Every year, taxpayers provide billions of dollars earmarked for biomedical research. What do they get back? KERRY GRENS explores the economic returns on research. Plus, economist ADAM JAFFE explains why doubling the NIH budget actually hurts researchers.

A few years ago, a research organization founded by Sydney Brenner decided to pool all its resources into studying one pathway in yeast. EDYTA ZIELINSKA visits Molecular Sciences Institute in Berkeley, California, to see if that decision paid off. Plus, read how losing four fingers off his left hand as a child didn't stop one scientist from continuing to experiment.

Trials of a neuroprotective agent were supposed to follow standards that would give clinical testing a better chance of success. ANDREA GAWRYLEWSKI tries to figure out why it failed. Plus, how gender can play havoc with results in animal trials.

As trials get underway, Peter Hotez and his colleagues are hoping their vaccine will put an end to a parasite's evasive immune maneuvers ? and its devastating morbidity. MERRILL GOOZNER travels to remote areas of Brazil to discover more.