Chemistry Professor Madeleine Joullié the Well of Science an APPRECIATION Science in the Curriculum

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Chemistry Professor Madeleine Joullié the Well of Science an APPRECIATION Science in the Curriculum A publication of the School of Arts and Sciences University of Pennsylvania / Spring 2003 NEWS INSIDE 2 Dean’s Column Making the Grade 3 Drawing Water from Chemistry Professor Madeleine Joullié the Well of Science AN APPRECIATION Science in the Curriculum 8 Catching the Sun bout ten years ago, SAS Faculty Member Madeleine Joullié, G’50, Wins Nobel Prize for Neutrino Science Gr’53, was about to leave a clinic at Jefferson 10 AHospital in Philadelphia following SAS Journal some medical tests. 14 “You’ve got to see the doctor,” Black and White and she was told. “You’ve got to wait.” Read All Over Preaching the Gospel of Joullié braced for bad news. Race in America “It’s an honor to meet you,” the physician, a woman, greeted her. 19 Desperately Seeking “You probably don’t remember me.” the Self “No, I don’t, but probably I Freshman Creates taught you Organic.” Joullié has Self- (and Other) Portrait been teaching Organic Chemistry 24 in the School of Arts and Sciences History’s Mysteries (or its predecessor) since 1953, New PBS Series when she became an instructor. Later she would become the first woman to join the department’s standing faculty. “I was a bio major,” the doctor reminded her. “I was scared to death of Organic. They told me there was this hysterical woman teaching the course. I came and talked to you, and then you encouraged me. You tutored me on Saturdays. You took me to ACS (American Chemical Society) meetings. You wanted me to be a chemist, but I wanted to be a doctor. You wrote me letters of recommendation....I’m here because of you.” For 50 years, future doctors, nurses, chemists, and other bright young minds have been taking Lisa Godfrey CONTINUED ON PAGE 20 Making the Grade BY DEAN SAMUEL H. PRESTON DEAN’S COLUMN “The greatness of the School’s educa- tional programs and Lisa Godfrey the quality of the faculty who teach ot long ago, a visiting com- The report cites a number of generous sabbatical policies.” We them and who mittee, made up of distin- impediments to progress. “Without continue to search vigorously for produce innovative N guished scholars from modern facilities that keep pace resources and strategies to enhance some of the nation’s finest universi- with those improvements,” the our faculty, with one eye on deliv- research will create a ties, arrived on campus to carry out committee warned, “Penn will fall ering better educational opportu- ‘halo effect’ that a comprehensive review of the from the top tier of universities in nities and the other on enhancing will benefit all of School of Arts and Sciences. The the scientific disciplines—an our scholarly reputation. Penn’s parts.” process, the first in the School’s his- unfortunate result during an age I am proud of our successes and tory, was invaluable in helping us to when the revolution in biology, our progress, and eager to take up —SAS External Review gauge progress toward achieving the medicine, and information are the sobering challenge the reviewers ambitious goals set forth in our creating opportunities for academic set before us: “The School operates strategic plan and in providing us leadership.” For that reason, we’ve in an intensely competitive world with thoughtful feedback. made construction of a new life- with a small set of peers, many of The panel reviewed data and sciences building a top fund-raising whom have stronger starting met with faculty, students, and priority. The restoration and mod- points—larger resource bases, administrators over four days. In a ernization of Bennett Hall and the larger faculties, smaller student report delivered last spring, the music building are major items on populations, better facilities, higher external reviewers offered the fol- our facilities agenda. Other aging prestige, stronger histories. Its lowing summary assessment of the buildings, such as Williams and peers, moreover, are not standing School of Arts and Sciences: “It McNeil, are also in serious need of still. They are making significant offers educational programs of the an upgrade. investments of their own, with the highest quality at both the under- An eroded physical plant impedes result that the challenges facing the graduate and graduate levels and is faculty recruitment and undermines School are going to become more a center for innovative research morale. Faculty remain our most complex rather than less. Thus, spanning a wide range of disci- vital resource, and we have done a finding the revenues to make fur- plines. By all measures, moreover, good job building upon the foun- ther advances relative to its peers it is a far better school today than dations of existing strengths. will be a major undertaking.” it was a