ASCB DECEMBER 2013 NEWSLETTER VOLUME 36, NUMBER 11 Science Hack Day TINA HAN WINS ASCB KALUZA PRIZE Page 12 supported by Beckman Coulter see page 5 for details Scientific ASCB Task Force Spots Three Publishing and Opportunities for the Next Stem the Challenge of Reproducibility Cell Revolution Page 17 A task force organized by the ASCB to consider the next scientific steps in the stem cell revolution unveiled its preliminary report on Acting Locally to Friday, November 15. The report highlighted three opportunities for using cultured human Support DORA embryonic and human induced pluripotent Page 46 (iPS) stem cells in both human and animal model systems. The ASCB Stem Cell Task Force predicted that the greatest scientific payoff for stem cell research in the next few years would Inside come from strengthening our basic knowledge of cell and developmental biology, from President’s Column 3 better understanding genetic variation within ASCB Stem Cell Task Force chair Larry Goldstein ASCB Kaluza Prize Winner 5 and between species, and finally from taking Did You Know...? 7 advantage of what’s already been learned from stem cell biology about biological mechanisms ASCB Donates CellScopes 8 to construct artificial or enhanced organs. The report, after being presented to a gathering of scientists in a downtown Bethesda, MD, hotel, was immediately posted for comment at www. We Are Research Winners 10 ascb.org/stemcellrevolution. Local Meeting Highlights 11 Stem Cells, continued on page 23 WICB Column 17 Public Policy Briefing 23 ASCB Offers Biotech Course for 2013 Annual Meeting Program 26 Annual Meeting Supporters 30 Students and Postdocs Corporate Members 31 iBiology Update 33 ASCB is delighted to announce an exciting opportunity LSE Table of Contents 34 for students and postdocs interested in careers in the Top Stories from Post and Blogs 37 biotech industry. ASCB will be offering a new course Cell Sightings 39 in 2014—Managing Science in the Biotech Industry: An Highlights from MBoC 40 Intensive Course for Students and Postdocs. With generous funding from EMD Millipore, it will be held June 16– Grants & Opportunities 42 27, 2014, at the Keck Graduate Institute (KGI) in Meetings Calendar 42 Claremont, CA. Members in the News 43 2013 Member Gifts 44 Biotech Course, continued on page 6 Dear Labby 46 Students participating in a KGI course in 2012 The iMIC Live Cell Microscope One Solution for All Fluorescence Applications The iMIC digital light microscope supports all fluorescence applications with millisecond response times. And, with its adaptable design the instrument can easily and quickly be configured to match changing experimental needs. Visit FEI, booth #417 at the ASCB in New Orleans to see the space-compatible iMIC fluorescence microscope Learn more at FEI.com/Live-Cell-Imaging Explore. Discover. Resolve. The American Society PRESIDENT’S Column for Cell Biology 8120 Woodmont Avenue, Suite 750 Bethesda, MD 20814-2762, USA Tel: 301-347-9300 Fax: 301-347-9310 The Honor of Serving ASCB [email protected], www.ascb.org Stefano Bertuzzi by Don Cleveland Executive Director Officers I write my last column as ASCB President on policy making, and the corporate sector. We the eve of our Annual Meeting this year in New intend to address that gap. Don W. Cleveland President Jennifer Lippincott-Schwartz President-Elect Orleans. It’s been a great year, and it’s going to Indeed, one further step in this direction was Ronald Vale Past President be a great meeting. ASCB’s establishment this year of its Committee Thoru Pederson Treasurer on Postdocs and Students (COMPASS). Kathleen J. Green Secretary Under the co-leadership of Jessica There’s a Lot Happening Council in New Orleans Polka and Ted Ho, COMPASS The Annual Meeting gets off has given our younger members an Sue Biggins David Botstein to a fabulous start with our ever-present voice at the table in the meetings of the Council. And A. Malcolm Campbell Keynote speakers, Elaine Fuchs Martin Chalfie and Craig Venter, two visionaries they have been very active. Their Benjamin S. Glick in modern science. If you haven’t stated goals are to provide more Daniel Kiehart heard either of them speak opportunities for young scientists Akihiro Kusumi to pursue careers in nonacademic Ruth Lehmann before (or even if you have), Laura M. Machesky make an extra special effort to be settings; engage and inform ASCB Mark Peifer there. You’re in for a treat. students and postdocs; reach out to James H. Sabry Don Cleveland And on Monday evening society, students, and non-ASCB cell Yixian Zheng we will have another very special event: Two biologists to tell them about science longtime lions of ASCB will—on their way back and the ASCB; and promote social interactions The ASCB Newsletter is published 11 times per year from Stockholm, no less!