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Geneticists increasingly depend on highly specialized software and databases. Although it is vital to the field that these resources be well documented and their benefits widely disseminated, reports of new software and databases don’t always fit the mold of a typical research paper. The structure of a conventional research article forces authors to present their…

For the past 20 years, Ahna Skop has organized the Worm Art Show at the 21st International C. elegans Conference. These are the winners from #Worm17, which was held in June 2017 at UCLA. Click on any image to view it full size. Best In Show “Do you expect me to talk?” Beata Mierzwa (BeataScienceArt.com), Oegema and Desai Lab…

For people with alcohol dependence, withdrawal symptoms can cause relapse. Some physical symptoms—such as seizures, delirium tremens, and heart rhythm abnormalities—can be fatal, but even non-life-threatening symptoms like anxiety and confusion can trigger relapse. The changes in the nervous system that underlie withdrawal symptoms may involve ion channels in the Slo family. The function of…

In critical situations, communication can mean the difference between life and death. If our house goes up in flames, we don’t need to smell smoke to be alarmed as long as someone yells, “Fire!” This isn’t unique to humans; even creatures with much less sophisticated means of sharing information have ways of telling each other…

We are pleased to announce the GSA Poster Award winners from the 21st International C. elegans Conference! Undergraduate and graduate student members of the GSA were eligible for the awards, and a hard-working team of judges made the determinations. Congratulations to all!     Cell Biology GSA Winner Vivek Dwivedi, Massachusetts Institute of Technology “Regulation of Cell Extrusion by…

We’re taking time over the following weeks to get to know the participants in the GSA’s Early Career Scientist Leadership Program. Join us every week to learn more about our early career scientist advocates.           Aleeza Gerstein Liaison, Communication & Outreach Subcommittee University of Minnesota Research Interest: My research is driven…

Every two years, the GSA is proud to support the C. elegans research community as they come together to share their science and their infectious enthusiasm. Last week, the 21st International C. elegans Conference enjoyed beautiful Los Angeles weather and an abundance of cutting-edge biology. For those missing their worm friends already, and for those who couldn’t make it…

Palm fronds crunch under a researcher’s foot as she hikes through a rainforest in Madagascar looking for a spot to release a tiny, omnivorous ball of fur with bulging eyes—a mouse lemur. This creature, the smallest type of primate, is an important research subject: it has just yielded a blood sample, skin cells, and an…

Whether a thunderclap drives your dog to cower behind the couch or leaves it unfazed may be determined in part by genetics. In the June issue of GENETICS, Ilska et al. analyze genetic contributors to canine personality traits—such as fear of loud noises—using owners’ reports of their pets’ behavior. The researchers chose this survey-based method…

We’re taking time over the following weeks to get to know the members of the GSA’s Early Career Scientist Committees. Join us every week to learn more about our early career scientist advocates.           Didem Sarikaya Co-chair, Career Development Subcommittee University of California, Davis Research Interest: I’m interested in understanding how…

As in real estate, so in cell biology: location is key. Knowing where a protein localizes in a cell gives insight into its function, and new research published in G3 describes a method to accurately identify a protein’s subcellular localization through high-throughput microscopy and machine learning. To determine a protein’s subcellular localization, researchers can tag…