ASCB JUNE 2 0 0 7 NEWSLETTER V O L U M E 3 0 , N U M B E R 6 E.B Wilson ASCB Council Held First Retreat, Medalists Page 3 Approved Significant Changes Before devoting one-and-one-half days to stra- ❏ To expand networking and Annual tegic planning, the ASCB Council condensed collaboration prospects for ASCB other business into a half members at all career Meeting day on May 21. At the stages (see ASCB Bethesda, MD, Council fellowship available Program Meeting, Council mem- below) Page 8 bers: ■ Approved new ASCB ■ Discussed defining and Committee Female the Council Affiliate members position (announced ■ Voted to Behavior… in the February 2007 discontinue print copies ASCB Newsletter) of Molecular Biology Leader as one in which a of the Cell (MBC) and Left to right: ASCB Executive Director Joan Goldberg local member is Behavior and ASCB President Bruce Alberts eliminate author color empowered to plan Page 20 charges as of January ASCB regional meetings: 2008, as recommended by MBC Editor- ❏ To offer mentorship, career guidance, in-Chief Sandra Schmid and Director of policy contacts, and presentation Publications Mark Leader Inside opportunities to students and postdocs See Council, page 4

President’s Column 2 E.B. Wilson Medalists 3 Program Development & Did You WICB Report 6 Proposal Writer Wanted WICB Awardees 6 Know …? Annual Meeting Program 8 ASCB seeks a postdoc, regular, or emeritus member with ■ ASCB members are eligible for InCytes from MBC 10 expertise in developing educational programs and writing grant applications for same. Position may be part-time in special discounts on Avis and Public Policy Report 11 the Society’s Bethesda, MD, office or as a consultant, work- Hertz car rentals. Summer Public Policy Briefing 13 ing off-site. If interested, send your CV, cover letter, and a will be here soon … what Capitol Hill Day 15 writing sample, no later than August 1, to [email protected]. better time to take advantage of these rates on your next ASCB Profile 16 vacation? Call for Awards Nominations 19 ASCB Fellowship Available ■ ASCB members are also WICB Column 20 eligible for member discounts Letters to the Editor 21 Announcing a new program to enhance ASCB’s visi- on GEICO Direct auto Members in the News 22 bility on campuses, offer career assistance to cell biolo- insurance. gy postdocs, and expand their policy engagement: The Member Gifts 23 ■ ASCB Platinum Plus and Society seeks applicants with a PhD to coordinate this out- Preferred MasterCard credit New Members 24 reach program during a one-year fellowship in the ASCB’s cards are also available. Dear Labby 25 Bethesda, MD, office. Excellent organizational, written, ■ To learn more about these and Classified Advertising 25 and oral presentation skills required. If interested, send other member benefits, visit Grants & Opportunities 27 your CV, cover letter, and a writing sample, no later than August 1, to [email protected]. www.ascb.org. Calendar 28 The American Society for Cell Biology PRESIDENT’S Column 8120 Woodmont Avenue, Suite 750 Bethesda, MD 20814-2762 Tel: (301) 347-9300 Fax: (301) 347-9310 Why Basic Research in Cell Biology [email protected], www.ascb.org Joan R. Goldberg Is Still Critical for Human Health Executive Director Because I co-author a new edition of a teins that bind the reacting partners, and both Officers cell biology textbook every few years, I am the concentrating event and its location are repeatedly confronted by the fact that we know controlled by covalent modifications of the in- Bruce M. Alberts President Robert D. Goldman President-Elect only a tiny fraction of what we need to know, teracting partners. Thus, we should expect to Mary C. Beckerle Past President if we are to really understand an individual cell. find human diseases in which all cellular com- Gary E. Ward Treasurer The knowledge gap is, of course, much greater ponents are normal, with the only defect being Jean E. Schwarzbauer Secretary for those scientists trying to come to grips with in their positioning. multicellularity—that is, with the workings To take a second example, the discovery of Council of an organism like a fruit fly—or even, more an elaborate “histone code,” and of the large set strikingly, ourselves. of code reader-writer and chromatin remodeling Kerry S. Bloom The public and the Congress, including protein complexes that underlie it, reveal that David R. Burgess many of the most effective advocates for eukaryotic cells make use of a remarkable array John S. Condeelis Susan K. Dutcher increased public funding of of chromatin-based epigenetic D. Scott Emr the biomedical sciences, are … we will require mechanisms. Defects in these Joan R. Goldberg, ex officio generally unaware of this epigenetic controls have recently Caroline M. Kane knowledge gap. Further, they a much greater become recognized as major Sandra K. Masur may not know why we need to contributors to a variety of Barbara J. Meyer understanding of fill it to intervene effectively in human diseases, including Timothy J. Mitchison … fundamental Erin K. O'Shea most human diseases. Scientists cancer. To intervene effectively Anne J. Ridley are partly to blame for not mechanisms … we are likely to need a much Susan R. Wente emphasizing forcefully enough more detailed understanding that the complete sequencing before we can of the molecular processes that ASCB Newsletter of the human genome expect to deal occur in chromatin. Attaining is published twelve times per provides only a small (but very this understanding will year by The American Society adequately with for Cell Biology. important) start to our attempt require a great deal of difficult to understand human biology. the wide variety biochemistry, much of it based Joan R. Goldberg Editor But the misunderstanding is of diseases that on experiments with purified John L. Saville Production Manager not at all surprising. After all, components in in vitro systems. Nancy Moulding Production Assistant new discoveries that reveal the plague humankind. I could go on in this way for Kevin Wilson Public Policy Briefing Ed Newman Advertising Manager complexity of biological systems many pages. My point is simply John Fleischman Science Writer at the molecular level continue that we will require a much Thea Clarke Editorial Manager to amaze even experienced cell biologists like greater understanding of these, as well as many me. And news articles always emphasize what we other, fundamental mechanisms underlying the Deadlines for submission of have learned, rather than the vast amount that function of cells, before we can expect to deal articles and advertising remains obscure. adequately with the wide variety of diseases that materials: plague humankind. Issue Deadline New Discoveries Impact Human August July 1 Health Can ASCB Produce Effective Case September August 1 With each new edition of the Molecular Biology Studies of Recent Breakthroughs? October September 1 of the Cell textbook, we authors are forced to How might we best convey this message to ASCB Newsletter incorporate new discoveries that reveal a sophis- Congress and to the many sincere and dedicated ISSN 1060-8982 Volume 30, Number 6 tication of cell chemistry not previously recog- disease advocates who care deeply about funding June 2007 nized. For example, it has only recently become for the National Institutes of Health, yet may clear to me that living organisms will quite gen- view basic research into cell mechanisms with © 2007 erally concentrate the proteins and RNA mol- some suspicion? The American Society for Cell Biology ecules that catalyze a particular reaction in a As an experiment, I am suggesting Postmaster: Send change of address to small region of each cell. The concentrating that the ASCB membership email me at ASCB Newsletter The American Society for Cell Biology mechanism often involves large scaffold pro- [email protected] to nominate particularly 8120 Woodmont Avenue, Suite 750 Bethesda, MD 20814-2762

2 ASCB NEWSLETTER JUNE 2007 good “case study” examples of recent disease can be particularly useful for breakthroughs in our understanding of cells, making our point. derived from untargeted basic research, that At the ASCB Council’s two-day How might we appear to have profound implications for the meeting and retreat held in Bethesda on eventual prevention and treatment of human May 21–22, we examined a collection of best convey disease. In your email, please include a few previously prepared documents designed this message to references to the published work of relevance. to reach Congress and the public on I hope that we can collect 20 or so the payoffs from fundamental research. Congress—and outstanding examples from ASCB members. These had been produced by other to the many I suggest that we focus on recent discoveries, organizations. We will use them as a sincere and because I have seen claims that the explosion starting point for selecting the format of discoveries in the past decade has brought for a possible new ASCB-sponsored dedicated disease biomedical science to the point where we effort. As the next step, our Public advocates who … should not require further advances in our Information Committee will work with understanding to cure disease—or, more a science writer to develop and test a few may view basic modestly, to the point where the future payoffs prototype brief communications—each research into cell from basic research are likely to be small. As we focused on a single example from the list mechanisms with all know, intensive studies of yeast, Drosophila, that we generate with your input. and other “model organisms” very often My thanks for your help with this some suspicion? provide a shortcut to the understanding of important new project. ■ human biology. This fact seems strange to the —Bruce M. Alberts public and is perhaps counterintuitive. For this reason, those examples where work with model Comments are welcome and should be sent to organisms has unexpectedly illuminated human [email protected].

Hynes, Werb Named E.B. Wilson Medalists Richard Hynes of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology/HHMI and Zena Werb of the University of California, San Francisco, will share the ASCB’s E.B. Wilson Medal, the Society’s highest honor for science. Hynes, ASCB President in 2000, is being recognized for his seminal contributions to cell biology, specifi cally his research on the role of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins and their receptors in normal

Donna Coveney cellular growth and development and in the process of oncogenesis. In Richard Hynes addition to cancer research, Hynes' contributions have had implications in thrombogenesis, embryonic development, cell motility, and tissue organization. He has received numerous honors and awards, including membership in the Royal Society and in the U.S. National Academy of Sciences. Werb, ASCB President in 2004, is also being honored for her original and fundamental discoveries about the molecular and cellular basis of ECM proteolysis and its role in the normal functioning and pathogenesis of tissues. Zena Werb Her studies have established the framework of the cellular microenvironment and intercellular communication in development and cancer. In addition to her many honors, Werb was named a Fellow of the John Simon Guggenheim Foundation and Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and received the FASEB Excellence in Science Award. Hynes and Werb will present the E.B. Wilson Lecture on Sunday, December 2, at the ASCB Annual Meeting in Washington, DC. ■

