Congratulations to the winners of the Editors’ Choice Awards for outstanding articles published in GENETICS in 2020! The journal’s Editorial Board considered a diverse range of articles, finding many papers worthy of recognition. After much deliberation, they settled on one exceptional article for each of the three award categories: molecular genetics, population and evolutionary genetics, and quantitative genetics. Check out some of the best GENETICS had to offer in 2020, and be sure to browse the full Spotlight collection.
EDITORS’ CHOICE AWARD IN POPULATION AND EVOLUTIONARY GENETICS
Zachary L. Fuller, Spencer A. Koury, Christopher J. Leonard, Randee E. Young, Kobe Ikegami, Jonathan Westlake, Stephen Richards, Stephen W. Schaeffer, and Nitin Phadnis
GENETICS Sep 2020 216: 205-226
The Drosophila pseudoobscura Sex-Ratio (SR) chromosome was one of the first-discovered segregation distorter chromosomes. Despite being a historically significant and well-studied system, the mechanisms allowing for the long-term association of the SR chromosome with multiple nonoverlapping inversions remain unclear. Fuller, Koury et al. perform a comparative study of SR and uninverted standard X- chromosomes in D. pseudoobscura to study the evolutionary history and dynamics of SR chromosomes. Combining the genomics analysis, direct recombination experiments, and population genetic modelling, they demonstrate that SR chromosomes are maintained through a combination of suppressed recombination and epistatic selection.
EDITORS’ CHOICE AWARD IN MOLECULAR GENETICS
Mark Hintze, Sneha L. Koneru, Sophie P. R. Gilbert, Dimitris Katsanos, Julien Lambert and Michalis Barkoulas
GENETICS Apr 2020, 214: 927-939
Developmental phenotypes are often consistent across individuals within a population in the face of environmental and genetic challenges. However, these challenges can exceed the level of system robustness and change developmental outcomes. Hintze et al. use a set of epidermal stem cells in Caenorhabditis elegans to investigate cell fate patterning in response to changes in temperature and genetic background. They find that asymmetric cell divisions shift to symmetric upon temperature increase through changes in the Wnt asymmetry pathway activation. Furthermore, different genetic backgrounds show varying degrees of sensitivity to cell fate errors upon temperature increase.
EDITORS’ CHOICE AWARD IN QUANTITATIVE GENETICS
Alice H. MacQueen, Jeffrey W. White, Rian Lee, Juan M. Osorno, Jeremy Schmutz, Phillip N. Miklas, Jim Myers, Phillip E. McClean and Thomas E. Juenger
GENETICS May 2020 215: 267-284
The Cooperative Dry Bean Nursery has produced a multi-environment phenotype dataset with thousands of phenotypic datapoints measured over many decades. To study stable genetic effects in this dataset, MacQueen et al. conducted a genome-wide association using best linear unbiased predictions derived across years and locations for 21 phenotypes, using genotypic data (1.2M SNPs) for 327 genotypes. They find significant effects for all phenotypes, two genomic regions with significant effects on many phenotypes, and multiple genomic regions previously identified in other genome-wide association work in common bean. Their results demonstrate that multi-environment datasets not designed for genetic work can nonetheless support genetic discovery.
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Thank you, GSA community!
Thank you for being a member of the Genetics Society of America! As GSA’s current president, I am writing to tell you about Society projects and initiatives that we hope you will find useful in advancing your science and your career. Scientific research is a collaborative and exciting endeavor. Scientific societies like GSA exist to…
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Where are they now? Rosalind Franklin Young Investigator Award recipients share updates on their research
Rosalind Franklin Young Investigator Award applications are open–make sure you submit your application or nomination of a colleague by September 30, 2024.
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University of Minnesota researchers map genome of the last living wild horse species
The study, published in G3: Genes|Genomes|Genetics, is part of larger conservation efforts to save Przewalski’s horse.
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Congratulations to the Spring 2024 DeLill Nasser Awardees!
