HHMI BULLETIN F EB.’08 VOL.21 • NO.01 • 6]eO`R6c HHMI BULLETIN U VSa;SRWQOZ7\abWbcbS • eeeVV[W]` U Capecchi lab /A3@73A=45@=C<20@3/97<527A1=D3@73A0GB63E7<<3@A=4B63 % The Making <=03:>@7H37<>6GA7=:=5G=@;32717<3:32B=B6323D3:=>;3<B=4/ @3A3/@16;3B6=29<=E</A53<3B/@53B7<5B67A>=E3@4C:B316<=:=5G A6/>327<>/@B0G66;77<D3AB75/B=@;/@7=1/>31167A33>/53" of a Knockout /::=EAA173<B7ABAB=B/@53B/<27</1B7D/B37<27D72C/:53<3A7<;713 ;=CA3µ9<=19=CBA¶6/D363:>323AB/0:7A6B63@=:3A=47<<C;3@/0:3 53<3A7<63/:B6/<227A3/A3B67A7;/53A6=EA=<3AB3>7<B63>@=13AA´ 53<3B71/::G;=274732;=CA33;0@G=<71AB3;13::A/@37<831B327<B=/ A Bold Vision ;=CA33;0@G=B633<2@3AC:B(;713E7B6A>317471/::G/:B3@3253<3A With Nobel Prize in hand, Mario Capecchi is planning his next 20 years of venturous experiments. "8]\Sa0`WRUS@]OR d]Z 1VSdg1VOaS;O`gZO\R &#$%&' eeeVV[W]`U \ ] 7<B67A7AAC3 >O`aW\U>S`]fWa][Sa >`SQ]ZZSUS=cb`SOQVOb5S]`USb]e\ >ObWS\b=`WS\bSR@SaSO`QVS`a =0A3@D/B7=<A B638=G=43D3@G2/GA173<13 /aT`cab`ObW\UOaZOP`SaSO`QVa][SbW[SaWabVSROWZgc^aO\RR]e\a =ZWdS`A[WbVWSa(7e]cZROU`SS7b¸abVSOQbcOZR]W\UWbbVObT]`[SWa ]TbVSSf^S`W[S\bOZ^`]QSaaQO\PSOa]c`QS]TYSS\aObWaTOQbW]\ bVSU`SObSab^ZSOac`S3a^SQWOZZgeWbVa][SSf^S`W[S\ba7¸dSbOYS\ EVS\OaYSReVObWbWaOP]cbaQWS\QSbVObUWdSabVS[^ZSOac`SbVS ^O`bW\bVObeS`SOQbcOZZg_cWbSaV]`b`ObVS`bVO\Z]\UbS`[A]bVS be][S\eV]aVO`SRbVS %<]PSZ>`WhSW\>VgaW]Z]Ug]`;SRWQW\S \SfbROgg]cQ][SW\O\RaSSg]c``SacZbO\R]VWb¸a\]beVOb eWbV66;7¸a;O`W]1O^SQQVW`Sa^]\RSReWbVaW[WZO`aS\bW[S\ba g]ceO\bSR0cbWb¸aSfQWbW\UO\geOg/\Rg]caOg\]e7Y\]eeVOb 7VOdSb]R]b][OYSWbe]`YBVS\SdS`gROgg]cU]W\b][OYS ;O`bW\3dO\a(7bVW\Y[gU`SObSab^ZSOac`SWabVSbVW\Ua7R]eWbV[g Wbe]`Y7bR]Sa\¸be]`YdS`g]TbS\Pcbg]cOZeOgabVW\YWb¸aU]W\U ]e\VO\Ra7S\X]gbVSOQbcOZ^`]QSaa´bVSeSbZOP]`Ob]`gO\RbVS b]A]Wb¸aROgb]ROgSfQWbS[S\b7¸[T]`bc\ObSO\R`ObVS`aSZ¿aV bWaacSQcZbc`S^`]QSaaA][S]T[gQ]ZZSOUcSaVOdS`STS``SRb]bVWa PSQOcaS7R]abWZZe]`YObbVSPS\QV/ZZ[gbW[SWaObbVSPS\QV´7¸dS ^SX]`ObWdSZgaOgW\UbVOb7¸[OV]`bWQcZbc`OZWab`SOZZg0cb7R]S\X]gbVS \SdS`PSS\OQVOW`[O\]TO\gbVW\UOZbV]cUV7¸dSVORZ]ba]T]^^]` ^`OQbWQOZOa^SQb]TR]W\UWb[gaSZT7bVW\YWb¸aOU`SObRWaORdO\bOUS bc\WbWSa/\R7TSSZZWYSbVOb¸a`ObVS`aSZ¿aV\]bb]R]bVObPSQOcaS Ib]abS^OeOgT`][bVSPS\QVK/ag]cUSb[]`SaS\W]`g]cUSb[]`S ]c`QVOW`[S\O\R]c`OR[W\Wab`Ob]`aVSZ^[O\g^S]^ZS7V]^S OR[W\Wab`ObWdSX]Pa[]`S^S]^ZSg]cVOdSb]Z]]YOTbS`OZ]b]TbVW\Ua ^S]^ZSeWZZT]`UWdS[S Q][W\UW\T`][bVSc\WdS`aWbgO\R\ObW]\OZZgO\RW\bS`\ObW]\OZZg)Wb R]SabOYSg]cOeOgT`][bVSPS\QVO\RbVOb¸ac\T]`bc\ObS7bbOYSa 4`][O\W\bS`dWSe]\eee\]PSZ^`WhS]`U<]PSZESP/0 % [SOeOgT`][[g¿`abZ]dS]TaQWS\QSRS¿\WbSZg @S^`W\bSReWbV^S`[WaaW]\]TbVS<]PSZ4]c\RObW]\ 10 Stuffed with malaria parasites, this red blood cell is ready to burst at the seams. But when it spews out its contents, that won’t be the end of the proliferating Plasmodium falciparum parasites. The parasites, outlined in red fluorescence, will go on to invade other blood cells. Once inside, each parasite will copy itself into as many as 36 daughter parasites, filling the blood