The Member Magazine of the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology CONTENTS
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Vol. 14 / No. 3 / March 2015 THE MEMBER MAGAZINE OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY CONTENTS NEWS FEATURES 2 14 42 PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE MEETING THE SCOOP ON JERRY GREENFIELD Funding decisions: the HHMI method 14 Meeting prep 15 Plenary lecturer: Bonnie L. Bassler 4 18 Plenary lecturer: Ian A. Wilson NEWS FROM THE HILL 20 Plenary lecturer: C. David Allis 22 Poster tips Who should be funding biomedical research? 23 Outreach and policy special events PERSPECTIVES 24 Tabor Research Award winner: 5 Joan Steitz MEMBER UPDATE 25 Stadtman award winner: Jack E. Dixon 46 27 Plenary/Lipmann lecturer: Rachel E. Klevit EDUCATION 6 28 Education award winner: J. Ellis Bell Teaching old (and new) dogs new tricks JOURNAL NEWS 29 Young investigator award winner: 6 JBC: Breaking up the bone breakdown Erica Ollmann Saphire 48 7 JBC: Thematic minireview series 30 Schachman award winners: MINORITY AFFAIRS Rosa DeLauro and Jerry Moran Binding together on radical SAM enzymes 48 Inspiring students with disabilities to earn 8 MCP: See algae run 31 Avanti award winner: Karen Reue STEM doctoral degrees 9 ASBMB journals to request 32 Plenary lecturer/ASBMB–Merck award 52 Advocating for equity in STEM the world of biology researcher ID numbers winner: Zhijian “James” Chen 10 JLR: Two drugs are better than one 33 Vallee award winner: David Eisenberg 34 Rose award winner: 53 Kathleen S. Matthews GENERATIONS • More than 700 experts conduct 11 35 Wang parasitology award winner: 53 From diapers to dissertation LIPID NEWS Alan F. Cowman 54 Taking stock thorough and fair peer review. Mitochondrial phospholipases integrate 36 Cohn award winner: Judith Klinman cellular bioenergetics, signaling and cell fate 37 Shaw young investigator award winner: Britta Brügger 58 38 Delano computational award winner: HOBBIES • First decision is made within 21 days 13 Vijay Pande 58 How to meet rock stars NEWS 39 Kirschstein diversity award winner: and pageant beauties of submission, on average. Endometriosis awareness month JoAnn Trejo 59 From project to runway • Accepted articles are published 14 24 online immediately as open-access Papers in Press. 42 53 58 Learn how Jerry Greenfield applied his scientific training when he and his friend built the ice cream empire that is Ben & SUBMIT YOUR NEXT ARTICLE TO JBC Jerry’s. www.jbc.org www.asbmb.org MARCH 2015 ASBMB TODAY 1 PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE Yes, the HHMI does consider the proposed research plans. But, more than anything, it weighs its appointment deci- THE MEMBER MAGAZINE OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY sions upon what the scientists have accomplished during their FOR BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY Funding decisions: initial period of independence and its reappointment decisions primarily upon discoveries made by the candidates during the OFFICERS COUNCIL MEMBERS appointment window immediately preceding the review. Steven McKnight Natalie Ahn the HHMI method The second distinctive feature that I have observed is that President Squire J. Booker Karen G. Fleming the HHMI review process obligatorily involves face-to-face Jeremy M. Berg By Steven McKnight interaction between candidates and reviewers. Although only Past President Gregory Gatto Jr. Research Associate Daniel Leahy three to four reviewers provide written assessments of each Karen Allen Anjana Rao Secretary reappointment candidate, all of the 25 to 30 reviewers get to The University of Pennsylvania located in Philadelphia, Jared Rutter PA, is seeking a Research Associate to be responsible for Toni Antalis Brenda Schulman n this essay and in a subsequent essay, I will describe and compare how hear directly from the investigator. research dealing with the understanding of human diseases Treasurer Michael Summers two organizations carry out the review processes dictating how they spend The final distinctive feature concerns the qualifications of & the improvement of human health. He or she will conduct their funds. I first will cover the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, a the individual reviewers. With respect to investigator reap- research and associated activities, including collecting subject ASBMB TODAY EDITORIAL I data (vital signs, height, weight) for research, investigating EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS science philanthropy that provides a bit under $1 billion annually in support pointment, the HHMI uses its scientific review board to Dorothy Beckett ADVISORY BOARD related medical events, & recording symptoms, in the Renal Mary Roberts Charles Brenner of biomedical research and science education. Next month, I will turn to the conduct the initial review. Its medical advisory board