raise awareness lives separate, although you can, as on and signi cantly lower odds of getting for developments in funding. You may Twitter, hold separate accounts for the money for your lab. share these same concerns and likely di erent parts of your life. have others that you are committed to I nd Twitter to be natively So why join the world advancing. customizable, easy to learn and great I encourage junior and established for rapid communication. However, of social media? scientists alike to join social media to having a quick and easy vehicle for I would argue that never before has broaden the scope of science they see communication does not always mean the distribution of information been and to engage with other scientists it is simple to get your message out more democratic. Information comes and the public. Similar to starting a e ectively. easily to you; communicating your new experiment, a scientist looking to get a start in social media should take science to a large audience happens stock of some points. Easy to use, not incredibly quickly. I use Twitter to nd new papers necessarily easy to do and new science without having Which platform? Consuming information shared by to scour a plethora of journal sites. With the plethora of choices avail- others on Twitter couldn’t be simpler. While not all scienti c articles are able for social media platforms, choos- All you have to do is hit the “follow” posted to Twitter, by following a ing the best platform can be daunt- button on people, organizations and diverse group of scientists on Twit- ing for those starting out. Twitter, groups that interest you. ter, I can capitalize on a community Facebook and LinkedIn are the most Posting your own tweets and of scientists to curate cutting-edge widely used social media platforms for making sure they are seen is easier developments and current literature scientists. said than done. Writing a tweet and more quickly identify the most Twitter is my social media platform that others will not just see but also exciting new developments. of choice. But no matter the platform, share (retweet) takes practice. An Another strong advantage is advo- on social media, everything is or has overarching goal to keep in mind cacy. Connecting more scientists to the potential to be public. You must when writing your rst tweets is to the political process that determines consider this point when starting out spark interest. You want your tweet funding levels for the National Insti- and posting. As a faculty member, to be succinct yet engage the reader’s tutes of Health and National Science separating my private and profes- attention. ink as if you’re writing Foundation is a priority for me. I sional lives is important. On Twitter, a manuscript title, not an abstract. view communicating the importance I have separate accounts, one for my Try to spur the reader into wanting to
24 ASBMB TODAY SEPTEMBER 2016 learn more about your subject. One us in science, the real cost of spending predecessors never had. Staying up to of the best ways to do this is to be time on social media is acknowledged date is quick and easy. I can get the yourself; don’t try to be an automaton infrequently. Particularly for junior information I need whether I’m at my tweeting science 24/7. Inject your scientists, the real price of your time desk or 2,000 miles away. Countless thoughts and personality into your scarcely is mentioned. tweets have sparked inspiration for tweets and share what you think is As a faculty member with demands current and future projects in my lab. interesting and compelling. You also for my time coming from many angles Tweets have prompted me to incor- want to make sure that any links you and the need to pay for salaries in my porate graphic-design principles into put in your tweet are functional. ere lab from grants, the real cost of time is gures and presentations and intro- is little more frustrating on Twitter more readily apparent. A key consid- duced me to exciting new approaches than nding an interesting tweet and eration for capitalizing on your social in biochemistry and biophysics. Twit- discovering it features a dead link. It media e orts is to compartmentalize ter also provides me with the oppor- also can be helpful to stick to a theme or actively track your time. Twitter can tunity to share information about the or a set of themes so that you can be an e cient mechanism for nding science, missions and principles about become known as a valuable source of the latest science and promoting your which I am passionate. I encourage information in your area of interest. own. But without good time man- all scientists to take advantage of this agement, you’ll nd that e ciency opportunity for advocacy, to nd quickly devolves into several hours your topic, to speak your mind and to The cost of social media gone with little to show. become a champion for your cause. Social media is free, right? Try again. Our colleagues in economics Why I enjoy being are right: ere is no such thing as a Rick Page (pagerc@miamioh. on Twitter edu) is an assistant professor in free lunch. Everything has costs; even the department of chemistry and doing a free activity has real costs in Whatever your priority, get- biochemistry at Miami University. that you are choosing to do that activ- ting onto social media as a scientist Follow him on Twitter ity over something else. For those of provides you with a platform that our at twitter.com/ThePageLab.
SEPTEMBER 2016 ASBMB TODAY 25 SCIENTISTS ON SOCIAL MEDIA Life on social media in and out of academia By Bethany Brookshire
“@Ink sh …you had me at ‘robotic rectum.’” I wrote the tweet above over my lunch, giggling silently to myself. It was in response to a new tactile robotic device designed to help doc- tors train for prostate exams. e phrase “robotic rectum” was just too good to pass up. But before I hit “tweet,” I paused. Smirking over a robotic posterior was fun when I was a postdoctoral fellow writing under a pen name. Now I’m a professional science writer at a respected magazine. Should I really be laughing about robotic nether regions on the internet? I sent it anyway. But my brief pause was an impor- tant one. It’s one that I have kept up rigorously throughout my time on the internet. During my time on social media, I have transitioned from a graduate student to a postdoctoral fel- low and then to professional writer. I have written under a pseudonym and outnumber the other two groups. As a postdoctoral fellow, I used under my real name. Over time, the ey like to hear about life in science, social media sites, such as Twitter, internet has changed. So have I. But but they also want fun, interesting for networking and making personal my rules for posting have remained links to science stories they can trust. connections. But as a professional the same. ere are only two. Robotic nether regions are still enter- science writer, my focus has shifted. taining and interesting to this group. is is partially because Twitter itself Know your audience I also now run the social media has shifted. Science writers tend to feeds for “Science News for Students,” use it less personally than in the past. When I started out on social media sending out links to our latest stories Networking has shifted to private as a graduate student, my audience was primarily other scientists, other and interacting with readers. at job groups on Facebook or to one-on-one science bloggers and science-interested requires the same talent for making direct message conversations. Over people. Accordingly, I could post links fun and interesting. But that time, I have followed the networking inside jokes and stories and write audience is primarily teachers, parents from platform to platform to nd the personal things about life inside the and students. A robot prostate will connections that t my needs. ivory tower. not y. My “voice” on social media Everyone starts on social media for Five years and a career change later, there is more professional and imper- a di erent purpose. If you want to the science-interested people vastly sonal. network and meet people, that’s your
26 ASBMB TODAY SEPTEMBER 2016 “audience.” If you want to share your work, your audience may be di erent. Knowing who your audience is helps determine what you want to share. But how you share it? at’s rule num- ber two. The cocktail party rule Any one individual’s reach on Twit- ter, Facebook or other social media platform may be small. But social media is never truly private. Tweets are usually public, Facebook posts often can be shared and even Snapchats can be screenshotted and preserved. e internet is forever. So before you write that dirty, snarky or slightly mean post, pause. Would you say that at a cocktail party? A big one? One with both children and people over 65? Would you be Don’t automatically assume the tone is wry, funny, smart and informative. Be willing to go back, ve years from angry or sarcastic. yourself. But be an adult. now, view that post again, and own it? As I transitioned from working Or at least be an adult most of the is doesn’t mean everything you in academia to a nonpro t organiza- time. Looking back on that tweet post needs to be a momentous state- tion, that sense of caution only has about robotic prostate exams from ment. But it’s worth keeping in mind increased. I’m glad to chat and joke, a comfortable day’s distance, I don’t that your Facebook wall isn’t as inti- but I’m always mindful that this is not regret it. I spread the word about a mate as it might seem. Bad-mouthing just my personal social media account neat piece of technology. And “robotic colleagues behind thinly veiled code anymore. is is part of my job. Some rectum”? It’s still funny. names may seem satisfying, but people of my tweets represent an organiza- aren’t stupid. e brief satisfaction of tion. Even my personal Tweets can Bethany Brookshire (bbrook- a well-ung internet barb may not be reect on my employer and my col- [email protected]) is the worth the future blowback. leagues. To be on social media is to be science education writer, web pro- Social media works best for build- in the public eye. ducer and social media manager for Science News for Students. ing connections, not burning bridges. is shouldn’t induce paralysis. It’s She runs the blog Eureka! Lab at Science News for It never hurts to be polite. Text comes just a reminder that social media is a Students and the blog Scicurious at Science News. without tone of voice or context. public space. Behave accordingly. Be Follow her on Twitter at twitter.com/scicurious.
