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Today’s guest author is Emma Farley, a postdoctoral researcher in Mike Levine’s lab, which recently relocated to Princeton (formerly at University of California, Berkeley). Sea squirts (Ciona intestanalis) are a classic system for the study of development. They were a favorite of early developmental biologists like Laurent Chabry, Ed Conklin, and Thomas Hunt Morgan. Over…

What if we could eradicate malaria by engineering a mosquito population that doesn’t transmit the disease? What if we could control invasive species that outcompete natural populations? What if we could get rid of insecticide-resistant pests not by developing new chemical treatments, but instead by changing the population itself and driving it toward extinction? Although…

This month, the GSA journal GENETICS published an editorial that illuminates the struggles experienced by scientists when trying to both do good science and advance in their career, especially as it relates to the unintended effects of the Journal Impact Factor (JIF). The editorial by Executive Editor Tracey DePellegrin and Editor-in-Chief Mark Johnston is largely intended to…

GENETICS’ publication of WormBook in the 21st century is a perfect partnership, because C. elegans research began in GENETICS with the May 1974 publication of Sydney Brenner’s The Genetics of Caenorhabditis elegans – the foundational article that launched an entire field. Since then, some of the most important papers about C. elegans have appeared in…

The National Science Foundation has funded a new mentoring initiative jointly organized by the GSA, American Society for Cell Biology (ASCB), and American Society of Plant Biologists (ASPB). The Promoting Active Learning & Mentoring (PALM) Network was established to spark sustained biology education reform at diverse institutions through one-on-one long-term mentorships for faculty new to approaches…

Genes to Genomes asked Dr. Carolyn (Lindy) McBride (Princeton University), a recipient of the Rosalind Franklin Award for Young Investigators, to tell us about her research and what it means to receive the award. She was recognized for her Rosalind Franklin Award along with another recipient, Dr. Maria Barna, at the 2015 American Society of Human Genetics…

Scientists are known for being critical thinkers, experimental experts, and data enthusiasts. It’s probably no surprise that many of us are also undeniable nerds. Eric Spana, Assistant Professor of the Practice in Biology at Duke University and long-time GSA member, is no exception. “We all have some type of nerd-ism, whether it’s Harry Potter, Marvel,…

The effects of neurodegenerative diseases can be devastating for patients and their families. In 2007, the United Nations stated that 1 in 6 people in the world are affected by neurological disorders including diseases like Huntington’s, Alzheimer’s, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). With over 600 characterized neurological disorders yet very few treatments, it is imperative…

As trainees navigate through their graduate training and postdoctoral independence, they are exposed to many opportunities that allow them to develop skills that are beneficial to a career at the bench and along the many paths that entwine the scientific enterprise. Dr. Sandlin Seguin is one scientist that is surprised at where she landed, within…

GSA dedicates these inaugural chapters to Bill Gelbart, who is dearly missed, and who will live on in our memories and in our work. Bill was an early enthusiast of the FlyBook project, and without his and Thom Kaufman’s vision to partner with GENETICS, these articles would not have the valuable richness of links to…

GSA is pleased to announce the election of six new members to our Board of Directors. The new Board members will begin their term on January 1, 2016, and will serve for three years. GSA has also issued a press release providing more information about each of the new Board members.   Vice-President (and President-Elect)…