—tell us about the among ASCB members. Some of COMPASS’s specific accomplishments have included by The American Society work for which they received the 2013 Nobel for Cell Biology. Prize in Physiology or Medicine. Don’t miss this launching a very popular blog, revamping the W. Mark Leader Editor opportunity to hear Jim Rothman and Randy ASCB Ambassadors program, and creating the Annual Meeting Buddy Program to help first- Johnny Chang Production Manager Schekman. Kevin Wilson Public Policy Director Under the leadership of Program Chair time attendees get the most out of the Annual John Fleischman Senior Science Writer Arshad Desai, in New Orleans we will continue Meeting. Christina Szalinski Science Writer two threads begun at the San Francisco Thea Clarke Director, Communications and Education meeting in 2012 (Cell Biology and the Physical Partnering with Industry in Support Sciences and Cell Biology and Medicine) with of Science Advertising a continuous string of activities throughout the Another exciting event at the Annual The deadline for advertising is the meeting. We’ve also added a very important Meeting will be the presentation of our first day of the month preceding the new thread: Professional Development, which newly inaugurated award for extraordinary cover date. For information contact Advertising Manager Ed Newman, will include workshops on college teaching and research achievement during a graduate [email protected]. careers away from the bench; sessions on how career. This $5,000 prize—the ASCB Kaluza to get into graduate school (plus the Graduate Prize supported by Beckman Coulter— ASCB Newsletter ISSN 1060-8982 School Fair); presentations on how to get a will be presented just prior to the Keith R. Volume 36, Number 11 postdoc position, a faculty position, or a job at Porter Lecture on Sunday evening (see p. 5). December 2013 a primarily undergraduate institution; sessions We received a large number of applications © 2013 The American Society for Cell on grant-writing and on funding and research describing some amazing achievements. I know Biology. Copyright to the articles is held opportunities in Brazil, China, Europe, India, firsthand; I’ve read all 154 of them. We will also by the author or, for staff-written articles, and the United States; and the popular one- honor the nine winners of the ASCB Beckman by the ASCB. The content of the ASCB Newsletter is available to the public under on-one CV review and mentoring advice in the Coulter Distinguished Graduate Student an Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike Career Center. There will be sessions every day Achievement Prizes. Unported Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/ devoted to career opportunities for PhDs in the The Kaluza Prize is one example of what by-nc-sa/3.0). 21st century. ASCB recognizes that students ASCB is able to achieve by forming partnerships Postmaster: Send change of address to: and postdocs don’t always have access to optimal with industry. ASCB and Beckman Coulter ASCB Newsletter The American Society for Cell Biology advice on scientific careers in public service, created this prize because of their mutual 8120 Woodmont Avenue, Suite 750 Bethesda, MD 20814-2762, USA DECEMBER 2013 ASCB NEWSLETTER 3 interest in supporting excellence in science. Stefano has also led ASCB in reporting, Another important industry partnership, collecting, and analyzing the latest scientific with EMD Millipore, will enable ASCB news, along with new developments in and the Keck Graduate Institute to offer science policy, science education, scientific an intensive course for ASCB student and training, federal and local science funding, postdoc members who want to explore careers diversity, global science, and emerging issues. in industry. Managing Science in the Biotech Stefano is a great believer in science education Industry will be offered June 16–27, 2014, at and communications. He believes that new the Keck Graduate Institute technologies and the ASCB’s in Claremont, CA. The course inherent strong scientific will introduce PhD scientists Another exciting backbone will let us “cover” to available career options and cell biology in a new way. As the culture and infrastructure of event at the a part of this, ASCB has also life science companies through Annual Meeting enhanced its presence on social MBA-style case-based teaching, will be the media, mostly thanks to the professional development efforts of a newly hired PhD in workshops, and a team-based presentation the National Office, Christina project. Students will learn how of our newly Szalinski. And you can see the to conduct research in industry changes on the reconstructed and how industry thinks about inaugurated award ASCB website. We think it’s science. Full scholarships are for extraordinary so good that you will feel the available thanks to generous need to bookmark the ASCB funding from EMD Millipore. research homepage (www.ascb.org) on See p. 1 for details. achievement your browser. That’s one of our during a graduate goals: ASCB wants to be part 2013 Brought of your year-round scientific New Twists on career.