GSA is pleased to announce the recipients of the DeLill Nasser Award for Professional Development in Genetics for Spring 2024! Given twice a year to graduate students and postdoctoral researchers, DeLill Nasser Awards support attendance at meetings and laboratory courses. The award is named in honor of DeLill Nasser, a long-time GSA supporter and National Science Foundation…
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Carolyn Damilola: an NFS Rising Scientist on a lifelong quest to learn more
Carolyn Damilola is an NFS Rising Scientist from Nigeria doing respiratory system research and paving the way for scientists from underrepresented communities through mentorship.
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What does a good microgrant proposal look like?
Members of the Microgrant Review Committee share their tips for a successful proposal.
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The first piece of the facial recognition puzzle
New research in GENETICS gives a first peek at the molecular pathway involved in recognizing faces.
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New Senior Editor Amy MacQueen joins GENETICS
A new senior editor is joining GENETICS in the Genome Integrity and Transmission section. We’re excited to welcome Amy MacQueen to the editorial team.
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Block party on the zebrafish sex chromosome
Research in G3 identifies a gene regulatory block of the zebrafish genome responsible for overseeing the maternal-to-zygotic-transition.
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Unraveling the mysteries of duckweed: epigenetic insights from Spirodela polyrhiza
Research published in G3 offers insight into the impact of DNA methylation on clonal propagation in asexually reproducing plants.
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A microbiologist’s quest to understand CRISPR in bacterial self-defense
2024 Genetics Society of America Medal recipient Luciano Marraffini determined how CRISPR-Cas systems destroy genetic targets with precision, paving the way for gene editing technology development.
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Unlocking mysteries of trait and disease heritability in dogs
2024 Edward Novitski Prize recipient Elaine Ostrander, a pioneer of the domestic dog model, discovered numerous genes affecting dog size, morphology, behavior, and disease susceptibility—many of which have relevance in humans.
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GSA and collaborators Personal Genetics Education & Dialogue and Reclaiming STEM Institute launch NSF-funded BIO-LEAPS project to support culture change in genetics
We are thrilled to announce that the Genetics Society of America (GSA) is collaborating with the Personal Genetics Education & Dialogue (PGED) based in the Department of Genetics at Harvard Medical School, and the Reclaiming STEM Institute (RSI) on a Leading Culture Change Through Professional Societies of Biology (BIO-LEAPS) grant from the U.S. National Science…
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Daman Saluja: Navigating Science and Policy in India
In the Paths to Science Policy series, we talk to individuals who have a passion for science policy and are active in advocacy through their various roles and careers. The series aims to inform and guide early career scientists interested in science policy. This series is brought to you by the GSA Early Career Scientist…
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A fly geneticist’s journey into discovering rules of organ development
2024 George W. Beadle Award recipient Deborah Andrew discovered new genes and pathways in Drosophila salivary gland organogenesis. Now, her work can help optimize cell secretion in therapeutic applications and fight malaria.
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Małgorzata Gazda: How receiving the DeLill Nasser Award helped her land her dream job
Have you ever experienced an event that changes the course of your life, or in this case, your career? Małgorzata (Gosia) Gazda is Assistant Professor at the University of Montreal and in 2022, she received the DeLill Nasser Award for Professional Development in Genetics, which she used to attend and present at the 2022 Population,…
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Hongyu Zhao joins GENETICS as new Senior Editor
A new senior editor is joining GENETICS in the Statistical Genetics and Genomics section. We’re excited to welcome Hongyu Zhao to the editorial team.
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GSA Member Julio Molina Pineda Receives DeLill Nasser Award, Shines at TAGC 2024
“At any career stage, the GSA membership is an amazing investment for any genetics professional!” Julio Molina Pineda is a PhD Candidate in Cell and Molecular Biology and a Research Assistant at the University of Arkansas, and a Doctoral Academy Fellow at the Lewis Lab. In 2023, Julio was awarded the DeLill Nasser Award for…
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In Memoriam: Ellsworth Herman Grell (1932–2023), a pioneer of Drosophila genome engineering and annotation
Ellsworth (Ed) Grell blessed the Drosophila community through three enduring legacies: as a pioneer of chromosome mechanics, as a primary organizer and synthesizer of genetic knowledge in Drosophila, and as a graceful mentor to those fortunate to have known him personally. Ed grew up in rural Nebraska, completed his undergraduate studies at Iowa State, and…
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Congratulations to the #Fungal24 Poster Award winners!