decade ago, with a better “Some of the departments in the I am grateful for the committee’s faculty, more selective students, arts and sciences already rank hard and careful work, its generous improved educational programs, among the very best of their kind,” encouragement and frank assess- stronger leadership, improved fac- the external committee observed, ment. “Penn is already an out- ulty and staff morale, and a health- “and its faculty includes scholars standing institution,” the external ier financial base.” and scientists who would be con- review concluded. “Enhancing the It is a gratifying report card, but sidered valuable additions at any of School of Arts and Sciences’ place it also challenges us. “The School the leading research institutions.” as its core will make it even better.” of Arts and Sciences has achieved Still, the reviewers added, the size I am confident that SAS and the impressive gains in recent years with of our faculty is small compared to university possess the abundance of tightly constrained resources,” the other top-tier schools, and SAS innovative talent and vision, and panel said, adding a cautionary note. “continues to face strong competi- the hunger for excellence to meet “The next phase in its development tive pressures from its peers, some the challenge ahead. I is likely to be more expensive as well of which offer, on average, higher as academically more difficult.” salaries and, in some cases, more 2 PENN ARTS & SCIENCES Drawing Water from the Well of Science New York Times science writer Gina Kolata surrounded by Vagelos Scholars in the Molecular Life Sciences. Her son, Stefan Kolata, C'03 (seated right) is a cognitive neuroscience major. The Vagelos Scholars, from chemistry professor Ponzy Lu’s freshman seminar, Chem 22,are required to read the Tuesday Science Times section every week and are quizzed on its contents. Reports Lu,“My grading rewards curiosity outside the box” or course content. Lisa Godfrey SCIENCE IN THE CURRICULUM Last fall, chemistry undergraduate chair Don Berry opened an e-mail from a young alumnus who was working on a television script. “One of our characters has the chemical formula for fudge brownies,” the former English major explained. To lend the authority of science to their show, the writers wanted to use the actual molecular structure, but their search for the formula had turned up nothing more scientific than a recipe. “So I thought I’d e-mail you, since you’re at my alma mater, and see if you could point me in the right direction.” SPRING 2003 3 “This isn’t a Penn problem; it’s a national problem. And if it were an easy one, it would have been solved a long time ago.” The right direction, Berry “Despite the observation that College students who, according to indicated, was an about-face to America’s basic research in science, senior surveys, regularly turn up reconsider the ill-advised query. mathematics, and engineering is their noses at the science portion In scientific parlance, a brownie world-class, its education is still of the general requirement. is a “mixture” of many ingredi- not. America has produced a sig- Department staples like Biology ents—from cocoa to nuts—each nificant share of the world’s great 101 and 102, says Schultz, prepare of which is composed of several scientists while most of its popula- future leaders, policymakers, and chemicals. A formula identifies the tion is virtually illiterate in science.” citizens to make informed decisions kinds and number of atoms that Almost three-quarters of SAS in a world where science and tech- make up each molecule of a uni- undergraduates major in something nology touch their lives everyday— form substance—H20 for water; other than the natural sciences, but diet ads, cloning, acid rain and C2Cl4 for tetrachloroethylene, the they must take some science as part ozone depletion, reproductive tech- dry-cleaning fluid Nobel laureate of the general requirement for a nology, consumer and political Ray Davis, Hon’90, used to capture liberal arts degree. Teaching science marketing, genetic fingerprinting solar neutrinos (page 8). “A for- to non-science majors is an impor- and genetically engineered food, mula implies there is a single type tant priority for the College, but, global warming, and much more. of ‘brownie molecule,’” Berry wrote as several faculty point out, the He is not alone among science back, “which there isn’t.” professional rewards for the faculty in touting the advantages of Conceding that popular televi- scientists who do the teaching are “real” science courses and lab work sion “mangles” the science “most of weighted more toward research, for non-science majors. Students the time,” Berry still was surprised grant getting, teaching department need to learn the basics of science, a College graduate, even one who majors and graduate students, and the argument goes, and the best had not majored in chemistry, running a laboratory.