helps to Electrolyte & Hypertension Division. Co-chairs, 2015 Annual Chair National Institutes of Health, an agency of the U.S. federal government that ensure that the scientific review board’s recommendations are Meeting Program Michael Bradley distributes between $15 billion and $20 billion in annual funding of extra- fair and accurate. Position requires a MD degree or foreign equivalent degree Committee Floyd “Ski” Chilton plus 2 years of kidney research exp. which shall include at mural biomedical research. My hope is that exploring how these two systems Peter J. Kennelly Cristy Gelling The scientific review board consists of 37 biomedical least 1 year of exp. in: Chair, Education and Peter J. Kennelly work — and studying their distinctive features — will inspire stakeholders to researchers, and the medical advisory board has an additional (1) working with Institutional Review Boards to ensure study Professional Development Rajini Rao think seriously about how the NIH peer-review process might be improved. 13 scientists. Among these 50 review participants, 37 are regulatory compliance; Committee Yolanda Sanchez (2) renal research lab assays & human specimen handling Shiladitya Sengupta The HHMI supports a variety of research and education programs, includ- members of the National Academy of Sciences. It is no acci- Daniel Raben including conducting research in various hospital settings; & Chair, Meetings Committee Carol Shoulders ing work done at its own Janelia Research Campus in Ashburn, Va. Among dent that 74 percent are academy members. Whether useful or (3) operating advanced research equipment including Mobil- its various programs, HHMI spends the vast majority of its funds in support appropriate or not, the HHMI clearly wants its most impor- 0-Graph, Vasera device, sphygmocor & Spacelabs monitor & Takita Felder Sumter ASBMB TODAY measuring pulse wave velocity, Cardio ankle vascular index & Chair, Minority Affairs of 324 individual investigators who perform research at more than 70 institu- tant decisions, investigator appointment or reappointment, to ambulatory blood pressure monitoring for cardiac & vascular Committee Angela Hopp Editor, [email protected] tions in the U.S. be guided by the input of accomplished scientists. functional assessment. Thomas Baldwin How are HHMI investigators first tapped? The organization periodically I readily admit that past scientific accomplishment does not Chair, Outreach Committee Rajendrani Mukhopadhyay To apply for this position, please send your CV/resume to: Sr. Science Writer, opens a competition for the appointment of new HHMI investigators. These directly equate to effective capacity to review. I do, however, Bob Matthews [email protected] [email protected] Chair, Public Affairs competitions typically are restricted to emerging scientists with five to 15 believe that a reasonable correlation exists between the two. Advisory Committee Marnay Meyer Designer, [email protected] years of independent research experience and are judged in two phases. The This belief is open for debate. Kathleen Collins first phase involves reviewers from HHMI’s scientific review board, its medi- Why is it that the HHMI is able to induce accomplished Chair, Publications Lauri Pantos Committee Manager of Publications cal advisory board, ad hoc reviewers and existing HHMI investigators. Final- scientists to participate in investigator reviews? I offer three Technology, [email protected] Martha J. Fedor ists emerging from the initial phase of review are then interviewed in person explanations. First, the HHMI provides substantial compensa- Editor-in-chief, JBC Ciarán Finn Web Publication Assistant, at the HHMI by scientific review board members, medical advisory board tion to its reviewers. Second, the review teams are composed Herbert Tabor [email protected] members and ad hoc reviewers. of interesting and accomplished scientists, making it enjoy- Co-editor, JBC Karen Schools Colson HHMI investigators have terms of five years. Roughly one year prior to the able for individual reviewers to participate. Third, the HHMI Upcoming ASBMB events A. L. Burlingame Director of Publications, end of an appointment term, each HHMI investigator must provide evidence Editor, MCP [email protected] appointment or reappointment candidates are themselves of Edward A. Dennis Barbara Gordon of progress along with a brief plan for future research efforts. Reappointment a relatively high level of accomplishment, so reviewers get to and deadlines Joseph L. Witztum Executive Director, candidates then present their science in person to the scientific review board, review exciting and inventive science. Co-editors, JLR [email protected] typically composed of 25 to 30 scientists. After reviewing the written materi- I close by offering evidence that the HHMI supports unusu- MARCH als and the oral presentation of a reappointment candidate, the scientific ally talented