We are pleased to announce the recipients of the GSA Poster Awards for posters presented at the 32nd Fungal Genetics Conference! Undergraduate and graduate student members of GSA were eligible for the awards, and a hard-working team of judges made the determinations. Congratulations to all! Felicia Ebot Ojong, The University of Georgia My research is focused…
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Poster presentation tips for TAGC 2024
You’ve been selected to present a poster at The Allied Genetics Conference 2024 in March—you’ve celebrated, made plans to attend, now what? This is an exciting opportunity to showcase your research and engage with fellow members of the genetics community, so you want to make sure you’re prepared. We wanted to offer you some tips…
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Maximize your TAGC 2024 experience
A guide to all that National Harbor & DC have to offer Are you joining us for The Allied Genetics Conference 2024 in March? Make the most of your #TAGC24 experience in National Harbor! We know the science will keep you busy, but you deserve to unwind and have some fun, so we’ve curated a…
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Early Career Leadership Spotlight: Sarah Petrosky
We’re taking time to get to know the members of the GSA’s Early Career Scientist Committees. Join us to learn more about our early career scientist advocates. Sarah PetroskyMultimedia SubcommitteeUniversity of Pittsburgh Research Interest I am interested in understanding adaptation that has been happening recently in populations by dissecting the ways that genes underlying an adaptation…
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TAGC 2024 Early Career Award Winners
GSA is pleased to announce the winners of the early career awards presented at The Allied Genetics Conference 2024. These awards are specific to particular TAGC communities and recognize early career scientists’ outstanding work on their respective research organisms. The awardees will present their talks in keynote sessions at TAGC 2024. Don’t miss the opportunity…
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Preeminent geneticists recognized with revamped GSA Awards
In 2022, GSA’s Board of Directors launched an audit to review the five major awards conferred by the Society. Today, we are thrilled to announce the recipients of the reimagined GSA Awards, including the new Genetics Society of America Early Career Medal. The scientists honored this year are recognized by their peers for their outstanding…
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Fly Board funds outreach programs to spread the word about Drosophila research
In 2020, the Fly Board voted to use part of its reserve fund to support efforts to increase trainee participation as well as equity and diversity in the Drosophila community. An awards committee decides how the money will be spent each year, and from 2020–2022, the committee posted a very broad call for applications from…
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New members of the GSA Board of Directors: 2024–2026
We are pleased to announce the election of four new leaders to the GSA Board of Directors: 2024 Vice President/2025 President Brenda Andrews Professor, University of Toronto It’s an honor to continue my association with the Society by serving as Vice President of the Board of Directors. I have broad knowledge of the ongoing activities…
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New members of the GSA Board of Directors: 2025–2027
We are pleased to announce the election of six new leaders to the GSA Board of Directors: 2025 Vice President/2026 President Cassandra Extavour Timken Professor of Organismic & Evolutionary Biology and of Molecular & Cellular Biology, Harvard University, and Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator “Read this,” he said, “it will change your life.” My undergraduate…
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Congratulations, Spring 2025 Victoria Finnerty Travel Award recipients!
The Victoria Finnerty Undergraduate Travel Award supports conference-attendance costs for undergraduate GSA members who are presenting research at the Annual Drosophila Research Conference. #Dros25 will be held in San Diego, CA from March 19–23, 2025. Victoria Finnerty, who died in February 2011, was a long-time member of the Genetics Society of America and served the Drosophila community and the genetics community at large in…
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Meet embGAN, a revolution for cell lineage studies
New research in GENETICS reports an automated pipeline for cell lineage tracing that massively reduces manual analysis time.