SEPTEMBER 2016 ASBMB TODAY 27 SCIENTISTS ON SOCIAL MEDIA Promote your paper in four easy steps By Angela Hopp
ongratulations! You have a new embargo policy in advance and share Identify a gure from your paper paper coming out. You’re proud the policy with your press o ce. For that best tells your story. If you have C of your team’s work, and natu- more information about working with two or more illustrations that are rally you want folks to know about it. a press team on a press release, see related, you could combine them into But it’s a crowded eld out there. “Go ahead, brag a little” in the March an animation (GIF). According to the International Asso- 2011 issue of ASBMB Today. If you don’t have an image to share, ciation of Scienti c, Technical and nd an image of the cover of the Medical Publishers, scholarly journals STEP 2: Draft verbiage journal. Here’s a cheat sheet with all published about 2.5 million papers the image specs for social media plat- in 2014, and that number increases explaining the work. forms: http://makeawebsitehub.com/ by about 3 percent annually. Mean- Prepare written descriptions of social-media-image-sizes-cheat-sheet/ while, a study published in the journal your project and ndings in di erent If you have video footage, make Research Trends found that “the ways. sure it’s in a shareable format. If you number of authorships has increased Start with a one-sentence explana- don’t have a video, make one. Your at a far greater rate from 4.6 million tion of the work. When I share papers press o ce might be able to send in 2003 to 10 million in 2013.” on Twitter, which limits tweets to 140 a videographer to your lab, but the Translation: On any given day, characters, I usually start with the truth is that even a cellphone video you’re one of about 27,000 scholars running titles. Running titles are short will do the trick. Write a quick script vying for 15 minutes of fame. that tells your research story in under and, in the best cases, not laden with e good news for you, though, a minute. Practice it. Shoot! acronyms. is gives me room to tag is that most of those 27,000 people the respective journal (for example, aren’t going to have promotion plans @JBiolChem) and include a link to STEP 4: Once your paper is in place. But you will — if you follow the paper. the steps below. Now work on a blurb about three published, share your news or four sentences long. It’s OK to start widely. STEP 1: When your paper with “My team” or “I’m happy to Email: First, modify your auto- is nearing acceptance, share.” Make sure readers know this is mated signature line so that it includes about your accomplishment. A really a link to your paper. (Example: contact the press office great blurb will present the problem, “Check out my new paper on plasma at your institution or the results and the potential impact. fatty acids in the Journal of Lipid It’s a tall order but worth the time it Research!”) Second, write to your company. takes to write, rewrite and rewrite. colleagues. You can use the three- or Press o ces are sta ed by profes- four-sentence blurb you already sional storytellers. ey’re there to STEP 3: Gather appropriate drafted. If your press o ce wrote a help you tell your research story. If visuals. news release, share a link to it and a you do a good job of explaining your link to your paper. Important: Be a work to your press o ce, it could I’m sure I don’t have to throw a good manager and/or team member distribute a news release to reporters, bunch of data at you about the power and publicly praise your co-authors write an article or blog post, shoot a of visuals. I mean, really, who hasn’t for their individual contributions. video, and/or share the paper on social gotten sucked into those video recipes LinkedIn: First, add the paper to media. on Facebook? We all agree: Images your publication list. Second, prepare Note: Ask the journal for its matter. a status update. You can use the one-
28 ASBMB TODAY SEPTEMBER 2016 sentence explanation you’ve already once. age, upload it and use your three- or written. Tag your co-authors, your Facebook: Prepare a status update four-sentence blurb as the video institution and the respective journal using the three- or four-sentence description. Reminder: YouTube is a in the post. blurb you’ve already written. Upload search engine, second only to Google ResearchGate: Update your publi- your image, GIF or video. Tag the in terms of usage. cations list. journal or its publisher (for example Webpage/blog: Update your insti- Twitter: Prepare a tweet. You @ASBMB). Now, you might be think- tution/company webpage and/or blog. can use the one-sentence descrip- ing that Facebook isn’t an appropriate Use the blurb you’ve written, images tion you’ve already written. Upload medium for you because your Face- and video. If you have a press release, an image or GIF. Tag the respective book friends aren’t scientists. I hear link to it too. journal (and your institution if there’s you, but I still recommend doing it. room). Tweet this a few times over Let them be proud of you too. Show Angela Hopp ([email protected]) several days, making sure to post other them that their tax dollars are hard at is the ASBMB’s communications stu in between, because your follow- work. director and executive editor of ASBMB Today. ers might miss it if you tweet it just YouTube: If you have video foot-
SEPTEMBER 2016 ASBMB TODAY 29 SCIENTISTS ON SOCIAL MEDIA Mean girls with Ph.D.s By Marney A. White
s an academic in public health, I never will. I’m an associate profes- Girls.” Immature? You bet. teach hundreds of students every sor on the medical school’s educator I wanted them to know that they Ayear and publish mostly in schol- track, which does not lead to tenure. were saying these things, in the virtual arly journals and books. My work is But the part that really got to me sense, to my face. In response to my semipublic, so I am used to scrutiny was when these highly accomplished, speaking up, people started remov- from people who do not know me as incredibly smart women started criti- ing their comments. Several women a person. I’ve been brutally criticized cizing the photograph of my family apologized publicly, and others by journal reviewers, attacked by trolls that accompanied the article. When emailed me directly to apologize. in the popular media and insulted I submitted the piece for publica- Online forums provide enough in course evaluations — all anony- tion, I attached a family photo that distance from the target of attack that mously, of course. had been taken on the campus. I virtual name-calling — and career It’s never fun, but I’ve found ways liked it because the university library slamming or family bashing — might to cope. It helps to commiserate with appeared in the background, which I be viewed as acceptable behavior. other professors about bad reviews thought was symbolic. In the photo, But once people are faced with the and to realize that even my very best my husband is holding our son on his reality that they are insulting some- and most lauded colleagues also shoulders, and I am looking up at my one directly — a real person and not receive intensely negative evaluations son’s face. I was quite happy when the just the two-dimensional stereotype on occasion from students. publication told me they wanted to they’ve imagined — they are uncom- I was in search of just that sort of run the photo with my essay. fortable. e woman who hated empathy when I joined a Facebook I was unprepared for the personal my family’s photo so much that she group for academic mothers. Here I nature of the attack. An associate “could not read the piece” resented expected to nd women who could professor at a agship state university being called a mean girl. relate to one another, as we juggled wrote, “Does anyone else think the A half a century ago, a psychologist the same sorts of demands on our photo is weird? She is the author yet named Milton Rokeach talked about personal and professional lives. her husband is looking at the camera the power of “self-confrontation” in Perhaps that’s why it hurt so while she is looking adoringly at their motivating behavioral change. e much to see myself criticized on that kid.” ( e piece is about mother- basic notion is that, being the fallible Facebook page after e Washington hood: Am I not allowed to adore my creatures that we are, we sometimes Post published an essay I wrote this child?) An associate professor at a behave in ways that do not match up past spring on balancing an academic small liberal-arts college replied, “I with our personal values. For example, career and motherhood. In that col- hate so much about the photo I can’t in theory, women might value being umn, I encouraged female academics even read the piece.” A professor at kind to and supportive of other who have children to be more vocal an Ivy League university chimed