JUNE 2007 ASCB NEWSLETTER 3 Council, continued from page 1 Annual Meeting in the field of cell biology, and by publishing a major scientific journal to ■ Received reports on the development of the disseminate critical research of interest to the Image & Video Library (IVL) membership ■ Examined membership retention and 2. Educate and provide expert advice to Congress, recruitment data the Administration, and federal agencies on the ■ To expand openings for wider member importance of federal support for biomedical participation, approved policies limiting research and on policies relevant to basic simultaneous committee service and addressing biomedical research inactive volunteers 3. Increase public awareness of the importance of ■ Assessed the Society’s FY2007 preliminary high-quality basic biomedical research financial report as well as investment 4. Support the profession of cell biology by performance, and approved changes to the guiding national policy on the education, Society’s investment policy training, and career development of basic ■ Evaluated the ASCB’s investment target and biomedical researchers, and by contributing agreed to consider the appropriate expenditure to local and national efforts to enrich science of reserve funds for program activities, education at all levels, including publication as recommended by the Finance & of the peer-reviewed open access journal CBE- Audit Committee LSE 5. Include and develop the careers of historically A Discussion of Mission and under-represented constituencies in biomedical Membership research, including minorities and women Executive Director Joan Goldberg had 6. Ensure the viability and health of the Society recommended that the Society leader- through sound governance and management of ship join with staff to examine ASCB operations, and serve the membership through priorities, goals, and resource alloca- communication, inclusion, and responsiveness Left to right: Council members Erin O’Shea tion. ASCB is fortunate to have activist Council agreed that a short mission statement and Barbara Meyer leaders, a large membership supportive was in order, as were broader objectives. The of its many important programs, and membership will be asked to vote on an ASCB a dedicated, professional staff, she not- “tagline.” ed. Planning for the future, and being Goldberg catalyzed a discussion of membership mindful of resources and realistic goals, trends, emphasizing results from the Society’s first is critical at this stage of the Society’s all-member survey (reported in the January 2007 development, she added. In the one- ASCB Newsletter). Most ASCB Annual Meeting and-one-half day Retreat, May 21–22, nonmember attendees reported they weren’t participants also addressed their vision members because (in rank order): of the Society’s future. ■ ASCB membership dues (unchanged since ASCB President Bruce Alberts, Past 2004 and low in comparison to sister Left to right: ASCB President-Elect Robert President Mary Beckerle, President- groups) were too high or not covered by their Goldman and Past President Mary Beckerle Elect Bob Goldman, Treasurer institutions. Gary Ward, and Secretary Jean ■ Cell biology was not their major field. Schwarzbauer were joined by Council ■ They weren’t aware of ASCB membership members Kerry Bloom, David Burgess, benefits. Susan Dutcher, Caroline Kane, Sandra ■ They thought they weren’t qualified. Masur, Barbara Meyer, Erin O’Shea, ■ They didn’t know a sponsor or how to join. Anne Ridley, and Susan Wente. In addition, many attendees equated the ASCB Education Committee Chair Tim with its Annual Meeting. Council members’ Stearns, CBE–Life Sciences Education interviews with nonmembers (three or more (CBE-LSE) Editor-in-Chief Bill Wood, each) corroborated the survey’s findings and Public Information Committee (PIC) underscored the importance of member-to- Left to right: CBE–LSE Editor-in-Chief Bill Chair Rex Chisholm, new Public member outreach. Council suggested that PIs Wood and Education Committee Chair Tim Policy Committee (PPC) Chair Tom need to rebuild a culture where whole laboratories Stearns Pollard, and IVL Chair Kathryn join the ASCB and participate in ASCB Howell joined Council for some of the programs. Retreat discussions, as did many ASCB staff. The ASCB Council approved the expansion of ASCB’s current objectives are to: ASCB membership benefits; a new membership 1. Support cell biology research by organizing brochure and campaign will be launched to and hosting the world’s most influential publicize them, including an attempt to reach out

4 ASCB NEWSLETTER JUNE 2007 to medical researchers who may not recognize the Cell-WEB to Advance Education, value of the ASCB to their work. Careers Also explored were: Aligning science education efforts and maximizing ■ Emphasizing the value of ASCB membership outreach are the goal of ASCB’s new Cell-WEB (including an increase in member-only- portal (to be launched in July 2007). With partial benefits, see page 1)—as well as Annual support from the National Science Foundation’s Meeting attendance—for the random President’s Award for Excellence in Science, collision of ideas and approaches essential Mathematics, and Engineering Mentorship, for innovation, networking, leadership ASCB Chief Information Officer David Driggers, opportunities, finding new collaborators, Technical Program Manager Howie Berman, exploring career options, and access to career Education and Editorial Manager Thea Clarke, development and assistance programs (such Senior Technology Analyst Steve Reed, and other as online forums, job placement services, and ASCB staff developed a new website portal, which travel awards) can be accessed through the ASCB site as well as ■ Member-get-a-member campaigns and directly. With special attention to the needs of incentives women, minority, and disabled scientists, Cell- ■ Multiple-year memberships WEB features: ■ Local ASCB chapters ■ iBioSeminars (cutting-edge, online seminars ■ ASCB’s benefits for clinically oriented developed under the leadership of ASCB researchers and multiple disciplines member Ron Vale) ■ Providing ASCB slides/materials to members ■ The Image & Video Library (IVL) ❏ To advertise ASCB meetings and programs ■ Career guidance materials--prepared by the in presentations Women in Cell Biology Committee and ❏ For use in public information efforts “Labby”—(see pp. 20 and 25), plus online Council agreed that retention is more career assistance at www.ascb.org/forums/ important than new members, although both are upload/index.php key to the Society’s continued vitality. ■ Educational material that includes webcasts, audiotapes, abstracts, articles, etc. Education and Advocacy Programs Additional annotations for the IVL can Council also addressed ASCB’s most important expand its utility for undergraduate education, programs in science education and advocacy. Council agreed. Stearns presented to Council an After reviewing current efforts in publications, annotation model that he had developed for this meetings, science education, advocacy, and purpose, along with sample annotations prepared public information, participants considered a by Education Committee members. This new variety of innovations and changes. Council and way of presenting the material on the IVL site was staff pointed to the need to articulate and meld favorably received by members. ASCB’s advocacy and public information efforts, Wood noted the growing use of “clickers” in so as to make them more synergistic. They also classrooms; he will be presenting an Education brainstormed about new initiatives that might be Workshop at the 2007 ASCB Annual Meeting funded from the ASCB reserve funds. on clicker advantages, and ASCB will request Alberts noted the failure to recognize the member submissions to begin building an online importance of basic biomedical research and resource of good cell biology clicker questions. its relationship to fundamental breakthroughs in disease treatment by some clinical researcher New ASCB Consultant & peers, disease groups, and funding agencies, as Postdoctoral Fellowship Positions well as by legislators. New public information At day’s end, Council voted to use reserve funds, if and advocacy efforts can highlight the needed, to hire a part-time/consultant program de- relationship by spotlighting relevant examples velopment/proposal writer to assist volunteers and (see President’s Column, p. 2). In addition, the staff in maintaining and expanding ASCB educa- ASCB can bypass traditional media, as PIC staff tional initiatives. Council also approved offering a liaison John Fleischman noted. Mechanisms one-year postdoctoral fellowship at the ASCB of- include podcasts (such as the interview with fice for expanding outreach and member services. Bob Palazzo on evolution, already on the ASCB (See page 1 for more information.) ASCB mem- website at www.ascb.org/podcasts/evolution. bers interested in either position should send a CV mp3), blogs, a cell biology information service, and letter of interest to [email protected]. ■ postings on YouTube, and a year-round press and Hill visit strategy. —Joan Goldberg

JUNE 2007 ASCB NEWSLETTER 5 WICB Names Awardees, Discusses Programs Choosing from a large pool of excellent candi- Tom Pollard, and Lynne Quarmby joined by dates, the Women in Cell Biology Committee telephone for part of the meeting. met on May 15, 2007, in Bethesda, to select In recognition of the diversity of career tracks 2007 awardees. Christine Jacobs-Wagner was pursued by cell biologists, WICB discussed named recipient of the WICB Junior Award, how to augment and modify the annual Career and Frances Brodsky was se- Lunch held at the ASCB Annual Meeting. lected for the WICB Senior Helpful career-focused topics and authors for Award. The Committee also future WICB columns were also discussed. discussed Annual Meeting WICB decided to highlight work-family balance programming, recent accom- in the Evening Program for 2007, “But I Have plishments, and future plans. a Family!” The 2007 WICB Workshop will be In attendance were: Ursula entitled “Time Management.” Goodenough, Chair; mem- To offer women and men role models of bers Alexandra Ainsztein, Joan cell biologists balancing careers and families, Goldberg, Caroline Kane, the WICB pictorial is on the ASCB website Laurie Littlepage, Sandy at http://ascb.org/wicb/index.html; additional Left to right: Sandra Masur and Caroline Kane Masur, Inke Näthke, Suzanne photos are welcome and can be sent to Cheryl Pfeffer, Jennifer Roecklein- Lehr at [email protected]. In addition, WICB Canfield, Sandra Schmid, seeks more member involvement through the Jean Schwarzbauer, Vivian Siegel, JoAnn Trejo, WICB Network (the WICB Network Reception Junying Yuan; and staff liaison Cheryl Lehr. will be held on Sunday, December 2, at 2:30 pm Members Susan Forsburg, Elizabeth Marincola, in Washington, DC). WICB is also investigating the possibility of child-care awards to facilitate attendance at the ASCB Annual Meeting, and a WICB Junior, Senior Award dinner meet-up for attendees. A study of child care at ASCB members’ institutions is under way as well. ■ Recipients Announced —Cheryl Lehr Frances Brodsky of the University of California, San Francisco, was named by the ASCB’s Women in Cell Biology (WICB) Committee to receive the 2007 WICB Senior Award. Christine Jacobs-Wagner of Yale University will receive the WICB Junior Award. Brodsky is best known for work with the protein clathrin, its structure, interactions, and assembly, and for Frances Brodsky her research on the intracellular interactions of MHC II molecules. She has won several awards—including the 2006 NIH Pittman Lecturer—and is a Marshall Scholar, a Damon-Runyon Fellow, a King’s College Fellow, and a Pew Scholar. Brodsky served as Associate Editor for the Journal Left to right: Laurie Littlepage and WICB Chair Ursula of Immunology, is a cofounder of Traffic, and is currently Goodenough serving as Vice Chair of the Human Frontiers of Science Program grant review committee. Brodsky works to provide

Christine Jacobs- opportunities for advancing women and junior scientists in Wagner cell biology. Jacobs-Wagner is a highly respected bacterial cell biologist, specifically known for her discovery of intermediate filaments in the bacterium Caulobacter and its importance in controlling cell shape. Jacobs-Wagner serves on numerous Yale committees, is a regular conference speaker and organizer, and serves as a mentor for a “plethora” of undergraduate and graduate students and postdoctoral fellows. The awards will be presented during the WICB Evening Program on Monday, December 3, at the ASCB Annual Meeting in Washington, DC. ■ Left to right: Jennifer Roecklein-Canfield, Inke Näthke, and Junying Yuan