Recommended publications
  • Twists and Turns in Protein Assembly
    Twists and Turns in Protein Assembly Professor Robert Fairman TWISTS AND TURNS IN PROTEIN ASSEMBLY In nerve cells, the accumulation of protein into bundles of insoluble fibres is the underlying cause of a number of neurodegenerative diseases. Professor Robert Fairman and his team at Haverford College are developing cutting edge techniques to unravel this process. Proteins are the building blocks of life. The leads to the death of particularly vulnerable genetic code within each cell of our bodies cells such as neurones – the elaborate and controls the sequence of molecules called sensitive cells in our brain. This is the basic amino acids, which assemble together mechanism that causes the debilitating and to form each protein. But this is only the currently untreatable neurological disorder first step. Amino acids are small charged Huntington’s disease, which is characterised molecules that interact with one another as by a disruption of normal movements and they join together to form strings of peptides a decline in mental ability, resulting in (polypeptides), which spontaneously develop dementia. into different structures known as secondary structures. This can involve the formation ‘The relationship of this aggregation to of sheets or helical spirals following certain disease is poorly understood, and differences rules determined by the order of the amino in protein structure may underlie differences acids. These secondary structures then in toxicity,’ Professor Fairman admits. ‘Many interact with one another to form larger neurodegenerative diseases (Alzheimer’s, tertiary structures of proteins that control Huntington’s, Parkinson’s) have a similar and mediate every aspect of cell function. underlying molecular mechanism of protein aggregation, involving the formation of ‘Ever since I was an undergraduate student, an extended polypeptide chain that can I’ve always been fascinated with a chemical aggregate through ß-sheet formation.’ view of biology,’ Professor Fairman tells As such, it is vital to understand how Scientia.
    [Show full text]
  • From the President's Desk
    Sept | Oct 2009 From the President’s desk: The Increasing Importance of Model Organism Research I’m sure you know this scenario: You’re at a party, and someone hears you’re a biologist, and asks, “What do you work on?” When this happens to me, and I respond that I study yeast, I frequently get the follow-up question that you have probably already anticipated: “Are you learning how to make better beer?” At that point, I offer my explanation about the value of studying model organisms, which in cludes the statement that my daughter, now 17, learned to repeat with me by the time she was 3: “Yeast are actually a lot like people.” If you study a model organism, whether it’s yeast, bacteria, phage, flies, worms, fish, plants, or something else, you probably have been in Fred Winston a similar situation when talking to someone who is not a scientist. There GSA President is little understanding among the general public about the value of studying a model organism. This is also true among some who we might think would better understand this issue. While you wouldn’t be surprised to learn that the person at this party was a lawyer or a businessperson, you might also not be too surprised if that person turned out to be a physician, or even a human biologist. Even among some biologists who understand the history of model organisms, there may be a lack of appreciation for what model organism research can contribute to future scientific understanding. For these scientists, model organi sms appear to be in the twilight of their usefulness with the advent of new sequencing technologies and other genome-wide, high-throughput approaches that can be used in human studies.
    [Show full text]
  • 'Epigenetic Landscape' Is Protective in Normal Aging, Impaired in Alzheimer's Disease 5 March 2018
    'Epigenetic landscape' is protective in normal aging, impaired in Alzheimer's disease 5 March 2018 compaction of chromosomes in the nucleus (called acetylation of lysine 16 on histone H4, or H4K16ac for short). Changes to the way H4K16ac is modified along the genome in disease versus normal aging brains may signify places for future drug development. Because changes in H4K16ac govern how genes are expressed, the location and amount of epigenetic alterations is called the "epigenetic landscape." "This is the first time that we have been able to look at these relationships in human tissue by using donated postmortem brain tissue from the Penn Brain Bank," said Shelley Berger, PhD, a professor of Cell and Developmental Biology in the Perelman School of Medicine and a professor of Biology in the School of Arts and Sciences. "Our results Coronal section of human brain indicating the lateral establish the basis for an epigenetic link between temporal lobe (red circle) used in this study. Credit: aging and Alzheimer's disease." Coronal section of human brain indicating The lab of Shelley Berger, PhD, Perelman School of Medicine, Berger, also the director of the Penn Epigenetics University of Pennsylvania Institute, Nancy Bonini, PhD, a professor of Biology, and Brad Johnson, MD, PhD, an associate professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, are co-senior authors of the new study. Although certain genetic variants increase the risk of Alzheimer's disease (AD), age is the strongest H4K16ac is a key modification in human health known risk factor. But the way in which molecular because it regulates cellular responses to stress processes of aging predispose people to AD, or and to DNA damage.