in, women. But in practice we might about motherhood so that they could “ e photo made me want to gag as behave in catty ways. When forced serve as role models to students who well.” Insult after insult led in, many to step back and observe our own might want to pursue both family and acquiring “likes” — virtual applause cattiness, we might become extremely academic goals. — while I watched it all in real time. uncomfortable. at discomfort Some members of the Facebook Face ushed and heart pounding, should motivate change — either in group seemed to like my ideas. Others I wrote “ ank you!” on the same behavior or in values. In my story, found my opinions to be invalid since thread. And the thread went silent for many women immediately changed I’m on the faculty at Yale University a few hours, until one person stepped their behavior when I pointed it out. and things are “easier” at Yale. ose forward to write, “I think the photo is We as humans have been known critics interpreted my column in the loving and sweet.” I thanked her, not- to be a cruel lot. We want to think of Post as a condescending lesson in how ing that I had not expected to be criti- ourselves as nice people (and many of to achieve tenure, which is dishearten- cized for the way my family appears in us are), yet even the nicest of us shows ing, because I do not have tenure and a photo, and posted a meme of “Mean signs of cruelty when threatened.
30 ASBMB TODAY SEPTEMBER 2016 DREAMSCAPE STUDIO The author received personal attacks on Facebook after publishing an essay with this photo in The Washington Post. Research on bullying has identi ed stood that their comments were havens. But I also learned that when that bullies (a.k.a “relational aggres- hurting a real person, many backed people realize that they are hurting a sors”) are struggling with insecurities o . Perhaps online trolling and less real person, they tend to regret it. And of their own. ey engage in bully- extreme forms of public criticisms are that gives me a lot of faith in the over- ing as a means to boost their own just that: A failure to recognize that all goodness of people. Even though popularity or security within their there are real people at the other end they sometimes can be really mean. peer group. of the attacks. is is nothing new — and we What this experience taught me don’t need Facebook as a medium to Marney A. White (marney. is that abusive online behavior is not con rm how nastiness accelerates in a [email protected]) is an associate relegated to teenagers and anony- professor of chronic-disease group. All of us are susceptible to it, epidemiology and psychiatry at but not many of us want to think of mous internet trolls. Mean girls can the Yale School of Public Health. ourselves that way. be found in a wide variety of places, This article originally appeared on June 13, 2016, In my case, once my peers under- even those that we presume to be safe in the Chronicle of Higher Education.
SEPTEMBER 2016 ASBMB TODAY 31 MINORITY AFFAIRS DREAM girl By Sonia C. Flores
he walked into my o ce full of hope S and a passion for science. She was deter- mined to go to graduate school and focus on a research career so she could spend her life asking those questions that her natural curios- ity had always sparked in her. She had out- standing grades and the re in the belly required for research success. But after a summer of working in my lab, the reality of her life — an existence undercut by here and go through our public school Action for Childhood Arrivals, or uncertain immigration status — hit system but encounter a rewall when DACA. is policy nally allows her smack in the face. attempting to access higher educa- implementation of some aspects of Lucero was not like other students. tion. Although I was able to secure the DREAM Act and permits some She was a DREAMer, a minor who institutional funds to pay for her undocumented immigrants who was not an American citizen but who participation in our summer research entered the country before their had spent much of her life in the program, the uncertainty about her 16th birthday and before June 2007 future forced Lucero to re-evaluate to receive renewable two-year work U.S. Lucero was one of the many her career plans. To help lift her permits and exemption from deporta- young people who would bene t from family out of poverty, she decided to tion. DACA grants lawful presence passage of the bipartisan Develop- change her major and seek a business in the United States; work authoriza- ment, Relief and Education of Alien degree, hoping that there would be tion; Social Security numbers; and, Minors, or DREAM, Act. Among a high-paying job after graduation. in many cases, state IDs and driver’s other things, the DREAM Act would Our nation had just lost a brilliant licenses, all of which make applica- allow for conditional and then per- scienti c mind to unfair policies that tion to medical and graduate schools manent residency status for students ignore the plight of the immigrant possible (1, 2). like Lucero. During that time, she wanting to call America home. However, DACA has very rigorous could apply for student loans and Despite repeated revisions, the provisions: Qualifying undocumented work-study programs and, once given DREAM Act has never been approved youth are eligible for a six-year-long permanent status, federal grants. by the U.S. Senate, although Cali- conditional path to citizenship that However, while she was working in fornia and some other states do have requires completion of a college my lab, I was unable to pay Lucero their own versions of the act in place, degree or two years of military service. with funds from federally funded most of which allow for privately Individuals and institutions who have grants, which brought this issue to my funded college scholarships. In June supported the DREAM Act believe attention. 2012, President Barack Obama that DACA is a vital action that will Students like Lucero, brought to announced an expansion or reinter- bene t the U.S. as a whole. DACA this country by their undocumented pretation of the DREAM Act with gives undocumented immigrant parents while very young, grow up an executive action called Deferred students who have been living in the
32 ASBMB TODAY SEPTEMBER 2016 How to qualify for the DREAM Act e following is a list of speci c requirements for a person to qualify for the current version of the DREAM Act:
• Must have entered the U.S. before the age of 16 • Must have been present in the U.S. for at least 5 consecutive years prior to enactment of the bill • Must have graduated from an American high school, or have obtained a GED or have been accepted into an institu- tion of higher education (i.e., a college or university) • Must be between the ages of 12 and 35 at the time of application • Must have good moral character
U.S. since they were young a chance ment, Research Internships in Science Committee, I speci cally brought this to contribute to the country that has and Engineering, or Maximizing question to our discussions of who given so much to them and a chance Access to Research Careers and regard- should get funded. My concerns were to use their hard-earned education and ing who may be eligible for minority considered very seriously. At the same talents (3). supplements to research grants and time, I contacted the NIH to get some For all of DACA’s positives, there training grants. According to the clarity and received the response, “We are still many challenges for students National Institute of General Medical are discussing this issue.” It is appar- like Lucero. DACA students don’t Sciences website, “To receive salary ent that an act of Congress will be qualify for federal student loans, support from (these programs), stu- required to overcome these obstacles. and they can’t be appointed to the dents must be a citizen or a noncitizen In this election season, this may be an National Institutes of Health-funded national of the United States or have issue that Congress refuses to address. training grants or pipeline programs, been lawfully admitted for permanent About 65,000 undocumented regardless of merit. is issue makes it residence at the time of appointment.” students graduate from American high hard for program directors like me to ese rules clearly exclude DACA schools every year (5). ese students fund eager and talented students like students (4). want to be treated with respect and Lucero. In addition, potential men- Unfortunately, many scienti c allowed to ful ll their promise in this tors essentially are discouraged from societies that have partnered with the nation they call home. Unfortunately, accepting these students into their NIH or have their own scholarships they often are demonized and insulted labs, because it is almost impossible to (at the American Society for Biochem- with the title of “illegals” and live in nd funding for them. istry and Molecular Biology, we o er constant fear of deportation. is is e NIH has very strict guidelines the Marion B. Sewer Distinguished especially heartbreaking for them as regarding who may be appointed to Scholarship for Undergraduates) have they have lived in the U. S. for most pipeline programs like the Initiative adopted the same rules. As a member of their lives and want nothing more for Maximizing Student Develop- of the ASBMB’s Minority A airs than to be recognized as “the people” referred to in the preamble to the Constitution. e fate of DREAMers like Lucero, and of parents of U.S. citizens or green card holders, is currently uncertain. e Obama administra- tion announced the Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Law- ful Permanent Residents, or DAPA, program, which protects parents of children born in the U.S. from depor- tation, in November 2014 (6). Texas and 25 other states led a lawsuit to block DAPA in December 2014, prompting an injunction by a U.S. district judge two months later. e argument by Texas and 25 other states CONTINUED ON PAGE 34