6 ASCB NEWSLETTER JUNE 2007 JUNE 2007 ASCB NEWSLETTER 7 The ASCB 47th Annual Meeting December 1–5, 2007 Washington Convention Center, Washington, DC Bruce M. Alberts, President ■ R. Dyche Mullins, Program Chair ■ John Hammer, Local Arrangements Chair

Keynote Symposium Minisymposia

Saturday, December 1 Apoptosis and Organelles Mechanics of Cytoskeletal Systems New Biologists for the New Biology—6:00 pm Seamus J. Martin, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland Margaret L. Gardel, The University of Chicago William Bialek, Princeton University Donald Newmeyer, La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Wolfgang Losert, University of Maryland, College Park Shirley Ann Jackson, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Immunology Mechanics of Epigenetic Regulation Assembling Complex Cytoskeletal Structures Gary Felsenfeld, National Institute of Diabetes & Digestive & Jacek Gaertig, University of Georgia Kidney Diseases/NIH Symposia Dave Kovar, The University of Chicago Cynthia Wolberger, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine/HHMI

Biological Oscillators Mechanisms of Membrane Trafficking Sunday, December 2 Jay C. Dunlap, Dartmouth Medical School Juan Bonifacino, National Institute of Child Health & Human Membrane Dynamics—8:00 am Hideo Iwasaki, Nagoya University Development/NIH Pietro De Camilli, Yale University School of Medicine/ Elizabeth Conibear, University of British Columbia HHMI Cell Biology and Disease Kit Pogliano, University of California, San Diego Lucy A. Godley, The University of Chicago Mitosis and Meiosis Kai Simons, Max Planck Institute, Dresden Timothy J. Mitchison, Harvard Medical School Sue Biggins, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center Dean Dawson, Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation Architecture of Signaling Systems—10:30 am Cell Biology of the Synapse Richard M. Losick, Harvard University Edwin R. Chapman, University of Wisconsin–Madison Molecular Motors: Alone and in Groups Tobias Meyer, Stanford University School of Medicine Graeme W. Davis, University of California, San Francisco Gijsje Koenderink, Institute for Atomic and Molecular Physics Pamela A. Silver, Harvard Medical School Daniela Nicastro, Brandeis University Cell Cycle Monday, December 3 Michael Glotzer, The University of Chicago Neuronal Cell Biology Cell Biology of Metazoan Development— Sue L. Jaspersen, Stowers Institute for Medical Research Michael D. Ehlers, Duke University Medical Center/HHMI 8:00 am Franck Polleux, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Kathryn Anderson, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Cell Migration/Motility Center Jeff Hardin, University of Wisconsin–Madison Nuclear Import and Export Marie-Anne Felix, Jacques Monod Institute, CNRS Irina Kaverina, Vanderbilt University Medical Center Charles N. Cole, Dartmouth Medical School Richard Harland, University of California, Berkeley Richard W. Wozniak, University of Alberta Chromatin Architecture and Remodeling Laura Rusche, Duke University Medical Center Nuclear Organization and Dynamics Unconventional Organelles—10:30 am Jerry Workman, Stowers Institute for Medical Research Sui Huang, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Martina Brueckner, Yale University School of Medicine Medicine Stephen Gould, Johns Hopkins University Cytoskeletal Dynamics and Polarity Susan R. Wente, Vanderbilt University Medical Center Yoshinori Ohsumi, National Institute for Basic Biology Ed Munro, Center for Cell Dynamics, University of Washington Prokaryotic Cell Biology Tuesday, December 4 William Saxton, University of California, Santa Cruz Zemer Gitai, Princeton University Geography of Signaling—8:00 am David Z. Rudner, Harvard Medical School Howard Chang, Stanford University Epithelial Morphogenesis Deborah Hogan, Dartmouth Medical School M. Thomas Lecuit, Developmental Biology Institute of Protein Folding Elly Tanaka, Max Planck Institute, Dresden Marseilles-Luminy Elizabeth Craig, University of Wisconsin–Madison Jennifer Zallen, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center Suzannah L. Rutherford, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Force and Form in Cell Biology—10:30 am Center Dennis Discher, University of Pennsylvania Evolution of Eukaryotic Endomembrane Systems Michael P. Sheetz, Columbia University John A. Fuerst, University of Queensland Regulatory Roles of Lipid Microdomains Valerie M. Weaver, University of California, San Francisco Trevor Lithgow, University of Melbourne Barbara A. Baird, Cornell University Michael Edidin, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine Extracellular Matrix as a Memory Storage Device Wednesday, December 5 Linda Gay Griffith, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Results of Working Group Discussion Single Molecule Studies—8:00 am Patricia Keely, University of Wisconsin–Madison R. Dyche Mullins, University of California, San Francisco, Steve Kowalczykowski, University of California, Davis Moderator Paul Selvin, University of Illinois High-Tech Cell Biology Michelle Wang, Cornell University Grant Jensen, California Institute of Technology RNA Silencing Mechanisms Kendall Knight, University of Massachusetts Medical School Natasha J. Caplen, National Cancer Institute/NIH Cell Biology in Ten Years—10:30 am Alla Grishok, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Benjamin F. Cravatt, III, The Host–Pathogens Interactions and Innate Scripps Research Immunity Signaling through Cell Adhesion Proteins Institute For more Joanne Engel, University of California, San Francisco David A. Calderwood, Yale University School of Medicine David Haussler, Jean Greenberg, The University of Chicago Masatoshi Takeichi, RIKEN Center for Developmental Biology University of information, California, Santa contact the ASCB: Intermediate Filaments and Nuclear Lamins Stem Cell Niches Cruz Pamela K. Geyer, University of Iowa Leanne Jones, Salk Institute for Biological Studies Stanislas Leibler, (301) 347-9300 Birgit Lane, IMB Singapore and University of Dundee Haifan Lin, Yale University Rockefeller www.ascb.org/ University Making ’omics Useful to Cell Biologists X-ylation and Cell Signaling meetings John D. Aitchison, Institute for Systems Biology Holly A. Ingraham, University of California, San Francisco Nevan J. Krogan, University of California, San Francisco Kim Orth, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

8 ASCB NEWSLETTER JUNE 2007

INCYTES from MBC June, Vol. 18, No. 6

Regulation of Cell Diameter, For3p Localization, and Cell Symmetry by Fission Yeast Rho-GAP Rga4p Maitreyi Das, David J. Wiley, Saskia Medina, Helen A. Vincent, Michelle Larrea, Andrea Oriolo, and Fulvia Verde The fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe is an excellent model for analyzing factors that control cell morphology because it has a well-defined cylindrical shape and exhibits polarized cell growth. The authors report the novel phenotype of wider but shorter cells caused by deletion of the putative Rho-GAP Rga4p. Conversely, overexpression of Rga4p leads to a reduced diameter of the growing cell tips, suggesting that Rga4p negatively regulates cell growth. Consistent with the idea that Rga4p defines a “no growth domain,” it localizes in a unique corset-like pattern along cell sides and to nongrowing cell tips. Rga4p is also required for the proper localization of the formin-family protein For3p, which functions to nucleate actin filament assembly, and consequently the actin cytoskeleton is also altered in rga4∆ cells. Rga4p is a multidomain protein. Its C-terminal GAP domain is sufficient for growth regulation and is required for For3p localization, while its LIM domain–containing N-terminus promotes For3p-dependent actin cable formation. Identifying upstream and downstream partners of Rga4p will provide new insight into the complex mechanisms spatially controlling cell morphogenesis and polarized cell growth.

Cell Polarity Development and Protein Trafficking in Hepatocytes Lacking E-cadherin/ β-catenin–based Adherens Junctions Delphine Théard, Magdalena Steiner, Dharamdajal Kalicharan, Dick Hoekstra, and Sven C.D. van IJzendoorn Interactions between E-cadherin receptors on adjacent epithelial cells define the lateral plasma membrane surface and are thought to provide the initiating cue for the development of apical-basolateral cell polarity. Thus the authors’ finding that a mutant hepatocyte line, HepG2-AJ–, which lacks surface E-cadherin, nonetheless retains the capacity to form functional tight junctions and to develop full apical-basolateral cell polarity is unexpected. The development of polarity is, however, delayed and the mutant cells accumulate an intracellular “vacuolar apical compartment” (VAC) that resembles the hepatocytic apical domain. Subsequent remodeling of the apical lumens to form multicellular tubes is also defective. Hepatocytes are thought to lack the machinery for direct sorting of proteins from the trans-Golgi network to the apical surface; instead, apical resident proteins are first delivered to the basolateral surface and from there to the apical surface by transcytosis. Indeed, the glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored protein 5’-nucleotidase continues to be delivered indirectly to the apical plasma membrane in HepG2-AJ– mutant cells, but surprisingly, delivery of the transmembrane protein dipeptidylpeptidase IV switches to a direct route.

Determinants of Synaptobrevin Regulation in Membranes Tabrez J. Siddiqui, Olga Vites, Alexander Stein, Rainer Heintzmann, Reinhard Jahn, and Dirk Fasshauer Neurotransmitter release requires the Ca2+-regulated fusion of synaptic vesicles (SVs) triggered by depolarization and mediated by interactions between the SNARE family members synaptobrevin-2/VAMP2 on SVs and syntaxin 1 and SNAP25 on the presynaptic membrane. According to the “zipper hypothesis” for SNARE-mediated membrane fusion, the four SNARE motifs (one each on synaptobrevin and syntaxin, two on SNAP25) readily interact to form a stable quaternary bundle of α-helices, nucleation of which proceeds from their N-terminal ends toward the C-terminal membrane anchors, thus drawing the adjacent membranes together in a strained “trans”complex. In vitro studies have suggested that a linker region between the SNARE motif and the transmembrane domain of synaptobrevin is required for calmodulin- dependent downregulation of synaptobrevin activity through Ca2+-regulated interactions with the membrane. However, direct measurements of synaptobrevin’s membrane fusion and SNARE interaction activities by means of model liposomes and isolated SVs together with deletion and mutagenesis studies demonstrate that synaptobrevin is fully active on SVs, and as predicted by the zipper hypothesis, that the C-terminal SNARE motif interactions are critical for driving membrane fusion, while the linker region plays a less critical role.

