JULY 2004 www.asbmb.org Constituent Society of FASEB AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY ALSO IN THIS ISSUE ASBMB Sponsors UN Conference on Cloning Page 2 Report Finds Brighter Prospects For Biotech Page 20 A Message from ASBMB’s New President Judith S. Bond see Page 12 PRESENTING A NEW UNIFIED BIOPOLYMERS BIOPOLYMERS and PEPTIDE SCIENCE— ONLINE SUBMISSION AND PEER REVIEW! PEPTIDE SCIENCE — NEW EDITOR! BIOPOLYMERS The Biospectroscopy and Nucleic Acid Sciences sections are now fully inte- grated into Biopolymers to present a unified publication. Biospectroscopy and nucleic acid science articles will appear regularly in issues of Biopolymers. This truly international journal publishes original research papers on the structure, properties, interactions and assemblies of biomolecules. Biopolymers covers organic and physical chemistry, experimental and theo- retical research, and static and dynamic aspects of structure. Papers from world-renowned laboratories offer the latest research on the development of experimental and theoretical studies of the structure of biologically signifi- cant molecules. PEPTIDE SCIENCE Throughout her distinguished career, Dr. Lila Gierasch, the new Editor of Peptide Science, has used biophysical approaches to explore the relation- ship between amino acid sequence and preferred conformations of peptides and proteins, with an emphasis on the impact of a cellular environment. Current thrusts of her work are the mechanism of folding of a class of pre- dominantly ß-sheet proteins, the structure and function of Hsp-70 molecular chaperones, and the roles of signal sequences in protein targeting. She has effectively utilized synthetic peptides to dissect and probe complex biologi- cal systems. Peptide Science is the sole affiliate Journal of the American Peptide Society. This section of Biopolymers is designed to provide a forum for current topics in peptide research and to publish articles that correlate research results between the subdisciplines of the peptide sciences. Peptide Science will continue to publish reviews on “Current Trends in Peptide Sciences” as well as original research papers. ONLINE SUBMISSION AND PEER REVIEW SYSTEM FOR AUTHORS BIOPOLYMERS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF In taking a step toward facilitating seamless international schol- Murray Goodman arly communication, Biopolymers and Peptide Science offer Department of Chemistry web-based submission and peer review. This process makes it and Biochemistry easier than ever for you to submit a paper to the Journals. The University of California, San Diego For detailed instructions, visit: 6223 Pacific Hall Biopolymers: bip-wiley.manuscriptcentral.com La Jolla, California 92093-0343 Peptide Science: bip-pep-wiley.manuscriptcentral.com [email protected] When submitting Biopolymers manuscripts online, authors will PEPTIDE SCIENCE EDITOR also have the opportunity to designate one of the Biopolymers Lila M. Gierasch Editorial Board Members or Biospectroscopy Editors to man- Department of Biochemistry age the peer review process of their manuscript. and Molecular Biology University of Massachusetts 713G Lederle GRC Tower B Amherst, MA 01003-4510 [email protected] www.interscience.wiley.com www.asbmb.org AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY JULY 2004, Volume 3, Issue 4 features 2 ASBMB Sponsors UN Conference on Human Cloning 4 House Appropriations Process Begins 6 Research!America Promotes Investment in Science 8 Top Institutions Receiving NIH Awards 9 9 Staying on the Path; One Atom at a Time 10 New Research at UNC ON THE COVER: 11 Views from IUBMB/ASBMB 12 A Message From ASBMB’s New President 16 Insulin-Producing Pancreatic Cells Replenished by Duplication 18 New Spin on Spirochetes 20 Report Finds Brighter Prospects for Biotech departments 4 News From the Hill 16 8 NIH News 20 Biotech Business 24 Calendar BRONZE AWARD WINNER 2003 ASBMB Sponsors United Nations ASBMB Council Conference on ‘Human Cloning Officers Judith S. Bond President Bettie Sue Masters Past-President Issues in All its Aspects’ Peggy J. Farnham Secretary Kenneth E. Neet Treasurer By William R. Brinkley, Ph.D., Chair, Public Affairs Advisory Committee, ASBMB Council Members Thomas Blumenthal Councilor he Genetics Policy Institute spinal chord injury. Speakers from the William R. Brinkley Councilor (GPI) hosted a conference on U.S. included Gerald D. Fischbach Joan W. Conaway Councilor T stem cell research to openly from Columbia University, who served Robert A. Copeland Councilor Lila M. Gierasch Councilor discuss the repercussion of an interna- as moderator; Rudolf Jaenisch, White- Frederick P. Guengerich Councilor tional ban on therapeutic cloning and head Institute, whose research has res- William J. Lennarz Councilor to draw