SEPTEMBER 2016 ASBMB TODAY 33 Funding support and resources for DACA students ere are a few funding options for DACA students. ese include: • eDream.US is a new multimillion-dollar National Scholarship Fund for DREAMers, created to help immigrant youth who’ve received DACA achieve their American dream through the completion of a college education. • Catholic institutions of higher education and schools of medicine like Loyola have been at the forefront of accepting DACA students and helping to fund their education. • States like New York, Illinois and Rhode Island o er in-state tuition to any student who meets certain criteria, like attending a local high school, regardless of immigration status. ree states — California, New Mexico and Texas — go a step farther than the rest, allowing undocumented immigrants to access state nancial aid. • e UndocuScholars Project; e Institute for Immigration, Globalization, and Education; University of California, Los Angeles
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 33 American Medical Colleges, in 2014 tion (U.S. census bureau), but earn there was an eigthfold increase in only 17 percent of bachelor’s degrees is that the president did not have the medical school applicants who identi- and 7 percent of the Ph.D.s in the authority to issue the new immigra- ed a DACA status (8). biological sciences” (9). Active inter- tion policies and that the programs We stand at an important juncture ventions are required to prevent the violate the Constitution. High court in our nation, lamenting the lack of loss of talent at each level of educa- justices heard oral arguments April diversity in STEM disciplines and tional advancement (10). 18, 2016. On June 23, the DREAM- in healthcare delivery. e National I posit that these DREAMers ers and their families received the Science Foundation and the National represent a pool of highly talented and heartbreaking news that the Supreme Academies have recognized “the motivated students that, if tapped, Court was deadlocked (7). e national need for a well-trained work- would go a long way to address our court came back with a 4-4 vote on force in biomedical and behavioral health inequities and disparities. As a immigration, allowing the lower court sciences and the continuing impor- nation, we have to weigh the bene ts ruling to stand and leaving Obama’s tance of developing and maintaining of allowing these students access to the deportation relief plan in limbo. a strong, vital scienti c workforce same educational and training oppor- e ruling could a ect the grow- whose diversity reects that of our tunities that citizens enjoy ing number of graduate and medical nation. Students from certain racial Unfortunately, for Lucero, it is too students with DACA status across the and ethnic groups, including blacks late. When faced with the daunting country and jeopardize the funding or African-Americans, Hispanics or task of funding her education and get- invested in their training. Sixty-one Latinos, American Indians or Alaska ting a good job after graduation, she medical schools now accept applica- Natives, Native Hawaiians and other made the only choice that made sense tions from DACA applicants. Accord- Paci c Islanders, currently comprise for her family. It broke my heart, but ing to data from the Association of 39 percent of the college age popula- compelled me to write this article. I close by quoting the civil rights REFERENCES activist Cesar Chavez, who perfectly 1. https://www.nilc.org/issues/daca/ encapsulated my feelings about the 2. https://www.uscis.gov/humanitarian/consideration-deferred-action-childhood-arrivals-daca despair and injustice faced by Lucero 3. http://www.immigrationpolicy.org/issues/DREAM-Act and others like her when he said, 4. http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa- les/PAR-14-121.html “We draw our strength from the very 5. http://www.immigrationpolicy.org. despair in which we have been forced 6. https://www.nilc.org/issues/daca/dapa-and-expanded-daca-programs/ to live. We shall endure.” It is time we 7. http://www.hu ngtonpost.com/news/daca/ acknowledge these students and grant 8. https://www.aamc.org/data/ them the respect they deserve in our 9. National Academy of Sciences. 2011. Expanding Underrepresented Minority Participation: nation. America’s Science and Technology Talent at the Crossroads. Washington, D.C. e National Academies Press; National Research Council. 2011; Research Training in the Biomedical, Behavioral and Clinical Research Sciences. Washington, D.C. e National Academies Press; National Science Sonia C. Flores (Sonia.Flores@ Foundation, National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics. 2013; Women, Minorities, and ucdenver.edu) is a professor of Persons with Disabilities in Science and Engineering. 2013. Special Report NSF 13-304. medicine at the University of Arlington, VA. Colorado School of Medicine. 10. https://www.nigms.nih.gov/Training/Pages/TWDPrograms.aspx
34 ASBMB TODAY SEPTEMBER 2016 PUBLIC AFFAIRS Creating a robust research enterprise By Wes Sundquist & Benjamin Corb
ore than two years ago, the Public A airs Advisory Com- M mittee at the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biol- ogy began focusing time and e ort on identifying systemic problems facing the scienti c research community. Funding, or lack thereof, obviously has added considerable stress, but other issues also need to be addressed to optimize the e ectiveness and sus- tainability of the biomedical research enterprise. We’ve written about these e orts in the “News from the Hill” columns in ASBMB Today, researched scholarly works by luminaries in the research community and published our ndings in a scienti c publica- tion (1). In addition, in February, the PAAC hosted a multiday summit to identify what the scienti c community can do to improve itself and the future of the eld that we love. within our community; we are taking conversations with our colleagues. We In the columns published in actions to ensure that these recom- acknowledge that many of the issues ASBMB Today and the Policy Blotter, mendations are achieved. are complex and that we may disagree the PAAC’s blog (policy.asbmb.org), In the following months, essays on the wisdom of speci c steps or we’ve shared with the community our by di erent PAAC members and our actions. However, we are con dent thoughts and experiences regarding partners will appear in ASBMB Today, that we all agree that the American how best to ensure into the future describing the actions we’re promot- biomedical research enterprise is so a robust and sustained biomedical ing and explaining their underlying important that we must pursue activi- research enterprise. We’ve formed rationales. For example, we’ll discuss ties that will help to sustain our eld partnerships with organizations that the importance of optimizing the roles well into the future. have complementary interests, such as of sta scientists in the future, the Rescuing Biomedical Research (now merits of standardizing postdoctoral directed by former ASBMB policy positions, and the best approaches for analyst Christopher Pickett) and the de ning what a sustainable enterprise Wes Sundquist (wes@biochem. utah.edu) is chairman of the Future of Research. We’ve identi- looks like and setting research funding ASBMB PAAC and co-chair of the ed a series of recommendations for levels to achieve sustainability. department of biochemistry at the improving the research enterprise that With these essays, our goal is to University of Utah. are speci c and enjoy broad support explain what we are doing and to open Benjamin Corb (bcorb@asbmb. org) is the director of public REFERENCE affairs at the ASBMB. 1. Pickett, C. L., et al. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., 112, 10832–10836 (2015).