    [Show full text]
  • St. Geme Symposium Pediatrics, University of Sponsored by the Colorado, AMC Section of Developmental Biology
    Department of St. Geme Symposium Pediatrics, University of Sponsored by the Colorado, AMC Section of Developmental Biology September 10, 2020 2:00pm-4:00pm Speaking Schedule Introduction by Dr. Bruce Appel, Section Head, The St. Geme Symposium Developmental Biology will be held this year in association with the St. 2:00 Caleb Doll, PhD – Fragility in specification; roles for Geme Lectureship, an the RNA binding protein FMRP in gliogenesis annual event in honor of 2:15 Agnese Kocere – RBM8A deficiency in TAR syndrome Dr. Joseph St. Geme, a impacts the lateral plate mesoderm former Dean of the 2:30 Julia Derk, PhD – A critical role for Wnt suppression in School of Medicine. The the development of the arachnoid barrier of the purpose of the meninges Symposium is to 2:45 Kelly Sullivan, PhD – Normalization of Interferon introduce research Receptor Gene Dosage in Mouse Model of Down performed in the Section Syndrome of Developmental Biology 3:00 Yunus Ozekin – Exploring the Effects of Prenatal to our St. Geme Lecturer, ECigarette Exposure on Craniofacial Development Dr. Nancy Bonini, 3:15 Jessica Warns, PhD – Does NF‐Y regulate cilia gene members of the St. Geme networks? family and the Anschutz 3:30 Kayt Scott – Prdm8 regulates pMN progenitor Medical Campus specification for motor neuron and oligodendrocyte community. fates by modulating Shh signaling response 3:45 Peter Dempsey, PhD ‐ Cellular Plasticity of Intestinal Secretory Progenitors in Response to Injury Zoom link https://ucdenver.zoom.us/j/921 40407653 Developmental Biology faculty, post-doctoral fellows About the Section of and student’s biographical information: Developmental Biology: Dempsey, Peter, PhD - Associate Professor Dr.
    [Show full text]
  • Temporal Patterns of Short Non-Coding Rna Modifications And
    TEMPORAL PATTERNS OF SHORT NON-CODING RNA MODIFICATIONS AND EXPRESSION by AMMAR S. NAQVI A dissertation submitted to the Graduate School – Camden Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey In partial fulfillment of the requirements For the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Graduate Program in Computational and Integrative Biology Written under the direction of Dr. Andrey Grigoriev And approved by ________________________ Andrey Grigoriev ________________________ Jongmin Nam ________________________ Nancy Bonini Camden, New Jersey May 2015 ABSTRACT OF THE DISSERTATION Temporal Patterns of non-coding RNA Modifications and Expression by AMMAR S. NAQVI Dissertation Director: Dr. Andrey Grigoriev We investigated the function and properties of small RNAs, particularly microRNAs and tRNA-derived fragments (tRFs) with age. We report the characterization of a novel 3'-to- 5' exonuclease, Nibbler (Nbr), that generates differing isoforms of miRNAs in Drosophila. We developed a robust approach to help identify and characterize 3' heterogeneity in microRNAs controlled by Nbr, which assisted in identifying age- associated traits, including neurodegeneration and lifespan. Subsequently, given the fact Nbr interacts with Ago1 and not Ago2, we observed an accumulation of certain isoforms, which lead us to ask if there were particular patterns and trends that were Ago-specific. Interestingly, we report a novel age-associated change of select isoforms with age that is Ago2 specific. RNA deep-sequencing analysis coupled with experimental evidence reflected an increased loading of miRNA isoforms into Ago2 with age. Essentially, the loss of methylated miRNAs led to accelerated brain degeneration and shortened lifespan. Intriguingly, we also observed and identified Ago-loaded tRFs, which appear to have properties similar to those of miRNAs.
