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F: 508.303.8333 E: [email protected] www.asbmb.org AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY OCTOBER 2006 Volume 5, Issue 7 features 8 Osaka Bioscience Institute: A World Leader in Scientific Research 11 JLR Looks at Systems Biology 12 Education and Professional Development ON THE COVER: Human growth hormone 14 Judith Klinman to Receive ASBMB-Merck Award residues colored by contribution to receptor 15 Scott Emr Selected for ASBMB-Avanti Award recognition: red, favorable; 16 The Chromosome Cycle green, neutral; blue, unfavorable. The top left 17 Chemical Biology Theme view, obtained by quantitative scanning, 20 Remote Control for Human Growth Hormone Gene encompasses views obtained Expression by conventional alanine (top right), serine (bottom left) 23 Scientists Reverse Evolution or homolog (bottom right) scanning. See page 28. 24 Mitochondrial Protein Has Unusual Location 32 October MCP: a Special Issue on Clinical Proteomics departments AWARDS OF EXCELLENCE: 3 From the Desk of the President MOST IMPROVED MAGAZINE 4 Washington Update 23 COLUMNS &EDITORIALS 6 NIH News DESIGN &LAYOUT 22 Career Insights 26 Spotlight on Members 28 ASBMB BioBIts 30 Biotech Business 33 For Your Lab 34 Career Opportunities 36 Calendar BRONZE AWARD WINNER 2003 From the Desk of the President: ASBMB Today is a monthly publication of The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Officers Heidi E. Hamm President Judith S. Bond Past-President Peggy J. Farnham Secretary Merle Olson Treasurer The Erosion of Funding for Biomedical Council Members Joan W. Conaway Councilor s scientists, we are engaged future of biomedical research, which Robert A. Copeland Councilor in research that will have an is their future. They are also willing to Kuan-Teh Jeang Councilor A impact on human health, as be challenged by the tough task of John D. Scott Councilor William S. Sly Councilor well as training the next generation convincing those who oppose Kevin Struhl Councilor of scientists that will maintain our increases in funding biomedical Suzanne Pfeffer Councilor Linda Pike Councilor competitiveness in the world. Thus, research. Think about inviting your activism and advocacy by biomedical congressman or congresswoman to Ex-Officio Members J. Ellis Bell scientists to increase the NIH budget your department or laboratory, and Chair, Education and Professional Development are not issues of self-interest for sci- get students involved in that visit. Committee entists. As citizens, we need to take They may accept your invitation and Laurie S. Kaguni Chair, Meetings Committee this message to our local community. come visit, as they are trying to George Hill We recently sent a survey to all increase their visibility during this Chair, Minority Affairs Committee Benjamin F. Cravatt ASBMB members asking for your electoral campaign. Be sure that there Michael Rosen help in reaching your local congress- are professors who are long-term con- Co-chairs, 2007 Program Committee William R. Brinkley man or congresswoman at home. It stituents in the group. Chair, Public Affairs Advisory Committee was gratifying to see that 92% of The majority of responses to the Ralph A. Bradshaw Deputy Chair, Public Affairs Advisory Commit- those who responded are willing to survey were from those would like to tee do this, and 92% are willing to work participate, but don’t really know Shelagh Ferguson-Miller Chair, Publications Committee with ASBMB as issues related to bio- how. It’s not as hard as you might Herbert Tabor medical research funding are taken imagine, and you might really enjoy Editor, JBC Ralph A. Bradshaw up by Congress. it! A detailed set of instructions for Al Burlingame Your comments fell into two cate- how to find your congressional Co-Editors, MCP gories. Many of you are extremely rep[resentative, get in touch with Edward A. Dennis Editor, JLR sophisticated and have worked him or her, and make your case that actively to educate your representa- biomedical research is a good invest- Editorial Advisory Board tives. The most active of you already ment is found on a new web site Irwin Fridovich Richard W. Hanson have long-standing relationships with that ASBMB has put together Bettie Sue Masters your congressional representatives. (www.faseb.org/asbmb/pa/advocacy/ J. Evan Sadler Robert D. Wells Many of you feel that your congress- index.html). Your representative has men and congresswomen are strong a local office, and you can set up a ASBMB Today advocates of biomedical research meeting with the local staff. You can 9650 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD 20814-3996 already. But there were some mem- provide examples from your own Phone: 301-634-7145; Fax: 301-634-7369 bers who are in districts of Bush con- research of the breakthroughs that John Thompson servatives, who felt that nothing may result from it, and the benefits [email protected] Editor could be done to get through to to human health. You should think Nicole Kresge [email protected] them. I would suggest that those are about a concise message, and you Science Editor exactly the most important people to should expect to field hard ques- Nancy J. Rodnan [email protected] Director of Publications keep going after!! I am getting gradu- tions. Certain representatives feel ate students involved in local meet- that the NIH budget is not properly For information on advertising ings with members Congress, and deployed. You can point to the fact contact FASEB AdNet at 800-433-2732 ext. 7157 or 301-634-7157, or they are interested in being involved, that the NIH Reauthorization Act, email [email protected]. as they are very uncertain about the the goal of which is to make sure the 2 ASBMBToday OCTOBER 2006 Dr. Heidi E. Hamm Research Will Not Change on its Own! NIH is as effective as it can be, is now home, campaigning, and wants to struction sector, and those dollars making its way through Congress. Be reach out to his or her constituency. flow through the economy. In addi- prepared to answer the question, You have a great opportunity to tion, there are local tax benefits from “What have we gotten for doubling make the case with him or her that these high-quality jobs. There are the NIH budget?” According to NIH the inflow of NIH dollars locally many intangible returns from bio- Director Elias Zerhouni, “One of the leads to a sizeable economic boost, medical research nationally as well as things that occurred during the dou- the creation of many high-quality locally. We are training the next gen- bling is we added another year to the jobs, and the generation of new, eration of creative scientists, and life expectancy for Americans.” Con- state-of-the-art biomedical research their innovations and breakthroughs sider, too, that there are now 10 mil- buildings. The multiplier effect of in research and technology will help lion cancer survivors living in NIH dollars flowing into a local to maintain our competitiveness in the U.S.; these people and their fami- economy can be substantial (studies the world. Research breakthroughs lies have been touched directly in different states have documented can prevent disease before it strikes, by research. effects of anywhere from 1.6 to 4- impacting positively on the costs of I think there is a common percep- fold) since the people who are hired health care. tion among scientists that they have on new grants are consumers and Mary Wolley of Research!America to go to Washington to meet with spend locally, biomedical supplies wrote this: Every stake-holder in their representatives. But especially and equipment are bought, buildings research should ask themselves now, your representative is often at being built create jobs in the con- whether their own elected representa- tives are on the record as active cur- rent supporters of research. If there is NIH 2006 Budget no active support of those who champion research and no perceived consequence to voting to cut research, and if the voters at home seem to be paying no attention, law- makers will not necessarily vote for research funding. We all must be clear about the political realities of an enterprise that is funded with public dollars and regulated in the public’s interest, but which remains nearly invisible to the public. So please, get to know your congressional represen- tatives, establish a relationship with them and become someone they can turn to when they need information about your university, your medical center, or biomedical research. And Breakdown of the 2006 NIH budget. The RPG portion, 53% this year, is down from a high of 56% educate them about the best invest- in 2001.