SEPTEMBER 2016 ASBMB TODAY 35 ESSAY Some thoughts on lab communication By Arjun Raj
recently came across a nice blog post by I Ambika Kamath, a graduate student at Harvard University, about tough love in science (1). A passage really stuck out: “My very rst task in the lab as an undergrad was to pull layers of fun- gus o dozens of cups of tomato juice. My second task was PCR, at which I initially excelled. Cocksure after a week of smaller samples, I remember con dently attempting an 80-reaction PCR, with no positive control. Every single reaction failed … I’ve been following that rule for would say, “I would really double- I vividly recall a ash of disappoint- some time. ere’s a relatively simple check before doing that again.” Of ment across the face of one of my PIs, principle beneath it: If you’re saying course the trainee is going to be probably mourning all that wasted something for someone else’s bene t, feeling pretty awful — people gener- Taq. at combination — ‘this hap- then good. If you’re saying something ally know when they’ve screwed up, pens to all of us, but it really would be for your own bene t, then bad. Do especially if they’ve screwed up badly. best if it didn’t happen again’ — was more of the former, less of the latter. Anyone knows that if you screw up exactly what I needed to keep going How does this work in practice? big, you should probably double- and to be more careful.” Let’s take the example from the quote check and be more careful next time. What I love about this quote is above. As a (disappointed) human So what’s the real reason behind how it perfectly highlights how good being, your instinct is going to be telling someone to double-check? communication can inspire and reas- to think, “Oh, man, how could you It’s basically to say, “I noticed you sure — even in a tough situation — have done that?” But avoiding “you” screwed up, and you should be more and how bad communication can lead language will help you to nd a more careful.” to humiliation and disengagement. productive response. Ah, the hidden “you” language is I’m sure there are lots of theories Obviously there are counterpro- revealed! is sentence really is about and data out there about communi- ductive statements that avoid “you” giving yourself the opportunity to cation (or not), but when it comes language as well: “Well, that was vent your frustration. down to putting things into practice, disappointing!” “ at was a big waste” So what to say? I think the answer I’ve found that having simple rules “I would really double-check things is to take a step back, think about or principles is often a lot easier. One before doing that again.” ese are the science and the person, and come that has been particularly e ective for incorrect to say. I think the last one up with something that is bene cial me is to avoid “you” language. Just hurts as well. to the trainee. If they’re new, maybe avoid saying “you!” Let’s dissect the real reasons you you could say, “Running a positive
36 ASBMB TODAY SEPTEMBER 2016 control every time is really a good estly not much di erence in outcome communication skills. I often hear idea,” (unless they already realized that between these options, so maybe it’s people say, “Before I was a PI, I got all mistake) or, “Whenever I scale up the just better to go with the second one. this training in science, and now I’m reaction, I always check …” Another common category of suddenly supposed to do all this stu ese bits of advice often work well negative communication is all the I wasn’t trained for, like managing when coupled with a personal story: sundry versions of “I told you so.” It people.” I actually disagree. To me, the “I remember when I screwed up one is so clearly accusatory that most folks concept of managing people is sort of of these big ones early on, and what I know not to say it. But I think this a misnomer, because in the ideal case, found helped me was …” Sometimes, is just one of what I call “scorekeep- you’re not really managing anyone I will use a mythic gure from the lab’s ing” statements, which are ones that at all but working with everyone as recent past, since I’m old enough now serve only to remind people of who equals. ere should be an equal that my personal lab stories sound a was right or wrong: “But I thought stake and commitment to productive little too “crazy old grandpa” to be we agreed to …” or “Last time I was communications, so all parties should very e ective. supposed to …” ey’re very tempt- learn and improve. It is also possible that there is noth- ing, because as scientists we are in Few of us are born with perfect ing to learn from this mistake and that the business of telling each other interpersonal skills, especially in work it was just, well, a mistake. In that that we’re right or wrong. But when situations, and extra especially in sci- case, there is nothing you can say that you’re working with someone in the ence, where things go wrong all the is for anyone’s bene t. It really is just lab, keeping score of these types of time. It practically begs for people better to say nothing. is can take a points is corrosive in the long term. to assign blame to each other. It’s a lot of discipline, because it’s hard not Just remember that the next time lot of work, but a little practice and to express those feelings right when your principal investigator asks you to discipline in the area of positive com- they’re hitting you. But it’s worth change the gure back the other way munication can go a long way. it. If it’s a repeated issue that’s really around for the fourth time! a ecting things, there are two options: Along those lines, I think it’s really address it later during a performance important for trainees, not just PIs, Arjun Raj (arjunrajlab@gmail. com) is an assistant professor in review or don’t. Often there’s hon- to think about how to improve their systems biology at the University of Pennsylvania. This post REFERENCES originally appeared on the Raj Lab blog, http://rajlaboratory.blogspot.com. 1. https://ambikamath.wordpress.com/2016/05/16/on-tough-love-in-science/
SEPTEMBER 2016 ASBMB TODAY 37 CAREER INSIGHTS Pointers for those curious about careers in industry By Angela Hopp & Rajendrani Mukhopadyay
his is the second article from a and work- bench positions, it is not necessary to three-part series of interviews ing in teams. have publications as long as you can T with Kenneth I. Maynard of One potential provide evidence or strong references, Takeda Pharmaceuticals International signi cant to convince the company that you Inc. about what it takes to launch and advantage have the speci c skills it is seek- propel a career in the pharmaceutical is that in a ing. Depending on the position and industry. e rst piece appeared in few cases, an the candidate, it is understood that the August issue of ASBMB Today Kenneth Maynard internship publishing your scienti c work may and gave tips on how to begin looking potentially not have been possible if you were for industry positions. could lead to a full-time position in working formerly in a pharmaceutical Maynard previously worked for the same company, if there happens to company that discourages publication Sano , Aventis Pharmaceuticals, Mas- be an opening for a full-time employee of internal scienti c work in order to sachusetts General Hospital and Har- and there is strong interest on the protect intellectual property. In today’s vard Medical School. He is a member part of both the company/employer academic climate, it is even possible of the National Institutes of Health and the intern/potential employee. that a principal investigator or an aca- Common Fund’s External Scienti c It’s the perfect t. In rare situations, a demic institution may have suspended Panel for the Broadening Experiences company may even create a position publication of academic work pending in Scienti c Training program. is for exceptional interns. a patent application. With this in Q&A has been edited for length, style mind, patents carry as much weight and clarity. Should a candidate wait for a position in the pharmaceutical industry as publications in interna- How important are until he/she publishes tional, peer-reviewed journals. internships when it comes original work before Is it worth doing a to finding a job in industry? applying to industry? postdoctoral fellowship Internships are not critical to Depending on the position being nding a job in the pharmaceutical considered, publications can provide a before applying to industry industry, but they do provide advan- competitive advantage. First, publi- tages for the applicant. As with any cations can indicate that the candi- positions? internship experience, working in an date is an expert in a speci c area of e answer is, “It depends.” It environment where you may eventu- knowledge or with certain scienti c depends on what type of career you ally want to work could provide you techniques. Second, publications can are seeking in the pharmaceutical with important and relevant experi- illustrate to the hiring manager that industry. ence to help decide whether this is the the candidate can prepare profession- If you are seeking to enter the type of job you really are seeking for ally written documentation of his or pharmaceutical industry at the level of the future. her scienti c work, which is important a group leader, principal scientist or An internship also provides real- for regular scienti c reports. Scienti c higher, with visions of being upwardly world experience that is very di erent reports, which include full documen- mobile, then it is to your advantage to from working in academia. Despite tation of experiments, their results and have an academic postdoctoral fellow- having many of the same basic skills interpretation, are important docu- ship experience or, even better, apply in terms of technical excellence, more ments in the pharmaceutical industry. after having achieved the position of emphasis is put on process, timelines However, for some entry-level an assistant professor. e postdoc-