a clear distinction between cued mice with genetic defects Peter J. Parker Councilor cloning of human beings (reproductive through therapeutic cloning and gene William S. Sly Councilor William L. Smith Councilor cloning) vs this potential life-saving therapy; Douglas A. Melton, Harvard, a methodology of therapeutic cloning. noted authority on stem cell technol- Ex-Officio Members George M. Carman The meeting was organized by lawyer ogy; Camillo Rocordi of the Diabetes Chair, Meetings Committee Bernard Segal, Executive Director of Institute, University of Florida; John Cecile Rochette-Egly Dennis R. Voelker GPI, who succeeded in bringing some Wagner of the University of Min- Co-chairs, 2005 Program Committee of the world’s most renown investiga- nesota; and William Dalton Dietrich, J. Ellis Bell Chair, Education and Professional tors on this topic to New York for this Miami Project to Cure Paralysis,Uni- Development Committee landmark meeting on June 2, 2004. “A versity of Miami School of Medicine. William R. Brinkley Chair, Public Affairs Advisory Committee UN vote to ban this important scien- Other U.S. speakers included Lawrence Peter A. Rubenstein tific research would be tragic and S. B. Goldstein, UC San Diego, a very Chair, Publications Committee would destroy the hopes of millions active member of the American Society Phillip A. Ortiz Chair, Minority Affairs Committee suffering from Alzheimer’s, diabetes, for Cell Biology in the science policy Herbert Tabor cancer , spinal cord injuries, heart dis- arena, who presented an excellent Editor, JBC Ralph A. Bradshaw ease, ALS, and other devastating condi- overview of human cloning and stem Editor, MCP tions for which no cure is known,” said cell biology at the opening of the con- Edward A. Dennis Editor, JLR Segal. Christopher Reeve addressed the ference; and Dr. Gerald Schatten of gathering via a taped commentary and the University of Pittsburgh School of ASBMB Today is a monthly publication urged everyone to do everything possi- Medicine who is recognized interna- of The American Society for ble to support stem cell research and to tionally for his work on primate repro- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology persuade the UN not to prohibit this duction and stem cell technology. Editorial Advisory Board vital area of research. This was, by far, the most effective Irwin Fridovich I attended the one-day meeting for public policy forum on stem cells that I Richard W. Hanson President Bettie Sue Masters, who was have attended and the program Bettie Sue Masters Evan J. Sadler unable to participate. ASBMB was rec- attracted world-wide participation. Robert D. Wells ognized as one of the sponsors of this Speakers were factual, but careful not to Comments meeting which featured speakers such over-sell this promising technology. Please direct any comments or questions as “Dolly” cloner Ian Wilmut, of the Each speaker was especially cautious to concerning ASBMB Today to: Roslin Institute in the United King- define SCNT and stem cell methodology John D. Thompson dom, Shin-Yong Moon and Woo Suk accurately, and to state clearly that legiti- Editor, ASBMB Today Hwang of Seoul National University in mate scientists around the world are 9650 Rockville Pike Bethesda, MD 20814-3996 the Republic of Korea. The latter two totally and unequivocally opposed to Phone: 301-634-7145; Fax: 301-634-7126 investigators were the first to clone a reproductive cloning of human babies. E-mail: [email protected] human embryo and to legitimize the On the positive side, with the remark- For information on advertising application of somatic nuclear transfer able findings by the Koreans, the genie is contact FASEB AdNet at 800-433-2732 ext. 7157 or 301-634-7157, or (SCNT) for the production of human out of the bottle–SCNT and stem cells, email [email protected]. stem cells to use to successfully repair Continued on page 4 2 ASBMBToday JULY 2004 ISEISE Presents Two New Events For 2004! CBA-2004 ISEISE TTraining Courses in Drug Development 1st1st InternaInternational Conference on Cell Based Development Dr. Christopher A. Lipinski Assays for Drug Discovery & Development: Adjunct Senior Research Fellow, Pfizer Global R&D, Groton New London Labs (Groton, CT) Applications of Primary Cell Cultures, Engineered Cells, and Dr. Albert P. Li High Throughput Approaches for the Drug Efficacy, Metabolism, Founding Chairman, President & CEO; Advanced Pharmaceutical and Toxicity Evaluation Sciences, Inc. (Baltimore, MD) September 20-21, 2004 August 5-6, 2004 Renaissance Philadelphia Hotel Airport; Philadelphia, PA, USA San Francisco Marriott Hotel; San Francisco, CA, USA Monday, September 20, 2004 Tuesday, September 21, 2004 Thursday, August 5, 2004 Friday, August 6, 2004 Session 1: Primary and Session 2: High Throughput