    [Show full text]
  • TFEB/Mitf Links Impaired Nuclear Import to Autophagolysosomal
    RESEARCH ARTICLE TFEB/Mitf links impaired nuclear import to autophagolysosomal dysfunction in C9- ALS Kathleen M Cunningham1, Kirstin Maulding1, Kai Ruan2, Mumine Senturk3, Jonathan C Grima4,5, Hyun Sung2, Zhongyuan Zuo6, Helen Song2, Junli Gao7, Sandeep Dubey2, Jeffrey D Rothstein1,2,4,5, Ke Zhang7, Hugo J Bellen3,6,8,9,10, Thomas E Lloyd1,2,5* 1Cellular and Molecular Medicine Program, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, United States; 2Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, United States; 3Program in Developmental Biology, Baylor College of Medicine (BCM), Houston, United States; 4Brain Science Institute, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, United States; 5Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, United States; 6Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, BCM, Houston, United States; 7Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, United States; 8Department of Neuroscience, BCM, Houston, United States; 9Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, United States; 10Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Houston, United States Abstract Disrupted nucleocytoplasmic transport (NCT) has been implicated in neurodegenerative disease pathogenesis; however, the mechanisms by which disrupted NCT causes neurodegeneration remain unclear. In a Drosophila screen, we identified ref(2)P/p62, a key regulator of autophagy, as a potent suppressor of neurodegeneration caused by the GGGGCC hexanucleotide repeat expansion (G4C2 HRE) in C9orf72 that causes amyotrophic lateral sclerosis *For correspondence: [email protected] (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). We found that p62 is increased and forms ubiquitinated aggregates due to decreased autophagic cargo degradation. Immunofluorescence and electron Competing interest: See microscopy of Drosophila tissues demonstrate an accumulation of lysosome-like organelles that page 18 precedes neurodegeneration.
    [Show full text]
  • Polyq Expansions in Ataxin-2—A Risk Factor for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis?
    RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS MOTOR NEURON DISEASE PolyQ expansions in ataxin-2—a risk factor for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis? ntermediate-length polyglutamine (polyQ) expansions in the ataxin-2 I(ATXN2) gene could confer an increased risk of developing amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), according to research from a team led by Aaron Gitler and Nancy Bonini at the University of Pennsylvania, USA. Their findings indicate that ataxin-2 enhances the toxicity of TAR DNA-binding protein 43 (TDP-43)—a molecule that has already been strongly implicated in ALS pathogenesis—and the interaction between these two proteins could A combination of approaches involving yeast cells (left), Drosophila (center) and human motor neurons (right) has identified a provide a lead for the development of role for ataxin-2 in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Images provided by Professor Nancy Bonini and Professor Aaron Gitler. much-needed new therapies for ALS. Permission obtained from Nature Publishing Group © Elden, A. C. et al. Nature 466, 1069–1075 (2010). Long polyQ expansions (>34 glutamines) in the ATXN2 gene have overexpressed, increased TDP-43 toxicity. degradation, thereby increasing its previously been shown to cause the One of these genes was PBP1, the yeast concentration in the cell. hereditary neurodegenerative disease ortholog of ATXN2. These new findings identify ATXN2 spinocerebellar ataxia type 2 (SCA2). To examine the effects of the ATXN2– as a susceptibility gene for ALS, as well Gitler, Bonini and colleagues measured TDP-43 interaction in the context of as providing a number of avenues for ATXN2 polyQ repeat lengths in 915 the nervous system, the researchers further investigation of the underlying patients with sporadic or familial ALS, switched their attention to a Drosophila disease mechanisms.