38 ASBMB TODAY SEPTEMBER 2016 toral fellowship is typically a period However, if you do not wish to this point of entry into the pharma- where the fellow is developing his or have managerial responsibilities and ceutical industry. her own area of scienti c interest and wish to stay at the bench level, perhaps honing research skills. A fellow may performing routine assays, then there develop a novel set of investigative is no need to perform an academic Angela Hopp (ahopp@asbmb. questions for grant proposals and even postdoctoral fellowship if the skills org) is the ASBMB’s communica- get these funded. is process shows you already possess are demonstrable. tions director and ASBMB Today’s to potential pharmaceutical industry In fact, there are positions at the executive editor. Follow her on Twitter at www.twitter.com/ employers that the candidate has cred- B.S./M.S. level that do not require angelahopp. ibility within his or her scienti c eld. having an academic postdoctoral Rajendrani Mukhopadhyay e higher the level at which you wish experience. However, note that it can (rmukhopadhyay@asbmb. to enter a company, the higher along be challenging, though not impossible, org) is the managing editor for the academic track you should be to to move up the ladder over time from ASBMB Today. Follow her on Twitter at twitter.com/ transition into industry. rajmukhop.
NATIONAL POSTDOC APPRECIATION WEEK SEPT. 19–23
Celebrate Your Postdocs! Join the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and the National Postdoctoral Association in celebrating National Postdoc Appreciation Week. e ASBMB will have special membership o ers during the week as well as a campaign to recognize the valuable contributions of postdoctoral fellows. Follow the ASBMB on Facebook and Twitter to nd out more about the special o ers and participate in the campaign!
Host your own postdoc appreciation event. Visit www.nationalpostdoc.org for more information.
SEPTEMBER 2016 ASBMB TODAY 39 TRANSITION STATES
The smallest bundle and the biggest transition By Samarpita Sengupta
his year, as the snow- dusted footsteps of T spring approached and the earth woke up to a riot of colors, I thought of the transitions that hap- pened for the earth and for its inhabitants. My life has been that of a nomad, trav- eling from one phase to the other, transitioning with all degrees of di culty from one stage to the next. My rst major transi- tion was when I left home for college. I moved away from family, friends and the small town of Ranchi in the state of Jharkhand, India, where I grew up to New Delhi, one of the PHOTO COURTESY OF SAMARPITA SENGUPTA biggest cities in the country The author changed her career path after the birth of her son. and the nation’s capital. I got to live in a dormitory traveled across continents and several most certain pursuing bench science with roommates for the rst time. Part time zones to end up at the University wasn’t making me happy. of me was thrilled at the newfound of Texas Southwestern Medical Center e realization came to me after a independence, but part of me was for graduate school. I came in wide- major event occurred during my sec- eyed, naive and incredibly con dent ond year as a postdoctoral fellow. e homesick the whole time. Having led of charting a career trajectory to most life-changing transition came my a sheltered life so far, I had to adjust stardom in science! way, packaged as a stork-delivered tiny quickly to living alone, being respon- I did fairly well, but my dreams of bundle of joy. By far, parenthood was sible for myself and cultivating the science superstardom were starting to the most di cult transition for me. necessary social skills to get along with fade as the reality of the erce compe- Every parent is all too familiar with my peers. However, soon this transi- tition began to sink in. Nevertheless, I the struggles of the rst child. e tion became a stable state. I gathered a decided to embark on the postdoctoral exhaustion of caring for a newborn, great group of friends around me and path, partly to be sure this was not the constant feeling of wanting to met the love of my life! what I wanted to do. But after three do the best for that new life you en came another change when I years of my postdoctoral stint, I was have brought home, and the equally
40 ASBMB TODAY SEPTEMBER 2016 constant fear of not being able to do I also came to a realization that being be a role model to my kid, but now I so are all part of the roller coaster at the bench wasn’t going to give me would have more time to be a mother. of parenting. In addition, juggling the career I wanted. I absolutely did I started volunteering to write articles parenting and a full-time career is not want to get stuck in a rut as a per- and networking with people who incredibly demanding. Having a child petual postdoctoral fellow, so leaving knew how to write and made several meant my world was turned inside out academia for the pursuit of a nontra- professional and some personal friend- in the best possible way, making me ditional path seemed logical. However, ships in the process. Last year, I transi- re-evaluate my priorities. I still fought with myself. Was I giving tioned into the position of a scienti c Having been raised an indepen- up? Coming to terms with the fact research writer at UTSW thanks to dent and ercely feminist woman, that I had limitations, both personal one of those friendships. So far, it has I found it initially very hard to do and situational, was humbling and a been a fun ride! that re-evaluation. I wanted to have turning point in my adult life. Looking through the rearview it all! I wanted to have an academic After a lot of introspection and mirror of memories, I realize that each career and still be a mother who bakes talks with an incredibly supportive transition state was a new mold into homemade cookies for the bake sale! spouse, I nally realized that the which I had to t by changing my However, coming back to work after question I should be asking myself priorities, attitude and approach. No seven weeks of maternity leave — I was “Is my current status quo making matter how di cult and life altering couldn’t a ord to take unpaid leave, a me happy?” When I asked myself each transition has been, they have all rant for some other time — I found it that question and realized the honest had a purpose. Transitions give me the very di cult to nd my groove. It was answer was an unequivocal no, it was power of perspective, a power I can a constant ght between wanting to be time to determine what it was that wield at each new transition that life with my baby and wanting to excel in would make me happy. throws my way. science. I couldn’t bear to come to lab I have had a love a air with words on weekends, since that was the only from early childhood. As a graduate time I could be a fully hands-on par- student and a postdoctoral fellow, I Samarpita Sengupta (samar. ent! “Is this worth it?” was a question I enjoyed writing about science more [email protected]) is a scientific research writer in the neurosci- often asked myself. than actually doing the bench work. ence research development office With time, things got easier, and I A load lifted o my shoulders when at the department of neurology started to enjoy work again and worry I decided to trade the pipette for a and neurotherapeutics at the University of Texas less about my child going hungry. But pen. I was still going to have a career, Southwestern Medical Center. The Do-Over If you could erase a part of your life and do it over again, which part of your life would that be? What would you do differently?