Mitotic Chromosome Biorientation in Fission Yeast Is Enhanced by Dynein and a Minus-end–Directed, Kinesin-like Protein Ekaterina L. Grishchuk, Ilia S. Spiridonov, and J. Richard McIntosh Chromosome biorientation, the essential early step in chromosome segregation during mitosis, involves the attachment of sister kinetochores to microtubules that extend from opposite spindle poles; it often occurs while a chromosome is near one of the two poles. Kinetochore-localized motors promote, in part, the subsequent congression of chromosomes to the metaphase plate. Here, the authors take advantage of the excellent genetics and cytology of the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe to explore the roles of its three minus-end–directed microtubule-based motors in chromosome biorientation and congression. Using live cell microscopy to follow chromosome segregation in synchronized cells, they find that none of the motors plays a major role in kinetochore motions that accompany congression or biorientation. Instead, the authors find by electron microscopy and tomographic reconstructions that dynein and the kinesin 14, Pkl1p, differentially affect spindle pole organization and structure, thereby enhancing the fidelity of chromosome segregation during mitosis. ■

10 ASCB NEWSLETTER JUNE 2007 NIH Funding Top Priority for Public Policy Committee The impact that five years of stagnant funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) is having on the American biomedical research enterprise was a major topic of conversation for the Public Policy Committee at its May meeting. Attending the meeting were new Chair Tom Pollard; members David Burgess, Rex Chisholm, Larry Goldstein, Ursula Goodenough, Bob Palazzo, and Janet Shaw; and Joint Steering Committee for Public Policy (JSC) Education Liaison Peter Kyros, JSC National Coordinator Lynn Marquis, and ASCB Public Policy Director Kevin Wilson. As part of its intensified focus on NIH funding, Left to right: Public Policy Committee Chair Tom Pollard and ASCB staff member Kevin Wilson the Committee discussed both short- and long-term plans. Committee members were particularly interested in how the Committee can encourage heightened public policy advocacy efforts by ASCB members. The Committee also talked about longer range efforts to ensure sustainability of federally funded research in the United States. The Committee made plans for advocacy programs at the 2007 ASCB Annual Meeting as well, including the selection of the 2007 Public Service Award winner. The next day, Committee members joined ASCB Councilors in educational visits on Capitol Hill (see page 15). ■ Left to right: Public Policy Committee member Ursula —Kevin M. Wilson Goodenough and Public Information Committee Chair Rex Chisholm

JUNE 2007 ASCB NEWSLETTER 11 12 ASCB NEWSLETTER JUNE 2007 PUBLIC POLICY Briefing

Congress Starts Work on FY08 Appropriations Bills With Congress having completed the broad and $3 billion (5.8%) more than the amount outlines of the FY08 federal budget, now requested by the President. the detailed work of crafting the individual While indications at press time were good appropriations bills that that the NIH will benefit fund the various federal from the increased spending departments, including the for domestic programs in the National Institutes of Health NIH supporters Budget Resolution, it remained (NIH), begins. The FY08 in the House of unclear what the actual NIH Budget Resolution serves as budget increase would be. the blueprint for the annual Representatives NIH supporters in the House federal budget. It includes and the Senate of Representatives and the $450 billion for domestic Senate have been pushing for discretionary spending—$23 have been pushing a $1.9 billion (6.7%) increase billion more than the FY07 for a $1.9 billion for the NIH for FY08. Other budget and $21 billion more (6.7%) increase for worthy programs funded by than was included in President the Departments of Labor, Bush’s FY08 budget request. the NIH for FY08. Health & Human Services and $54.965 billion of the total Education Appropriations bill $450 billion is allotted for may limit the total amount the health-related discretionary NIH receives. spending, including the NIH budget. The Leaders in both the House and Senate hope to $450 billion is $2.9 billion (5.5%) more complete work on the various appropriations bills than the amount in the final FY07 budget by July. ■ —Kevin M. Wilson

Congress Votes to Increase NSF Budget Both the House of Representatives and the developing special math and science schools, Senate have overwhelmingly approved bills to and creates partnerships between high-need increase the budget of the National Science high schools and the National Laboratories. The Foundation (NSF) significantly. Both houses of House bill includes a provision to help the NSF The Senate bill, Congress also approved amendments that would communicate to the public the results of the approved 88–8, create new programs within the NSF. research it funds. A provision to establish the The Senate bill, approved 88–8, would creation of a global warming and climate change would authorize authorize a doubling of the NSF budget from curriculum was also included in the bill. a doubling of $5.6 billion in FY06 to $11.2 billion in FY11. Passage of these two bills represents the NSF budget While the House bill, approved 399–17, does important steps for the NSF, but it remains to not double the budget, it authorizes budgets of be seen if the House and Senate Appropriations from $5.6 billion $6.5 billion in FY08, $7 billion in FY09 and Committees will fund the NSF at the level in FY06 to $11.2 $7.5 billion in FY10. approved in either bill. The bill approved by the Senate establishes The White House has not threatened to veto billion in FY11. summer training programs for teachers at the the bills, but has expressed concern that too Department of Energy’s National Laboratories much money has been authorized. ■ and at the NSF, provides assistance to states in —Kevin M. Wilson

JUNE 2007 ASCB NEWSLETTER 13 The ASCB JSC Congressional Biomedical Public Policy Committee Research Caucuses Held Needs You!

See www.ascb.org/public policy/project50/index.cfm or email [email protected] for more information.

Clockwise, left to right: Mitchell Lazar of the University of Pennsylvania spoke at a Congressional Biomedical Research Caucus on Obesity and Type II Diabetes; congressional staffers and others listen to the presentation; and Lazar speaks as JSC Education Liaison Peter Kyros listens.

Upcoming Events Joint Steering Committee for Public Policy

September 5 Congressional Biomedical Research Caucus ■ A Therapy for Marfan’s Disease Speaker: Harry Dietz, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine/ HHMI September 19 Congressional Biomedical Research Caucus ■ Development of Systems of Care for Heart Attack Patients Speaker: Alice Jacobs, Boston University School of Medicine October 3 Congressional Biomedical Research Caucus ■ Losing the Edge in Science: The Augustine Report Revisited Speaker: Norman Augustine, Lockheed Martin Corporation

www.jscpp.org Above, left to right: Jay Keasling of the University of California, Berkeley, gave a presentation last month on Synthetic Biology and the War on Malaria; attendees ask questions following the briefing.

14 ASCB NEWSLETTER JUNE 2007 ASCB Leadership Goes to Capitol Hill On May 23, members of the ASCB Council and increases for the NIH will be difficult to achieve, Public Policy Committee spent a day on Capitol Hill however, given budget realities and competing in meetings with Members of Congress and staff. pressures. During their meetings, ASCB members told the Peter Agre, Mary Beckerle, David Burgess, Rex Representatives and Senators and their staff members Chisholm, Susan Dutcher, Bob Goldman, Ursula about the devastating impact that limited National Goodenough, Caroline Kane, Barbara Meyer, Bob Institutes of Health (NIH) budgets since 2004 are Palazzo, Tom Pollard, Janet Shaw, Gary Ward, and having on the American biomedical research enter- Susan Wente had meetings at 24 House and Senate prise. They noted the 6.7% budget increase for the offices. They were joined by ASCB Executive Director NIH for this fiscal year called for by 182 members of Joan Goldberg, Joint Steering Committee for Public the House of Representatives and 48 Senators. Policy (JSC) Education Liaison Peter Kyros, JSC In their meetings, the ASCB leadership heard National Coordinator Lynn Marquis, and ASCB strong support for the NIH and for the need to Public Policy Director Kevin Wilson. ■ increase the NIH budget. Any significant budget —Kevin M. Wilson

Left to right: ASCB Past President Mary Beckerle, Left to right: ASCB President-Elect Bob Goldman, ASCB Councilor Barbara Meyer, Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT), and ASCB Public Policy ASCB Executive Director Joan Goldberg, and ASCB Councilors Caroline Kane and Committee member Janet Shaw David Burgess Tell Your Policy Advocacy Story Have you ever written or called your federal, state, or local representatives about an impor- tant science policy issue? Have you ever met with your government leaders to share your thoughts? Have you ever come to Washington, DC, as part of an ASCB Hill Day? What do you think was your impact? How have you fol- lowed up? Please take a moment and share Left to right: Chris Saunders from the Left to right: WICB Chair and Public Policy your story. office of Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT) Committee member Ursula Goodenough and Send your account to Kevin Wilson, with Nobel Laureate and Public Policy ASCB Councilor Susan Dutcher outside the Committee member Peter Agre office of Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-MO) ASCB Public Policy Director, at [email protected]. Your name will not be used without your permission. ■

JUNE 2007 ASCB NEWSLETTER 15 ASCB Profile Gerald Rubin You need to be careful about what you wish for Janelia is focused on basic neurobiology and Gerry Rubin has been careful indeed. In and cutting-edge imaging technology and 2002, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute computational analysis needed to understand (HHMI) gave Rubin the scientific equivalent of neuronal circuitry. Completely funded from a magic lantern full of wishes: anything Rubin HHMI’s private coffers, Janelia is divorced from needed to create a breakthrough research insti- the vagaries and prejudices of the public funding tute. Late last year, the world got its first tenta- system. tive look at what Rubin has been wishing for: In designing Janelia, Rubin explains that he Janelia Farm, the new HHMI interdisciplinary tried to draw on the best aspects of places he’s neurobiology and imaging research campus in worked such as the Medical Research Council suburban Northern Virginia. (MRC) Laboratory for Molecular Biology in Janelia represents an initial $500 million Cambridge, England (where Rubin did his investment by HHMI in land, buildings, and Ph.D. work with Sydney Brenner) and the