    [Show full text]
  • NEWSLETTER VOLUME 35, NUMBER 6 Student/Postdoc- Led Local Meetings NIH Working Group Proposes Page 3 Training Changes More ASCB Award the Recommendations of a U.S
    ASCB J U L Y 2 0 1 2 NEWSLETTER VOLUME 35, NUMBER 6 Student/Postdoc- Led Local Meetings NIH Working Group Proposes Page 3 Training Changes More ASCB Award The recommendations of a U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) Working Group on the Announcements biomedical research workforce include changes in the programs offered by academic institutions, Page 8 limits on NIH support for graduate students, and changes in the way graduate students and postdocs are supported. The Working Group, a subcommittee of the Advisory Committee to An Innovative the NIH Director, was formed in January 2011 by NIH Director Francis Collins to examine Approach to Dual- the state of the biomedical research workforce and make recommendations to ensure the future Career Support competitiveness of the U.S. biomedical research enterprise. Page 11 The Biomedical Research Workforce Working Group was co-chaired by Shirley Tilghman and Sally Rockey, NIH Deputy Director for Extramural Research, and included ASCB members Leemor Joshua-Tor and Keith Yamamoto. In June 2012, the Working Group sent its report, with a series of recommendations, to Collins for his review and consideration. Inside Despite low unemployment for biomedical PhDs, the percentage of PhDs who move into President’s Column 3 tenured or tenure-track positions has declined by 8% since 1993. In contrast, science-related Did You Know? 6 occupations that do not involve the conduct of research or do not require graduate training WICB Junior, Senior Awards 8 are seeing increases in employment. According to
    [Show full text]
  • CV Yuanquan 3-23-16
    Yuanquan Song Ph.D. [email protected] Yuanquan Song Ph.D. Department of Physiology University of California San Francisco and HHMI 1550 4th Street RM RH481 San Francisco, CA 94158 (267) 679-9833 [email protected] Positions 05/2016 – Assistant Professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Center for Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics (CCMT) at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), University of Pennsylvania 09/2009 – 04/2016 Postdoctoral Fellow Dept. of Physiology, Univ. of California San Francisco and HHMI Mentor: Dr. Yuh Nung Jan, Ph.D. Education 05/2015 Spinal Cord Injury Training Program (SCITP) Dept. of Neuroscience, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 2003 – 2009 Ph.D. in Neuroscience Univ. of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 1998 – 2002 B.S. in Biotechnology Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China Research Experience 09/2009 – present UCSF Yuh Nung Jan Lab Postdoctoral Fellow Research Projects: Cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying axon and dendrite degeneration and regeneration Neural and molecular substrates for the plasticity of aggression 02/2004 – 08/2009 UPenn Rita Balice-Gordon Lab Graduate Student Research Projects: Cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying neural circuitry formation and function Zebrafish model of MLL leukemogenesis Zebrafish model of neurodegenerative diseases 09/2003 – 12/2003 UPenn Irwin Levitan Lab Pre-dissertation Laboratory Rotation Research Project: Regulation of sodium-potassium ATPase by its binding protein mSlob 06/2003 – 08/2003 UPenn Nancy Bonini Lab Pre-dissertation Laboratory Rotation Research Project: Molecular mechanisms of polyglutamine diseases 07/2002 – 05/2003 Institute of Neuroscience, Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China Research Assistant in the Lab of Shu-Min Duan, Xiao-Bing Yuan, and Mu-Ming Poo Research Project: Axon guidance and Rho GTPase signaling Awards and Fellowships 1 Yuanquan Song Ph.D.
    [Show full text]
  • From the President's Desk
    JAN - FEB 2008 From the President’s desk: The Urbilateria Book Project Genetics is thriving as never before, spawning in recent years sub- disciplines such as genomics, bioinformatics, evo-devo, systems biology, and more. If genetics were a business, there would be much talk about its growing market share both in basic science, its traditional realm, and increasingly throughout the world of medicine (with significant upside potential). The ageless questions – how genomes evolved on Earth, how genotype programs phenotype, what makes each of us human but unique, how genetic knowledge can better our lives – suddenly seem less daunting, more like practical tasks. Unsurprisingly, some of the brightest young minds on the planet are striving to join this remarkable enterprise in what promises to be among its greatest years. The Genetics Society of America should be at the forefront of all these developments. Genetic advances continue to unify all biological sciences, and a forum is needed to provide wise counsel, to nurture the careers of young geneticists, to communicate with the public, and to improve education, so more individuals can bring a true understanding of the biological world to today’s issues. There are several steps the GSA must take to provide this needed leadership. First, we must reach out and welcome every person who works to understand how genomes operate. We not only want a diverse membership, we need one. Splintering may succeed within ecosystems, but a tropical rainforest of genetics will not advance the future of our science, which is striving for unification. Most of the time we will continue to revel in our favorite realms, but we need a Genetics Society capable of overseeing the full scope of genetic science placing it all in its proper perspective.