For an essay series in 2017, ASBMB Today is asking its readers to send in essays about do-overs. Maybe you regretted your choice of college. Maybe you trusted someone who let you down. Perhaps you wonder what would have happened if you had picked that other research project. Whatever it is, be honest and true.
Essays must be unpublished and between 500 to 1,000 words. Submissions can be sent to http://asbmbtoday.submittable.com/ submit under “ e Do-Over.” Deadline: Dec. 1. Please include in your essay a title, complete contact information and an author bio of no more than 50 words.
SEPTEMBER 2016 ASBMB TODAY 41 OPEN CHANNELS Science on the cover By Geo Hunt & Rajendrani Mukhopadhyay
a eine has been a central player discovery of hyperca um spazzinate.” in the story of the pop-punk e faux notebook also includes an C band Descendents. “From our email written from Aukerman to a history, that’s an important molecule ctional research collaborator, asking to us,” says lead singer and co ee to borrow a reagent X. “Like all good a cionado Milo Aukerman. e science- ction experiments, you’ve got band’s merchandise has featured the to have a chemical X!” says Auker- slogan “ ou Shalt Not Partake of man. “ e idea is mixing these two Decaf,” and the cover for the 1997 EP things together, the chemical X and “Sessions” featured a large co ee mug. the ca eine, we end up with hypercaf- Yet ca eine never has been featured um spazzinate.” in quite the way that it is on the cover Designing the album cover and lab of their latest album, “Hyperca um notebook insert “de nitely enhanced Spazzinate.” our experience with the record,” says Nearly every Descendents album Aukerman. “It’s de nitely the most cover going all the way back to their involvement we’ve ever had” with rst release, “Milo Goes to College,” creating artwork for an album. “Music has featured the band’s mascot, an IMAGES COURTESY OF EPITAPH RECORDS is what we usually focus on.” iconic cartoon caricature of Aukerman A science version of the iconic Milo mascot. e album recording and artwork with square-rimmed glasses and at- came as welcome diversions for ca eine (C8H10N4O2) on the cover. top haircut. For their rst album after “We could have just written ‘caf- Aukerman. In January, he was laid a decade-long hiatus from recording, feine’ … on the graduated cylinder,” o from his job as a plant biochemist the band has continued this tradition, says Aukerman. “But I just thought, at DuPont, the result of downsizing using an image of the Milo mascot ‘Let’s give something for people to due to a merger with Dow Chemi- perched on top of an Erlenmeyer ask Google.’” cal Company. “We were right in the and anked by two graduated cylin- A stickler for scienti c accuracy, midst of making the record at the ders. But just having a cool-looking Aukerman even made band artist time, so it was pretty easy for me to image wasn’t enough. Chris Shary, who prefers to freehand leave the science gig and go directly at’s where ca eine enters the his work, make sure that the markings into the music-making part of my life story. Inspired by their love of ca eine on the graduated cylinders and the because it was already in full swing,” as well as Aukerman’s background as Erlenmeyer ask were spaced apart he says. Working on the album cover a research biochemist, the band mem- properly on the cover. e science design, Aukerman says, “allowed me, bers decided that the cover should theme continues on the back cover, on some level, to enter back into the depict the Milo caricature making which features a miniature periodic laboratory — at least a virtual labora- hyperca um spazzinate, a ctional table with each song serving as a tory — and just have some fun in an molecule that is stronger than caf- chemical element. imaginary story.” feine. “What’s more important than Excited by the cover art, the band’s ca eine than to make an even more record label, Epitaph Records, asked Geoff Hunt ([email protected]) potent version of it?” asks Aukerman. for additional bonus content that is the public outreach manager at True to his scientist roots, Auker- could be included in the deluxe ver- the ASBMB. Follow him on Twitter man wanted the molecular name to sion of the album. Aukerman went at twitter.com/TheGeoffHunt. sound realistic. at’s why, he says, all out. “Rather than doing it in a Rajendrani Mukhopadhyay the “hyperca um spazzinate” has “got dry, humorless kind of way, I decided ([email protected]) is the typical chemical su xes — ‘ium’ to make it into actual pages of a lab the managing editor for ASBMB Today. Follow her on Twitter at and ‘ate.’” Aukerman also insisted on notebook,” he says. “I documented twitter.com/rajmukhop. featuring the chemical formula for a set of experiments that led to the
42 ASBMB TODAY SEPTEMBER 2016 The front cover of “Hypercaffium Spazzinate” pays tribute to chemistry. On the album’s back cover, songs are listed in a periodic-table format.
The album insert is a faux lab notebook documenting Milo the mascot’s synthesis and discovery of hypercaffium spazzinate.
SEPTEMBER 2016 ASBMB TODAY 43 OPEN CHANNELS
unknown, the terror and many of the things you bravely, clearly and openly express. I just want to a rm your open- ness. Your sharing has helped me tonight, it has helped your daughter and it has helped 100 or more people around the world. Hopefully, it will just continue to help. I pray with you in Lilly’s dreams of everything she wants to be. I don’t have the words to thank you for this article, and for the long, long journey you have walked. –Farzeen Mahmud, Philadelphia
Correction In the August issue of the magazine, the events calen- dar had the details of two conferences wrong. e Soci- ety for Advancement of Hispanics/Chicanos and Native Americans in Science National Conference will be held from Oct. 13 to Oct. 15 at the Long Beach Convention Center in Long Beach, Calif. e Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students will be held between Nov. 9 and Nov. 12 in Tampa, Fla. We regret these errors and have corrected them online.