Photo by Paul Fetters Photo by Paul people, and a subsequent, projected annual Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL; where Gerald Rubin operating cost of $100 million. The site just Rubin studied and did summer lab internships south of the Potomac River in exploding while an MIT undergraduate). He also was suburban Northern Virginia covers 689 acres; inspired by places that he’d admired from afar, only 60 are being developed currently. The like the famed AT&T Bell Labs in Murray Hill, central Landscape Building, at 317,000 square NJ. (That’s where the laser and other major feet, is slightly larger than the nearby Dulles inventions had their start.) Rubin jokingly International Airport terminal. Designed by New describes himself as Janelia’s “PI in a sociological York architect Rafael Viñoly, the lab building is experiment.” Indeed, the result is not only an a “green” architectural showcase. The S-shaped, astounding laboratory building but a highly triple-decker building was set edgewise into a engineered social environment as well. river bluff and half-buried under the second- largest green roof in the U.S. Storm water and Small Science, Big Science roof runoff are channeled into two artificial Janelia Farm is not without its critics. Some lakes. The landscaping is drought-resistant. contend that the money could have been better Trees cut onsite during construction were 100% spent on beefing up the number of more tradi- recycled into everything from garden mulch tional HHMI Investigators at research institu- Rubin and to random-width flooring for visitor housing. tions around the world. The critics are miss- Spradling used “P Daylight floods the lab building through its ing the point of Janelia, says Joan Ruderman of curving, north-facing glass wall and inset cell Harvard Medical School (HMS), because they elements” in the garden light wells. Technology and room for don’t understand the ambition behind it. “I Drosophila genome future technologies were built into everything. wouldn’t call Janelia an experiment but a new kind of institution that has tremendous po- to genetically Live at the Lab tential. It’s a very powerful melding of big and engineer for the Stunning as the lab building appears to visitors, small science. The [lab] groups are limited in size to six, including the group leader who works first time the it represents only the tip of Gerry Rubin’s vision of what it takes to cultivate breakthrough at the bench, but this small science part is linked germ-line of a science. Janelia is interdisciplinary, collaborative, to big science with big leading-edge technologi- multicellular and residential; some scientific staff and a cal development and technical support. Already, number of scientific visitors, including lab good things are coming out of it.” animal. director Rubin, and their families live in The critics also underestimate Gerry Rubin, HHMI-provided housing on the grounds. says Ruderman. She joined the HHMI Medical The 24 group leaders are expected to be onsite Advisory Board just as Rubin and HHMI’s at least 75% of the working year. Instead new president Tom Cech were unveiling the of jetting around the world to conferences, first outlines of what would become Janelia. Janelia researchers will have the science world Ruderman remembers, “When this was call on them for leading-edge workshops and presented to the advisory board, there was conferences or for short-term, Janelia-supported a lot of very candid discussion. A lot of it (and housed) fellowships. was positive, but there were some very hard

16 ASCB NEWSLETTER JUNE 2007 questions asked. Besides being good at [creating] wizards of Kendall Square to start a Biology big visions, Gerry has excellent scientific taste, Department. The newly recruited faculty high energy, and a totally positive attitude included David Baltimore, Harvey Lodish, and that allows him to really listen to criticism David Botstein. and to take advice. The idea benefited from a continuing discussion of what Janelia should be, Hooked On the Lab as well as the practical side of it.” It was Botstein who sent Rubin off to the sum- mer undergraduate research program at CSHL From First Principles … and Boston and to Ray Gesteland’s lab, where Rubin worked Another key advisor during the planning pro- for two summers. “At that point I was hooked cess and a current member of Janelia’s Advisory on the lab,” says Rubin. He was also taken by Committee was Maxine Singer, now the Cold Spring Harbor’s isolated campus, where Emeritus President of the Carnegie Institution the director lived on the grounds to receive of Washington. “Fashioning a place from first questions and complaints at all hours. That principles has advantages and disadvantages would be a Janelia feature. compared to coming into a place that’s function- “When I went back to MIT for my senior ing. It’s an experiment, but like all good experi- year, I talked to Harvey Lodish about doing my ments, it’s based on previous work,” says Singer. doctorate at the MRC,” Rubin recalls. And he “Gerry gets total credit for the planning said, ‘Oh, just write a letter to Sydney Brenner,’ of Janelia,” Singer declares. which I did, and that was it. “The laboratory building is I was accepted. I think I had amazing and unlike anything “I talked to to show my transcript to the I’ve ever seen. It’s a tremendous Cambridge registrar once I got accomplishment, and we’re Harvey Lodish there.” At Janelia, group leaders all hoping that his vision about doing my would be seen in public and at really works out although it’s the bench. much too early to tell. But it’s doctorate at the finally there and it seems to MRC. And he A Record for Brevity be functioning very well. He’s said, ‘Oh, just Finishing his Ph.D. in 1974, got terrific people helping him Rubin was in search of a post- to run it. The whole design is write a letter to doc position in a lab with attentive to what people might Sydney Brenner,’ strong biochemistry. (He re- want and need.” mains intensely proud that If the roots of Janelia Farm which I did, and his thesis still holds the MRC are in Rubin’s imagination, his that was it. I Cambridge record for brevity— roots are in Boston, as his still- 42 pages including notes.) He’d strong native accent makes was accepted,” heard Stanford’s David Hogness immediately clear. His parents Rubin recalls. speak at the MRC and took weren’t intellectuals, Rubin Brenner’s advice that Stanford explains, but they strongly was the place for biochemis- supported his education and that of his older try. Thus Rubin arrived in the Hogness lab in brother, David (who is now a psychology September 1974, on the ground floor of the re- professor at Duke University). His mother was combinant DNA revolution. a teacher. His father was a nonprofessional “One thing I’ve realized as I’ve gone along traffic engineer for the Massachusetts Highway is how lucky I was early on,” Rubin declares. Department who worked his way up from fixing Stanford had pioneered recombinant DNA traffic lights to designing intersections. technology and, at the time, it was one of the Rubin says that he must have tried his few places where it could be carried out. It parents’ educational ambitions sorely in was also Rubin’s introduction to Drosophila, a elementary school, where he says he was a classic once-popular model organism that had been dreamy underachiever. Somehow, he awoke out of favor while phages and simple animal intellectually in time to ace the admissions test viruses took center stage. Recombinant DNA for Boston Latin High School. At the time he would move Drosophila back into the spotlight. entered Boston Latin, Rubin recalls that biology Hogness quickly set his newest postdoc to was not taught because it wasn’t considered a building Drosophila clone libraries. rigorous science. By the time Rubin entered “Again this was part of that string of good MIT as an undergraduate in 1967, biology fortune. My whole career would have been had become a rigorous enough science for the different without cloning. It’s a scientist’s dream

JUNE 2007 ASCB NEWSLETTER 17 to have a new set of tools that allows you to Allan Spradling. What they discovered together approach a problem in a way that makes you the in 1982 was a major breakthrough, according to first one there. It’s like being the first one to land Spyros Artavanis-Tsakonas of HMS. Rubin and on an unexplored continent.” Having the latest Spradling used “P elements” in the Drosophila and the next technology would also become part genome to genetically engineer for the first time of Janelia. the germ-line of a multicellular animal. “It was His experience with recombinant technology major,” says Artavanis-Tsakonas. “At the time, also made Rubin a hot item on the junior we had all kinds of genetic techniques and all faculty market in the mid-1970s. “People were kinds of cytological advantages but we could not calling up David Hogness and really transform flies. This im- asking if he had any postdocs mediately opened up struc- looking for jobs,” Rubin “When I arrived ture–function relationships in remembers. One of the places a way that revolutionized the calling was HMS. He accepted in his lab, Gerry field. It was nothing short of a junior faculty position with a was focused that, frankly.” lab in the Dana-Farber Cancer Artavanis-Tsakonas, who on sequencing Institute. Soon after came the has known Rubin since their approval of his first NIH grant. the [Drosophila] MRC grad school days, also In those days it wasn’t until genome,” knew firsthand the difficulty the first renewal that anyone of Rubin’s breakthrough. “He expected real results or asked remembers Andrea beat me to it,” Artavanis- hard questions, Rubin recalls. Page-McCaw. “But Tsakonas says with a laugh. “I Scientifically and personally, wasn’t angry at all. Gerry did Rubin struck gold at HMS. he would swoop it the right way. I was doing The new DNA tools allowed in from time to it the wrong way. That’s the him to explore Drosophila way it goes. Once he and time and offer the genetics in unprecedented Allan had characterized the P detail and precision. He also best advice—the element, it was an obvious link found the love of his life, advice that allowed to try. With his characteristic managing a lab down the hall intellectual courage and his at Dana-Farber. His wife-to- my project to lethal efficiency, he solved the be Lynn Mastalir told him move forward problem with Allan, who is no later that falling in love with slouch either.” someone at work was his only so that I can be The P element transfer hope because he worked all the an independent technique raised new research time. At Janelia, Rubin would possibilities and then there scientist today.” insist on a family-friendly was the prospect of someday environment. sequencing the entire genome Lynn and Gerry’s son, Alan, of a multicellular animal. To was born in 1980, just before they left Boston scale up for projects of such size, Rubin felt he for Baltimore and the Embryology Department would need a bigger lab and greater resources. of the Carnegie Institution of Washington. In 1983, he stepped out of small science at the When Rubin went to his Dana-Farber chairman Carnegie and into big science at the University of to announce that he was leaving, his chairman California, Berkeley, as the John D. MacArthur asked if there was anything Harvard could do Professor of Genetics. In 1987, he was made an to change his mind. Rubin remembers the HHMI Investigator at Berkeley and elected to the interview with a grin. “I told him that I was National Academy of Science. He was 37. Correction: The Profile going to a place that didn’t give tenure. I would of Dyche Mullins in the be getting only two-thirds of the lab space I now No Way to Run May 2007 issue of the had and that I was taking a 15% cut in salary. I From his time at the Carnegie, Rubin took for ASCB Newsletter misspelled said, ‘I know you could match all these terms, Janelia a passion for collaboration and from the name of Roger D. but it wouldn’t change my mind.’” Don Brown, his Carnegie chair, his central ad- Sloboda, who was one of ministrative philosophy: “Democracy is no way the legendary instructors at P Elements Advance to run a research institution.” Declares Rubin, the 1973 MBL Physiology The lure of the Carnegie for Rubin was its “I’ve told everyone who comes to Janelia, that Course in Woods Hole. small-scale, low-key collegiality, and its empha- as long as I’m director, they’ll never be asked to sis on collaboration. At the Carnegie, Rubin vote on anything, but their opinions will always found his best all-time scientific collaborator, be asked and considered.”