    [Show full text]
  • *HDSA/Fall 01/Marker/C
    THE markerHuntington’s Disease Society of America HDSA Research Update 2001 progress hd living in research kids at-risk care a message from n the 1960’s, activist and entertainer In our Nation’s Capital, HDSA advocacy Truly, the answers Woody Guthrie was well known efforts have been unflagging. As a result of we find for Ithroughout the world, but the disease our awareness building efforts, HDSA was Huntington’s that ended his life was not. One of the invited by Connecticut Senator Disease may well greatest challenges that faced Marjorie Christopher Dodd in March to testify serve as the key to Guthrie when she founded the before his Senate Biotechnology caucus. effective therapies organization that was to become the In May, HDSA was invited to partner with or even cures for Huntington’s Disease Society of America the National Institute of Neurological all neuro- was the fact that HD was a “family” Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) in a pilot degenerative secret, misunderstood and often project that was reported in the last issue of and/or hereditary misdiagnosed. Educating healthcare Toward a Cure. In June, HDSA appeared at disorders. professionals, elected officials and the a Health Policy Briefing, hosted by the The HDSA Therapeutics Initiative will general public about Huntington’s National Health Council, along with bring the research, conducted by our Disease, and the challenges faced by several other voluntary health agencies, HDSA Coalition for the Cure those who live with it, has always been to bring issues of concern to the HD investigators and Grant and Fellowship an integral part of HDSA’s mission.
    [Show full text]
  • Enhanced Β Integrin Adhesion Underlies Thrombosis Risk in JAK2
    This Month CD40-targeting HIV vaccine attacks the latent reservoir 2 Neonatal Fc receptor antagonist safely reduces IgGs in healthy adults 3 Reversing B cell impairment in chronic hepatitis B infection 4 Intratumor NK cells respond to PD-1/PD-L1 blockade 5 October 2018 JCI This Month is a summary of the most recent articles in The Journal of Clinical Investigation and JCI Insight jci.org/this-month Enhanced β integrin adhesion underlies thrombosis risk in JAK2- Scan for the digital version V617F–driven neoplasms p. 2 of JCI This Month. Journal of Clinical Investigation Consulting Editors Soman N. Abraham Richard T. D'Aquila Katherine A. High Terri Laufer Sallie R. Permar Roy L. Silverstein John S. Adams Alan Daugherty Helen H. Hobbs Mitchell A. Lazar David J. Pinsky M. Celeste Simon Qais Al-Awqati Sudhansu Dey Ronald Hoffman Brendan Lee Edward Plow Mihaela Skobe Kari Alitalo Anna Mae Diehl V. Michael Holers William M.F. Lee Catherine Postic Donald Small Dario C. Altieri Harry C. Dietz III Steven Holland Rudolph L. Leibel Alice S. Prince Lois Smith Masayuki Amagai Gianpietro Dotti David Holtzman Wayne I. Lencer Louis J. Ptacek Akrit Sodhi Brian H. Annex Michael Dustin Michael J. Holtzman Jon D. Levine Luigi Puglielli Weihong Song M. Amin Arnaout Connie J. Eaves Lawrence B. Holzman Ross L. Levine Pere Puigserver Ashley L. St. John Alan Attie Dominique Eladari Maureen Horton Klaus Ley Bali Pulendran Jonathan Stamler Jane E. Aubin Joel K. Elmquist Tamas L. Horvath Rodger A. Liddle Ellen Puré Colin L. Stewart Michael F. Beers Stephen G.
    [Show full text]