cell and eventually busting it open and moving on again, in a disease- causing cycle that scientists are aiming to interrupt. Elliott Golden Chris Tonkin and Mark Wickham Chris Tonkin vol. 21 february ’o8 no. o1 23>/@B;3<BA >@3A723<B¸A:3BB3@ ! A Common Thread 13<B@74C53 " Cold Nights and Hot Chocolate # An Absorbing Mascot $ Bright Ideas from Down Below C>4@=<B & From Sperm to Stem Cells Fighting Malaria on His Home Turf AIDS: No Time for Complacency >3@A>31B7D3A/<2=>7<7=<A !& Michael W. Salter " Charles V. Shank " Q&A – What was the last concert you attended? 16@=<71:3 7\abWbcbS<Sea "" Bedside Inspiration "% Barshefsky Elected to HHMI Board of Trustees "% HHMI Launches Public-Access Publishing Policy :OP0]]Y "& Legions of Hijackers "' Tick-Tock Goes a Bacterial Clock # From Marshmallows to Missiles /aYOAQWS\bWab # How can the “tip-of-the-tongue” phenomenon be explained? C^1Z]aS # Bringing Down Cancer’s House of Cards <]bO0S\S #" News of recent awards and other notable achievements =0A3@D/B7=<A The Joy of Everyday Science 43/BC@3A 14 2o 26 32 Guided By His Parsing Peroxisomes Wit & Wisdom Reaching Across Inner Compass Studying the form and One researcher’s approach the Divide Nobel laureate Mario function of this cellular to science and service has A Georgetown University Capecchi has the sac of enzymes is leading a lasting impact on many. program goes the extra mile to confidence to march to to insights on disease— bring underserved middle his own drummer and and a clearer picture of schoolers through to college— the patience to focus on how cells achieve their and beyond. the long view. compartmental design. [COVER STORY] VISIT THE BULLETIN ONLINE FOR ADDITIONAL CONTENT AND ADDED FEATURES: www.hhmi.org/bulletin COVER IMAGE: BRETT RYDER contributors /aOPW]QVS[Wab`gU`ORcObSabcRS\b3D3:G<AB@/CAAeOab`]cPZSRPgeVObaVSQ]\aWRS`SR OaVO[STcZQVO`OQbS`ÀOe(aVSeO\bSRb]PSOabcRS\bT]`SdS`0gbVSS\R]TVS`^]abR]Qb]`OZ e]`YaVSS[P`OQSRVS`b`cS\Obc`SO\RZSTbbVSPS\QVb]^T]`bVSZO^b]^b][OYSOQO`SS`]T abcRgW\UaQWS\QS`ObVS`bVO\R]W\UWb>cPZWaVSRW\AQWS\bW¿Q/[S`WQO\1SZZAQWS\QSO\R6SOZbV Ab`OcaaeOaOZa]SRWb]`]TbVS\SeaaSQbW]\]TAQWS\QS¸aESPaWbS]\OUW\U 0@3BB@G23@U`ORcObSRT`][Ab;O`bW\a:]\R]\eWbVO[OabS`¸aRSU`SSW\WZZcab`ObW]\W\bVS [WR''a<]ee]`YW\UT]`RWdS`aSQZWS\baT`][O`]c\RbVSe]`ZRVSeOaO^`]cReW\\S`Ob bVS D/ 7ZZcab`ObW]\ /eO`Ra % @gRS` e]`Ya T`][ V][S ac``]c\RSR Pg ]ZR []b]`QgQZS ^O`baOZ]b]TZ]dSRPcb`ObVS`e]`\P]]YaO\RVWaaYW\\geVW^^SbeV]^ObWS\bZgaWbaPgVWa ! aWRS]`T`O\bWQOZZgQW`QZSaWTVWaOTbS`\]]\eOZYWaRSZOgSR 7\ Q]ZZSUS @=07< ;387/ bV]cUVb aVS eO\bSR b] PS O a]WZ aQWS\bWab Pcb aVS RcU RSS^ O\R T]c\R]cbaVSeOaPSbbS`eWbVe]`RabVO\^W^SbbSa7\`SQS\bgSO`aaVS¸ae`WbbS\OP]cb407 QVS[Waba^`WdObSa^gaObSZZWbSaO\R^]bS\bWOZS\dW`]\[S\bOZTOZZ]cb]T`SUW]\OZ\cQZSO`eO`aT]` [SRWO]cbZSba`O\UW\UT`][bVSEOaVW\Ub]\>]ab;OUOhW\Sb]EW`SR! ;/@9@716/@2AVOaZ]dSRaQWS\QSO\R^V]b]U`O^VgaW\QSP]gV]]R6SU]bVWaabO`bOaO " ^V]b]U`O^VS`eVWZSW\bVS<OdgObOUS%O\R\SdS`ab]^^SR7\bVSS\acW\UgSO`aVSVOaeWb \SaaSReO`aW\/TUVO\WabO\O\R1O[P]RWOO\RaSS\Vc\US`O\RU`SObeSOZbVW\BVOWZO\RO\R 6OWbW<]eVSVO^^WZg`SaWRSaW\;WZZDOZZSg1OZWT]`\WOeWbVVWaeWTSO\Rbe]QVWZR`S\7\ %VS ^cPZWaVSRO\O`bP]]YQOZZSR1]`S;S[]`g(/DWacOZAc`dSg]TDW\bOUS1][^cbS`a" 66;7B@CAB33A 6 6;7=44713@AA3<7=@/2D7A=@A 8O[Sa/0OYS`7773a_ BV][Oa@1SQV>V2 / President Senior Partner / Baker & Botts 1`OWU//ZSfO\RS` / V.P. & General Counsel /[POaaOR]`1VO`ZS\S0O`aVSTaYg >SbS`80`c\a>V2 / V.P. for Grants & Special Programs Senior International Partner 2OdWR/1ZOgb]\>V2 / V.P. for Research Operations WilmerHale 8]aS^V21]ZZW\a / V.P. for Information Technology 8OQY32Wf]\>V2 / V.P. & Chief Scientific Officer @WQVO`R52O`[O\ Partner / The Carlyle Group 8]O\A:S]\O`R3a_ / Senior Counsel to the President Chairman of the Board / AES Corp. /dWQS/;SSVO\ / V.P. for Communications & Public Affairs 3ReO`R8>OZ[S`W\] / V.P. for Finance & Treasurer 8]aS^V:5]ZRabSW\;2 Regental Professor & Chairman, Department of Molecular Genetics 5S`OZR;@cPW\>V2 / V.P. & Director, Janelia Farm Research Campus University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas :O\RWaHW[[S`[O\ / V.P. & Chief Investment Officer 6O\\O65`Og>V21VOW`[O\ 66;70C::3B7<AB/44 President Emeritus & Harry Pratt Judson Distinguished Service Professor of History ;O`g0SbV5O`RW\S` / Editor The University of Chicago 1]`WDO\QVWS`W / Story Editor 8W[9SSZSg / Science Editor 5O`\Sbb:9SWbV Chairman / SeaBridge Investment Advisors, L.L.C. >Ob`WQWO4]abS` / Associate Director of Communications Former Vice Chairman & Chief Investment Officer for Web & Special Projects The Prudential Insurance Company of America AO`OV1EWZZWO[a / Assistant Editor 8S`S[g@9\]eZSa2>VWZ 2SO\B`OQY[O\;OgO>W\Sa / Contributing Editors Amory Houghton Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry /227B7=</:1=<B@70CB=@A Harvard University 1Og0cbZS`;WQVSZZS1WaaSZZ;O`Y4O``SZZ >OcZ<c`aS4@A <WQ]ZS9`SaUSAbSdS\;O`Qca6SObVS`;Q2]\OZR President / The Rockefeller University DA/>O`b\S`a<G1 / Concept & Design 9c`b:AQV[]YS3a_ Dean / Howard University School of Law /\\S;BObZ]QY Director, Retired Chairman & CEO Fiduciary Trust Company International BSZS^V]\S! #&&##4Of! #&&$!eeeVV[W]`U %6]eO`R6cUVSa;SRWQOZ7\abWbcbS BVS]^W\W]\aPSZWSTaO\RdWSe^]W\baSf^`SaaSRPgOcbV]`aW\bVS 66;70cZZSbW\R]\]b\SQSaaO`WZg`SÀSQbbVS]^W\W]\aPSZWSTadWSe^]W\ba ]`]T¿QWOZ^]ZWQWSa]TbVS6]eO`R6cUVSa;SRWQOZ7\abWbcbS Evelyn Strauss, Brett Ryder, Robin Mejia, Mark Richards HHMI BULLETIN | February 2oo8 president’s letter A Common Thread A MOTHER AND CHILD FLEE POSTWAR ITALY, ARRIVING IN Pennsylvania to a home steeped in science where the child finds stability and inspiration. A California teenager socks away money earned mowing lawns to buy a microscope from a local pawnshop. Students from a poverty-ridden Washington, D.C., neighborhood sacrifice their weekends and travel across town to an elite university to study math and science.