18 ASCB NEWSLETTER JUNE 2007 At Berkeley, Rubin became known as a investigators who relied on him chiefly for master of mass organization. He headed up space, funds, and timely scientific advice. the Berkeley Drosophila Genome Project, but, “That’s what I was looking for and that’s in 1998, he stunned the academic sequencing what I got,” says Page-McCaw. But he would community. He accepted Craig Venter’s offer swoop in from time to time and offer the best to use the controversial shotgun sequencing advice—the advice that allowed my project to technique on Drosophila that had been move forward so that I can be an independent “The biggest developed at Venter’s commercial biotech firm, scientist today.” measure of Celera Genomics. Venter hoped to demonstrate Rubin’s old friend from grad school days, Gerry’s success that the Celera approach could sequence the Artavanis-Tsakonas, agrees that much of Rubin’s human genome faster and just as accurately as success has come from his ability to size up has been his the academic consortium that opposed him. talent and put it to good use. As a mentor, scientific progeny, Rubin just wanted a faster and cheaper way Rubin has few peers, says Artavanis-Tsakonas. to fully sequence Drosophila. In 2000, Rubin “The biggest measure of Gerry’s success has his postdocs, and gathered together a consortium of 60 Drosophila been his scientific progeny, his postdocs, and grad students …” geneticists, computational biologists, and grad students. A stellar group of people has number crunchers for a marathon “annotation come out of his lab,” according to Artavanis- jamboree” that sorted out Celera’s “release 1 Tsakonas. ■ version” of the genome into 13,600 genes. —John Fleischman From managing the genomic alliance, Rubin brought to Janelia Farm the confidence to handle complex projects, multidisciplinary skill sets, and potentially difficult personalities. “Ambitious people are motivated by what we think will have the biggest impact,” Rubin explains. “I decided many years ago that, for the The ASCB 2007 Call for remainder of my career, I could have a much bigger impact on science facilitating the work of Award Nominations others by managing big projects.” Norton B. Gilula Memorial Award Who is Eligible: An outstanding graduate or undergraduate student who has ex- What Can’t Be Fixed celled in research Janelia is the biggest thing Rubin could imag- How to Apply: The student or advisor should submit a one-page research state- ine. “Young people today don’t have the op- ment, a list of publications, if any, the abstract submitted to the current year’s portunities that I had. I can’t fix that, but I can Annual Meeting, and the advisor’s letter of recommendation. Duplicate appli- cations from graduate students may be submitted for the Gilula and Bernfield help build an environment here for some num- Memorial Awards. ber of scientists who are motivated by the love Awards: The winner is presented a plaque. Expenses to attend the Annual Meeting of discovery and can work in collaboration.” It’s are paid. his way of giving back some of his good luck. Deadline: August 1 “It’s like I told all my postdocs: My job is to make sure that you have the freedom to choose Merton Bernfield Memorial Award a problem that interests you and the resources Who is Eligible: An outstanding graduate student or postdoctoral fellow who has to do the experiments. If you aren’t successful, it excelled in research will be because you are not smart enough or you How to Apply: The student or postdoc or his or her advisor should submit a one- didn’t work hard enough.” page research statement, a list of publications, a copy of the abstract submitted to Last August, Rubin shut down his lab in the current year’s Annual Meeting, and the advisor’s letter of recommendation. Postdocs may also submit the recommendation of their graduate student advisor. Berkeley and opened his new one at Janelia. Duplicate applications from graduate students may be submitted for the Gilula and He also moved with Lynn into the only Bernfield Memorial Awards. single-family home on the Janelia campus, Awards: The winner is presented a plaque and will speak in a Minisymposium at the Director’s House. Their son, Alan, now the Annual Meeting and receives financial support to attend the Annual Meeting. lives in Seattle, where he is a grad student in Deadline: August 1 computational biology at the University of Washington. Leaving Berkeley finally forced All applications and nominations should be submitted to: Rubin to drop his 23-year season tickets to The American Society for Cell Biology Golden Bear football and basketball games. 8120 Woodmont Avenue, Suite 750 Andrea Page-McCaw, who is now at Bethesda, MD 20814-2762 Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, was one [email protected] of Rubin’s last postdocs in Berkeley. Rubin For names of prior awardees or more information, visit www.ascb.org, expected his postdocs to be nearly independent or contact the ASCB at (301) 347-9300, or [email protected].

JUNE 2007 ASCB NEWSLETTER 19 WOMEN in Cell Biology Female Behavior Is Often Unrecognized as Leader Behavior Ask 10 people to describe an effective leader and Processes (2006), my co-author Doug Brown and you will likely get similar responses. Decades of I set out to determine the extent to which gender research demonstrate that we have a shared con- information might interfere with the way leader cept of leadership commonly referred to as a behavior is processed. Using a psychological task leader prototype. Such shared expectations are that indicates the ease with which people can common—we have prototypes for many differ- match the behavior of others with their own ent categories—and they are usually very adap- leader prototype, we found that people had no tive. Our prototypes allow us to process infor- difficulty matching communal behaviors— mation with ease and without much conscious regardless of whether the leader was male or thought. However, our leader prototype can female. However, participants took significantly sometimes lead us astray. longer to recognize the task-oriented behaviors Categorizing human behavior is much more of female leaders, even though the behaviors of complicated than many of the males and females were the other categories for which identical. In other words, we have prototypes (e.g., A few exemplars are people found it more difficult objects, animals). In general, not likely to change to recognize the task-oriented categorizing the behavior of behavior of a female—such others requires the processing stereotypes, but as working late, or fighting of many different pieces of growing numbers of for resources—as indicative information, some of which of leadership. We also found may be conflicting. This very females in positions that exposure to a male task- process may be at least partially of leadership oriented leader led participants responsible for the gender make change to describe themselves using bias that currently exists in similar leadership traits, but this leadership. This is because increasingly likely. was not the case for participants the content of our leader exposed to a female leader. prototype is largely “agentic,” Interestingly, there were or task-oriented, and consists of such traits as no differences between our male and female [P]eople found it dedicated, determined, and competitive. Only a participants in this study: Males and females small portion of the prototype is communal or responded exactly the same way. Although more difficult to people-oriented; honesty and sensitivity would this may seem surprising, one important point recognize the task- fit in this second category. to note is that all of this research focused So, where’s the problem? Well, in addition to on automatic (unconscious) processing— oriented behavior having pre-existing beliefs about leader behavior, participants did not have the opportunity of a female—such we also have pre-existing beliefs about males and to think about their responses. Additionally, females. In general, we believe that males are everyone, males and females alike, knows the as working late, dedicated, determined, and competitive, while content of stereotypes, and when people are not or fighting for females are caring, considerate, and sensitive. given an opportunity to correct for their explicit resources—as Our beliefs about females are largely incongruent beliefs, stereotyped responses are most likely. with the leader prototype. Therefore, perceivers Thus, our studies indicate just how early in our indicative of receive two different pieces of information when information processing gender bias in leadership leadership. they encounter a female leader—this person is emerges, and how this bias might occur without a female and leader. Because these two pieces of conscious realization. information are incongruent, this means that Leadership is truly in the eye of the beholder. people may not recognize task-oriented leadership Thus, the challenge for female leaders is really to behaviors when they encounter a female leader. be seen as leaders. Because these studies focus on Our gender stereotypes are very strong. perception, the results speak to the responsibility In a series of studies recently published in of the perceiver. That is, because this research is Organizational Behavior and Human Decision centered on the perceptions of others, the onus

20 ASCB NEWSLETTER JUNE 2007 to change how we see female leaders is really A few exemplars are not likely to change on the perceiver. Perhaps this is easier said than stereotypes, but growing numbers of females in done. Our beliefs about gender role behavior positions of leadership make change increasingly and our beliefs about leaders have formed over likely. ■ many, many years and are not likely to change —Kristyn A. Scott overnight. That said, positive signs of change University of Toronto Scarborough are out there. There exist prominent examples of female leaders in business, politics, and, most Reference recently, academia, where a number of prominent Scott KA, Brown DJ. (2006). Female first, leader sec- universities currently have women presidents. ond? Gender bias in the encoding of leadership behavior. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 101(2) What does this mean for perceptions of 230–242. female leaders? There truly is power in numbers:

LETTERS to the Editor To The Editor: I wanted to take the opportunity to thank Bruce Alberts for the President’s Column in the April 2007 ASCB Newsletter. In general, I have been very pleased to see such an emphasis on science education in the Newsletter, but several things about the column struck me as particularly significant. As someone who considers herself a scientist first and an educator second, I was so grateful to see that a pre-eminent scientist of our day thinks that “… seeding large numbers of highly skilled scientists throughout society…” is a good idea. As a graduate student at a large research institution, not only was there little access to information about “alternative” careers in science, we were actively discouraged from pursuing career avenues other than traditional postdoctoral opportunities. While my husband and I managed to successfully leave the Ivory Tower without assistance from our mentor(s), how many other skilled scientists are being pushed away from careers that are not only personally rewarding but immeasurably valuable to our society as a whole? The stigma often attached by researchers to careers in teaching has baffled me for years. Researchers often complain about the quality of their graduate students, and yet don’t acknowledge that the quality of their graduate students is a direct reflection of the quality of undergraduate science education. As a professor at a two-year community college, I can say that our Biology Department is actively pursuing ways to make our freshman and sophomore biology classes more inquiry based in an effort to provide the “…sound basis for understanding and respecting the nature of science” described by Dr. Alberts. It is refreshing to know that researchers and educators may have some common ground after all. Thank you again for your column. —Amy Rice Doetsch, College of Southern Idaho

To The Editor: ASCB has perhaps done more to get the funding crisis message out than any other society. Bravo. I would like to suggest another tactic. Use the ASCB Annual Meeting as a major weapon to get the message to reporters. Reporters attend these meetings, especially if advance news releases suggest that some important new discovery in the health area will be discussed. I suggest that, as long as the funding crisis exists, major public forums/symposia on the damage done to health research and to the biomedical research workforce in the U.S. should be held each year at the Annual Meeting. The symposia should be given fanfare in advance publicity. Symposia titles might be: “The Beginning of the End of U.S. Prominence in Biomedial Research” or “Disease Research: A Major National Crisis.” —Steve Oppenheimer, California State University, Northridge

Email testimonials of how the funding crisis has impacted you or your work to kwilson@ascb. org. Such testimonials are very persuasive on the Hill. ASCB will see to it that your message gets to the right place.

JUNE 2007 ASCB NEWSLETTER 21 MEMBERS in the News

Mary Beckerle of the Huntsman Cancer Institute at Mina Bissell of the Lawrence Berkeley National the University of Utah, an ASCB member since 1980 Laboratory, an ASCB member since 1973 and President and 2006 Society President, was honored with the from 1996–1997, was elected to the American Rosenblatt Prize for Excellence by the University of Philosophical Society. Utah.

Elizabeth Blackburn of the University of California, San Joseph Ecker of the Salk Institute for Biological Francisco, an ASCB member since 1978 and President Studies, an ASCB member since 2002, received the from 1997–1998, has been named by Time Magazine John J. Carty Award for the Advancement of Science as one of the 100 Most Influential People in the World. from the National Academy of Science.

Michael Ehlers of Duke University/HHMI, an ASCB Elizabeth Jones of Carnegie Mellon University/HHMI, member since 2000, received the 2007 John J. Abel an ASCB member since 1983, received the 2007 Award from the American Society for Pharmacology and Excellence in Education Award from the Genetics Experimental Therapeutics. Society of America.