Know your liquor Re: Loaded questions (August 2016) A reader alerted us to a spelling error in the article I went on 18 interviews and was asked the things men- “ e taxi driver’s book” in the June/July issue of tioned in this article in nearly all of them. At one institu- ASBMB Today. e story, which is based in Scotland, tion, I was asked what I would do if my graduate student gives a shoutout to the country’s distilleries. However, became pregnant. I’ve met two other candidates who also our knowledgeable reader pointed out (and we later interviewed for the position, both men. Neither recalls con rmed in e Associated Press Stylebook) that when liquor is distilled from grains in Canada, Japan being asked that question. and Scotland, it is spelled “whisky.” We had it down as –Kristi Frank, Uniformed Services University “whiskey.” We corrected the spelling online and apolo- gize to any Scot who may have been o ended by our Really loved this. Especially the bit about how when ignorance. an illegal question comes up you’re trapped. anks for writing it! –Stephen Floor, University of California, Berkeley Re: A mother’s letter to biomedical researchers (August 2016) My prayers are that someone in ASBMB will have some knowledge on ADCY5 and/or DOCK3 (a new one to me) and they can provide much more information and hope. Will be very interested to see how Lilly and the organiza- tion progress. –James Hazzard, University of Arizona
Dear Grossman family, You’re amazing. I do not have the too-long-unnamed disease that you have, but I can empathize with the
44 ASBMB TODAY SEPTEMBER 2016
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Annual Review of Biochemistry biochem.annualreviews.org • Volume 84 • July 2015
Editor: Roger D. Kornberg, Stanford University School of Medicine
The Annual Review of Biochemistry, in publication since 1932, sets the standard for review articles in biological chemistry and molecular biology. Since its inception, this journal has served as an indispensable resource for both practicing biochemists and students of biochemistry.
TABLE OF CONTENTS: • It Seems Like Only Yesterday, Charles C. Richardson • Natural Photoreceptors as a Source of Fluorescent Proteins, • Veritas per structuram, Stephen C. Harrison Biosensors, and Optogenetic Tools, Daria M. Shcherbakova, Anton A. Shemetov, Andrii A. Kaberniuk, Vladislav V. Verkhusha • Nuclear Organization, Yosef Gruenbaum • Structure, Dynamics, Assembly, and Evolution of Protein • The Balbiani Ring Story: Synthesis, Assembly, Processing, Complexes, Joseph A. Marsh, Sarah A. Teichmann and Transport of Specific Messenger RNA—Protein Complexes, Petra Björk, Lars Wieslander • Mechanisms of Methicillin Resistance in Staphylococcus aureus, Sharon J. Peacock, Gavin K. Paterson • Functions of Ribosomal Proteins in Assembly of Eukaryotic Ribosomes In Vivo, Jesús de la Cruz, Katrin Karbstein, • Structural Biology of Bacterial Type IV Secretion Systems, John L. Woolford Jr. Vidya Chandran Darbari, Gabriel Waksman • Lamins: Nuclear Intermediate Filament Proteins with Fundamental • ATP Synthase, Wolfgang Junge, Nathan Nelson Functions in Nuclear Mechanics and Genome Regulation, • Structure and Energy Transfer in Photosystems of Oxygenic Yosef Gruenbaum, Roland Foisner Photosynthesis, Nathan Nelson, Wolfgang Junge • Regulation of Alternative Splicing Through Coupling with • Gating Mechanisms of Voltage-Gated Proton Channels, Transcription and Chromatin Structure, Shiran Naftelberg, Yasushi Okamura, Yuichiro Fujiwara, Souhei Sakata Ignacio E. Schor, Gil Ast, Alberto R. Kornblihtt • Mechanisms of ATM Activation, Tanya T. Paull • DNA Triplet Repeat Expansion and Mismatch Repair, Ravi R. Iyer, • A Structural Perspective on the Regulation of the Epidermal Growth Anna Pluciennik, Marek Napierala, Robert D. Wells Factor Receptor, Erika Kovacs, Julie Anne Zorn, Yongjian Huang, • Nuclear ADP-Ribosylation and Its Role in Chromatin Plasticity, Tiago Barros, John Kuriyan Cell Differentiation, and Epigenetics, Michael O. Hottiger • Chemical Approaches to Discovery and Study of Sources and • Application of the Protein Semisynthesis Strategy to the Generation Targets of Hydrogen Peroxide Redox Signaling Through NADPH of Modified Chromatin,Matthew Holt, Tom Muir Oxidase Proteins, Thomas F. Brewer, Francisco J. Garcia, • Mechanisms and Regulation of Alternative Pre-mRNA Splicing, Carl S. Onak, Kate S. Carroll, Christopher J. Chang Yeon Lee, Donald C. Rio • Form Follows Function: The Importance of Endoplasmic Reticulum • The Clothes Make the mRNA: Past and Present Trends Shape, L.M. Westrate, J.E. Lee, W.A. Prinz, G.K. Voeltz in mRNP Fashion, Guramrit Singh, Gabriel Pratt, Gene W. Yeo, • Protein Export into Malaria Parasite—Infected Erythrocytes: Melissa J. Moore Mechanisms and Functional Consequences, Natalie J. Spillman, • Biochemical Properties and Biological Functions of FET Proteins, Josh R. Beck, Daniel E. Goldberg Jacob C. Schwartz, Thomas R. Cech, Roy R. Parker • The Twin-Arginine Protein Translocation Pathway, Ben C. Berks • Termination of Transcription of Short Noncoding RNAs by RNA • Transport of Sugars, Li-Qing Chen, Lily S. Cheung, Liang Feng, Polymerase II, Karen M. Arndt, Daniel Reines Widmar Tanner, Wolf B. Frommer • PIWI-Interacting RNA: Its Biogenesis and Functions, • A Molecular Description of Cellulose Biosynthesis, Yuka W. Iwasaki, Mikiko C. Siomi, Haruhiko Siomi Joshua T. McNamara, Jacob L.W. Morgan, Jochen Zimmer • The Biology of Proteostasis in Aging and Disease, • Cellulose Degradation by Polysaccharide Monooxygenases, Johnathan Labbadia, Richard I. Morimoto William T. Beeson, Van V. Vu, Elise A. Span, Christopher M. Phillips, • Magic Angle Spinning NMR of Proteins: High-Frequency Dynamic Michael A. Marletta Nuclear Polarization and 1H Detection, Yongchao Su, Loren Andreas, • Physiology, Biomechanics, and Biomimetics Robert G. Griffin of Hagfish Slime,Douglas S. Fudge, • Cryogenic Electron Microscopy and Single-Particle Analysis, Sarah Schorno, Shannon Ferraro Dominika Elmlund, Hans Elmlund
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