Robert Lue of Harvard University, an ASCB member Baldomero M. Olivera of the University of Utah, an since 1991, won the 2006 Telly Award for his 3-D ASCB member from 1995–2004 and 2007, was science animation film, “The Inner Life of a Cell.” The elected to the American Philosophical Society. film can be viewed at www.xvivo.net. Jeffry Pike © The President and of Harvard University Fellows

Maxine Singer, President Emeritus of the Carnegie Felicia Walton of Duke University and a HHMI– Institution of Washington, an ASCB member since supported undergraduate, an ASCB member since 1992, received the 2007 Public Welfare Medal from 2006, was awarded a 2007 Marshall Scholarship from the National Academy of Sciences. The NAS’s most the British government to study and conduct research prestigious award recognizes Singer for her dedication in the UK. to, and accomplishments in, public service.

ASCB Members Elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences Eleven ASCB members were among the 203 new Fellows elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in April.

Bonnie L. Bassler Douglas Hanahan Lily Y. Jan Yuh Nung Jan Robert A. Lamb Princeton University/HHMI University of California, University of California, San University of California, Northwestern University/HHMI Member since 2003 San Francisco Francisco San Francisco Member since 1990 Member since 1996 Member since 1999 Member since 1991

Baldomero M. Olivera Helen M. Piwnica-Worms Joshua R. Sanes Jeremy W. Thorner Junying Yuan University of Utah Washington University in St. Harvard University University of California, Harvard Medical School Member from 1994–2004; Louis/HHMI Member since 1996 Berkeley Member since 1998 2007 Member since 1991 Member since 1990

22 ASCB NEWSLETTER JUNE 2007 ASCB Members Elected to the MEMBER National Academy of Sciences Gifts Six ASCB members were among the 72 new Fellows and Foreign The ASCB is grateful to the follow- Associates elected to the National Academy of Sciences in 2007. ing members who have recently Each regular, postdoc, given a gift to support Society and emeritus member activities: will be sent a link to the Graciela C. Candelas ASCB election site. Since Bikul Das spam fi lters may prevent some messages from be- Joseph C. Hall Mohandas Narla Steven M. Block Michael B. Brenner ing received, members David A. Agard Colette M. Witkowski University of California, Stanford University Brigham & Women’s are encouraged to go to San Francisco/HHMI Member since 1991 Hospital/Harvard www.ascb.org to vote. Member since 1990 Medical School The deadline is June 29. Member since 1992 Your member number (the same number used to ac- cess MBC) will enable you to vote, and ensure that each member votes just once. If you did not re- Brian J. Druker Scott D. Emr Masatoshi Takeichi ceive the link and/or do Oregon Health & Cornell University/HHMI Center for not know your member Science University/ Member since 2002 Developmental Biology, number, contact the ASCB HHMI RIKEN Member since 2003 Member since 1991 at (301) 347-9300 or [email protected]. ■

ASCB Members Elected Fellows to the American Academy of Microbiology Seven ASCB members were among the 54 Fellows elected to the American Academy of Microbiology in 2007.

Judith Berman Michael B. Brenner Kasturi Haldar University of Minnesota Brigham & Women’s Northwestern University Member since 1996 Hospital/Harvard Medical Member since 1996 School Member since 1992

Laura L. Kiessling Rozanne M. Sandri-Goldin L. David Sibley John L. Woolford University of Wisconsin– University of California, Irvine Washington University Carnegie Mellon Madison School of Medicine in St. Louis University Member from Member since 2003 School of Medicine Member since 1990 2001–2004; Member since 1995 2006–present

JUNE 2007 ASCB NEWSLETTER 23 New Members

The ASCB Council admitted 268 new members and granted Emeritus status to 11 members of the Society last month:

Delbert Sami Abi-Abdallah Yasuyuki Fujita Seung-Joo Lee David J. Simon Benjamin Staats Abrams Yasuhisa Fukui Young-Sook Lee Jeffrey Dean Singer Hiroyuki Achiwa Lisa Leon Gallegos Jiangning Li John R. Sinnamon Sohail Ahmed Carmen Garnacho Ming Li Eve Gabrielle Stringham Eun-Young Ahn Jennifer Ann Geiger Xiaogang Li Jennifer Stubbs Jennifer Nicole Albano Arne Gennerich Yan Li Peter Edwin Sudbery Raghed Alrabadi Joy G. Ghosh Zhuo Li Wei Sun Alphan Altinok Steven Ward Gorsich Stefan F. Lichtenthaler Bong Hwan Sung Abigail Frigillana Alviar Boris E. Grin Jae Hyang Lim Teresa Tai Jin-Yi An Gay Guillaume Jong-Seok Lim Danielle Thompson Godwin Ajuzie Ananaba Zhenhua Guo Weichun Lin Lisa Timmons James Benson Anderson Kamlesh Kumar Gupta Gang-Yu Liu Tuan Tran Andrea Bacconi Lara Elie Haddad Suxia Liu Takafumi Uchida Rick D. Bagshaw Hiroyuki Hakozaki Bryan Lo Tristan Ursell Norman M. Baker Bong-Kwan Han William Ludington Eric Peter Van Der Veer Constantina Bakolitsa Andrea Elise Hartsock Min Luo Vincent Vanoosthuyse Laurie Anne Bankston Ibrahim Hawash Deependra Mahato Elaine Silvana Vejar Silvia ML Barabino Takeharu Hayashi Devi Majumdar Bolivar A. Villacis Salomon Bartnicki-Garcia Ying He Judy L. Martin John Walsh Petros Batsios J. Bernd Helms Anna Marti-Subirana Da-Zhi Wang Marvin Bentley Jinseok Heo Abdallah Mohammad Matari Pi-Chao Wang Sophie Beraud-Dufour Rafael Herrera-Esparza Kimberly M. McDermott Zhengbei Wang Alicia Bicknell Johannes Martin Herrmann John Alan McLachlan Tarsha L. Ward Nicolas Raphael Borghi Josephine Hill Farid Menaa Taizo Watanabe Ellen C. Breen Jacob H. Hines Marcel Bernard Mettlen Yuko Williams Van-Nicoleta Bulgarea Anna M. Hitz Roozbeh Mohajer Melissa Marie Witzberger Joseph Camire Shiuh-Rong Ho Hyang Mi Moon Jason Y. Wong Daniel Guillermo Capelluto Sally Hoskins Aruna Mor Richard W. Wong Richard Anthony Cardullo Loren Hough Thomas Moss Hannah Euphrates Woriax Lindsay B. Case Amy Hsieh Rajini R. Mudhasani George Wu Doris Atenea Cerecedo Junjie Hu Karl Munger Xunwei Wu Sean G. Chadwick Yue Hu Nagalakshmi Nadiminty Dongping Xie Serena Chai Carlos P. Huang Jaclyn Nascimento Jiansong Xie Charlie Chandsawangbhuwana Haomin Huang James D. Neece Jian Xu Vishnu Chaturvedi Christian Ulrich Huebbers Ryo Oda Jing Xu Jia Ming Chen Jaeho Hwang Michael Raymond Olin Orisha K. Yacyshyn Chih-Mei Cheng Mamoru Ikemoto Elizabeth Oswald Junko Yamashiro Stephane Chiron Brian Vincent Jenkins Joe Ouyang Keisuke Yamashiro Beomkyu Choi Dachuan Jin Prithwish Pal Li Yan Hyung Im Choi Jacque-Lynne F. Johnson Deo Prakash Pandey Liuqing Yang Papiya Choudhury Stuart C. Johnson Prasad Narayan Paradkar Shengyu Yang Bonggeun Chung Nam Eok Joo Sang-Min Park Wei Yuan Yang Patricia Collins Jerome Jourquin Natasha Pashkova Bei Yi Shahnjayla K. Connors Joma Joy Genaro Patino-Lopez Je-Hyun Yoon Paul W. Cook Pakorn Kanchanawong Karineh Petrossian Kenichi Yoshida Aaron Cooper Vanessa D. Kane Katrin Susanne Pfleghaar Eric Chi-Wang Yu Math P. Cuajungco Kyeongah Kang Benjamin Podbilewicz Kayoko Takada Zahn Luis Cubano Kyung-Hwa Kang Joe Pogliano Ronen Zaidel-Bar Tapen Dam Arvinder Kaur Kapur Bhawna Poonia Jon Stanley Zawistowski Jeff Damiano James H. Kelly Andrew Fredrick Powers Chengcheng Zhang Luis L. P. DaSilva Shaukat Ali Khan Franz Pruefer Jingping Zhang Isabel De La Fuente Ayuso Manirath Khounlotham Sergey Pryshchep Chenyang Zhao Sara Dean Esther Kieserman Arivudainambi Ramalingam Alex Zhavoronkov Catherine Denicourt Chang Han Kim Stefanie Redemann Gene Zhu Thomas M. Denkenberger Chungho Kim William Rengifo Cam Jinqiu Zhu Jared Steven Dennis Moon Gyo Kim Céline Revenu Zhiqing Zhu Andrew James DeTienne Melisa Kortan Christopher Richard Rivera Lei Zhuang Sara C. Dick Joseph Krebs Hyo-Sung Ro Chad Anthony Dickey Gregory Scott Kronmal Kathrin Rode Emeritus Status Granted Lynn E. Dobrunz Jain Krotz Matthew Rand Ronshaugen Ralph A. Bradshaw Masahiro Doi Arnd Klaus Krueger Hamid M. Said Gerald M. Fuller Brian Robert Dorn Laura Elaine Lamb Adrian Thomas Saurin William E. Howe Daniel Doucet Stéphane A. Laporte Ernest Lee Schiller Shinya Inoué Julia Dyachok Nicole LeBrasseur Thorsten Michael Schlaeger Skai Krisans Etetor Roland Eshiet Ethan Lee Wilhelm Schneiderhan Phoebe S. Leboy Eyitayo Sherifat Fakunle Heeyong Lee Jacqueline M. Schriewer Shyamal K. Majumdar Cynzia Fan Hyuna Lee Holger Schwarz John E. Morris Maria Jesus Fernandez-Cabezudo I-Ching Lee Luca Scorrano Camillo Peracchia Laura A. Feucht Ji Eun Lee Bing Shao Malcolm S. Steinberg Andrew Delaine Franck Pei Jen Angel Lee Soo Kyung Shon Delano V. Young ■ Matthew Joseph Frontini

24 ASCB NEWSLETTER JUNE 2007 DEAR Labby

Dear Labby, I need your advice about proper citation of authors’ institutional affiliations in publications. Just at the time I was defending my Ph.D. thesis my adviser suddenly decided to move to another institution. I went on to my postdoctoral position and promptly wrote up the last paper from my thesis research. After my former adviser and I had exchanged drafts, he submitted it as the corresponding author. He also did the page proofs. The paper has just been published, and I was surprised to see that our former affiliation, where my thesis research was done, is not indicated. Instead, only his current institution is listed. The paper contains no work done at his new lab. Although my current address is given as a footnote, no one reading this paper would know where the work was done. My former adviser says he deleted our former affiliation because “it is no longer relevant.” I feel he should not have done this without my permission (which I would not have given). I should mention that he left the previous institution very bitterly. In any case, I would like him to ask the journal to publish a clarification, conveying where the work was done. I was proud to be at that institution (which is distinguished, with many leading scientists in my immediate field). Plus it seems an issue of accuracy. But he has refused to send a correction to the journal. What should I do? —Institutionless Dear Institutionless, However your former adviser may feel about the circumstances of his departure, the key point is accuracy. It is generally accepted that the site at which a body of research is done should be disclosed. In your case, the preferred format would have been to list the former institution and then give both of your current affiliations as footnotes. Alternatively, the former institutional setting might have been conveyed in a footnote (“This work was performed at….”). In any case, your adviser’s refusal to ask the journal to publish a Correction/ Note is telling. As a co-author, you are well within your rights to contact the journal yourself. However, you should communicate your intent to your former adviser so as not to “go behind his back.” He may agree if he knows your plan. If not, leave it to the journal’s editor to pursue the matter with him. Labby is confident that the journal will want to publish this clarification every bit as much as you do. ■ —Labby

Direct your questions to [email protected]. Authors of questions chosen for publication may indicate whether or not they wish to be identified. Submissions may be edited for space and style.

JUNE 2007 ASCB NEWSLETTER 25 Teaching Assistant Professor Positions in Genetics, Cell Biology, and Development The Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Development at the College of Biological Sciences (CBS) at the University of Minnesota–Twin Cities Head, Department of Genetics, Cell Biology invites applications for two new Teaching Assistant Professor positions. and Development (GCD) CBS is committed to excellence in undergraduate education and the successful applicants will join a dynamic team whose primary focus is University of Minnesota quality instruction and the scholarship of teaching and learning in the biological sciences. These are regular positions that emphasize teaching, The University of Minnesota Medical School and the College of course development, and scholarship associated with college teaching. The Biological Sciences are pleased to announce a national search for a successful applicants will teach genetics and other courses, work with a team Head of the Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Development of colleagues to develop innovative methods for undergraduate instruction, (GCD). The schools seek applications from and encourage nomina- and engage in research and publication related to teaching and curriculum tions of outstanding individuals with the scholarly and administrative development. Opportunities also exist for conducting bench research in skills to lead the educational and research mission of a large and diverse collaboration with existing laboratories in the department. Both positions multidisciplinary department with a long and rich tradition of aca- involve teaching a genetics laboratory course, as well as upper division demic excellence, and to build on that tradition in advancing the na- genetics lecture-based courses. One position also emphasizes cell biology and the other emphasizes developmental biology. This latter position involves the tional stature of the department. design and implementation of a developmental biology laboratory. Essential All candidates must have a Ph.D., M.D., or M.D./Ph.D. degree, qualifi cations for both positions include a Ph.D. in the biological sciences, and qualify for appointment as a tenured full professor of the or a related discipline, and at least two years of post-doctoral experience. University. The candidate must have an outstanding record of scholarly A signifi cant background in undergraduate teaching is required, accomplishment, educational experience and executive leadership as with strong oral and written communication skills, a clear interest in well as excellent interpersonal, team building and communications teaching and the scientifi c study of teaching, and the ability to work skills. as part of a team to develop course content. For more information For details about the department please consult: about the department and the College of Biological Sciences, go to www.gcd.med.umn.edu/. http://www.gcd.med.umn.edu/ and http://www.cbs.umn.edu. Applications are made online at: http://employment.umn.edu. Please apply on-line at: https://employment.umn.edu and search for Search for requisition number 147205. To ensure consideration, a Job Requisition # 148390. Attach a cover letter, curriculum vitae, three cover letter and curriculum vitae should be directed to Ashley Haase, letters of recommendation, and a statement of your teaching philosophy. M.D., Chair of the GCD Head Search Committee, c/o Mary Winger, Review of completed applications will begin on October 15, 2007 and via the online process. will continue until the positions are fi lled. We welcome applications from women and under-represented groups in the biological sciences. Preferred The University is an Equal Opportunity Employer and Educator. starting date: June 1, 2008 (beginning of 2008 Summer Semester). Open Until Filled The University of Minnesota is an equal opportunity educator and employer.

Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health E.V. McCollum Professor and Chair Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health invites applications for the endowed E.V. McCollum Professor and Chair of the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. The successful applicant will have an independently funded research program, leadership skills, and a vision for the integration of basic and public health-based sciences. This position offers a unique and exciting opportunity to recruit new faculty into excellent facilities and to build new programs at the intersection of basic science, medicine and population health.

The department is located within a collaborative and highly interactive environment with superb core facilities of the Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions. Within the department there is a well-established training program for Ph.D. and masters students.

Johns Hopkins University is an equal opportunity/affi rmative action employer committed to recruiting, supporting, and fostering a diverse community of outstanding faculty, staff and students. All applicants who share this goal are encouraged to apply.

Applications should include a CV, statement of research interest and vision of leadership for an outstanding basic science department in the setting of a school of public health. Applications should be submitted by August 1, to:

Chairman, Search Committee for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology c/o Ms. Susan Waldman, Special Assistant Offi ce of the Dean Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health 615 N. Wolfe Street, Room W1041 Baltimore, MD 21205 [email protected]

26 ASCB NEWSLETTER JUNE 2007 GRANTS & OPPORTUNITIES

NIAID Biodefense Fellowships. Applications being solicited from biodefense training and development researchers of prevention, detection, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases caused by potential bioterrorism agents. Grants, fellowships, and career development awards. Multiple deadlines. www.niaid.nih.gov/bio- defense/research/funding.htm. NIGMS Grants. The NIH National Institute of General Medical Sciences is accepting applications for funding research in which several interdependent projects offers significant advantages over support of these same projects as individual research. Standard NIH application dates apply. See http://grants.nih.gov/grants/ guide/pa-files/PA-07-030.html.

NIH Director’s Bridge Awards. NIH has announced a new program to provide certain investigators with continued, but limited, funding to allow them addition- al time to strengthen their revised R01 competing renewal applications. NIH components will nominate investigators to receive this support. More information is available at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-07-056.html.

NIH Grants ● Large-Scale Collaborative Project Awards. Deadline: June 21, 2007. http://grants2.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-04-128.html. ● Predoctoral Research Training in Biostatistics. Deadline: October 12, 2007. http://grants2.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-04-132.html.

NIH Re-entry Program. The NIH and Office of Research on Women’s Health announce a continuing program for faculty who have taken time out for family re- sponsibilities. Deadline: July 9, 2007. http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-04-126.html.

NIH Study Sections. Center for Scientific Review has cell biology study sections available for grant applicants. The two study sections will hold their first meetings in June 2007 for applications received in February and March. http://cms.csr.nih.gov/PeerReviewMeetings/CSRIRGDescription/CBIRG/.

NRSA Awards. The NIH Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality is accepting applications for the Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Awards. The predoctoral fellowships promote diversity in health-related research. Application deadlines are May 1 and November 15 through 2009. http://grants1.nih.gov/ grants/guide/pa-files/PA-06-481.html#SectionI.

SCORE Awards. The NIH NIGMS is accepting applications for its Support of Competitive Research (SCORE) developmental awards designed to increase faculty research competitiveness at minority-serving institutions. The program announcement, as well as three other program announcements (PAR-06-491, PAR-06- 492, PAR-06-493), can be found at http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-06-490.html#PartI.

NRSA Research Training Grant. NIGMS will award MARC U-STAR National Research Service Act grants to minority-serving institutions that support undergrad- uate biomedical and behavioral research. Application deadlines: May 25, 2008, 2009. http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-07-337.html. ■

JUNE 2007 ASCB NEWSLETTER 27 MEETINGS Calendar

July 1–6. New London, NH September 20. Paris, France Gordon Research Conference, “Cell-Cell Fusion.” LVMH Recherche Symposium, “Stems Cells and Skin: www.grc.uri.edu/programs/2007/cellcell.htm. Present and Future.” Contact: [email protected].

July 8–12. Glasgow, UK October 8–9, 2007. Irvine, CA Life Sciences 2007, incorporating BioScience2007, National Academy of Sciences Sackler Colloquium, ASCB the British Pharmacological Society, the Physiological “Therapeutic Cloning: Where Do We Go From Here?” Annual Meetings Society at the SECC, Glasgow. www.lifesciences2007.org. www.nasonline.org/Sackler_therapeutic_cloning.

July 15–20. Cairns, Queensland, Australia January 5–9, 2008. San Diego, CA GLYCO-19—XIX International Symposium on Genetics Society of America meeting, “Analysis: Model 2007 Glycoconjugates. www.glyco19.org. Organisms to Human Biology.” Abstract deadline: Washington, DC November 14, 2007. www.gsa-modelorganisms.org/. August 5–8. Boston, MA December 1–5 Engineering Cell Biology II. www.engconfintl.org/7ak.html. February 2–6, 2008. Miami, FL The Miami Winter Symposium, “Regulatory RNA in Biology 2008 August 23–26. Vienna, Austria and Human Health.” www.miami.edu/mws. San Francisco EMBO Workshop, “Molecular Medicine, Drug Action and Chemical Biology in the Post-genomic Era.” June 28–July 3, 2008. Athens, Greece December 13–17 http://cwp.embo.org/w07-27/. 33rd Congress of the Federation of European Biochemical Societies and 11th Conference of the International Union 2009 September 1–4. Dresden, Germany of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, “Biochemistry of European Life Scientist Organization Annual Meeting. Cell Regulation.” San Diego www.elso.org. www.febs-iubmb-2008.org. December 5–9 September 17–20. Chicago, IL June 7–11, 2009. Zürich, Switzerland 47th Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents VIII European Symposium of The Protein Society and Chemotherapy. (202) 942-9348, www.icaac.org. www.proteinsociety.org. ■

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