For this article, James Kling interviewed Eric W. Overström, associate professor biomedical sciences, Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine, North Grafton, Mass. Data from the Web of Science (ISI, Philadelphia) show that Hot Papers are cited 50 to 100 times more often than the average paper of the same type and age. A. Baguisi, E. Behboodi, D.T. Melican, J.S. Pollock, M.M. Destrempes, C. Cammuso, J.L. Williams, S.D. Nims, C.A. Porter, P. Midura, M.J. Palacios, S.L. Ayres, R.S, Den

For this article, James Kling interviewed Masashi Yanagisawa, professor of molecular genetics at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and University of Texas Southwest Medical Center in Dallas. Data from the Web of Science (ISI, Philadelphia) show that this paper has been cited significantly more often than the average paper of the same type and age. T. Sakurai, A. Amemiya, M. Ishii, I. Matsuzaki, R.M. Chemelli, H. Tanaka, S.C. Williams, J.A. Richardson, G.P. Kozlowski, S. Wilson, J.R.S. Arch, R

For this article, James Kling interviewed Thomas Weber, assistant professor in the department of gene therapy and molecular medicine at Mount Sinai School of Medicine. Data from the Web of Science (ISI, Philadelphia) show that this paper has been cited significantly more often than the average paper of the same type and age. T. Weber, B.V. Zemelman, J.A. McNew, B. Westermann, M. Gmachl, F. Parlati, T.H. Söllner, J.E. Rothman, "SNAREpins: minimal machinery for membrane fusion," Cell, 92:759

Call the 1990s the decade of molecular biology and genetics. A healthy chunk of academic funding has gone to these disciplines as they ferret out new genes and molecular mechanisms, and it has everyone talking of the new paradigm in drug discovery. All of those genes and all of that information will make 20th century medicine primitive by 21st century standards. At least that's what some say. Others say drug discovery is at something of a crossroads. The exploding numbers of potential receptor

If biotechnology as a science and as an industry has "grown up" over the past 20 years, the search for a vaccine against the Streptococcus A bacterium may be described as "coming of age." The bacterium presents a serious challenge. In children, it infects the mouth, nose, and throat and can cause the painful inflammation of strep throat. But it can have more dire consequences--if an infected child doesn't receive adequate antibiotic treatment, the infection could find its way into the bloodstre

if (n == null) The Scientist - Neurosciences Offer Researchers Diverse Opportunities The Scientist 13[18]:26, Sep. 13, 1999 Profession Neurosciences Offer Researchers Diverse Opportunities By James Kling Great promise for advances in neuroscience existed at the beginning of the Decade of the Brain. Like most life science disciplines, neuroscience had benefited from huge strides in molecular biology, and many expected neuromuscular diseases such as multipl

Kelly Taylor Not long ago, a young couple entered Deborah Lochner Doyle's office with a dilemma that most people, thankfully, never have to face. Their 6-year-old child had been born with cystic fibrosis (CF), a common genetic disease that results in chronic lung infections and usually kills by the age of 30. The couple had become pregnant again and had come in to have the fetus tested. Though neither parent had CF, both carried one flawed copy of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane receptor

if (n == null) The Scientist - Opportunities Abound in Pharmacogenomics The Scientist 13[10]:16, May. 10, 1999 Profession Opportunities Abound in Pharmacogenomics By James Kling Graphic: Leza Berardone "Have it your way!" proclaim the restaurant chain's ads. What is arguably true for patrons of the fast-food industry is likely inevitable for patients seeking therapy for their illnesses. Pharmacogenomics--the application of genotyping to patient

I remember it clearly. It was a warm Friday evening in August. I stood with a beer in my hand, making small talk at a graduate school party. It wasn't long before a new acquaintance, a student of ethnic music, asked, "What does an organic chemist do?" "Mmm ...," I muttered. I stared intently at my beer, swirled it a bit, and wished fervently for a napkin, a ballpoint pen, and a hard, clear surface to write on. But ... no. Complex drawings and scattershot arrows wouldn't interest her, and I'd h

One year after graduating with a degree in political science, Jim Reddoch caught the molecular biology bug and entered the graduate program at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). Two years into that program, he already had misgivings. Advisers suggested that, once he had a Ph.D., he was virtually assured of an immediate career in academic research. Watching his fellow graduate students finish degrees and search for jobs, "I found that was not the case at all," he recalls. Here's a

Even if you don't work for a company that is about to launch an initial public offering, the stock market can still be alluring as a personal investment opportunity. You know the science, so you should be able to pick the stocks, right? Not so fast, say the experts. No matter how good the science looks, market forces and poor management can drive a promising company--and its stock price--into the ground. Good management can make an average technology profitable, and poor management can make e

HOW IT WORKS: This diagram shows how Genzyme's SAGE method flows from one stage to another. In 1997, Genzyme Corp. of Cambridge, Mass., was shopping for new technology. "We were creating a cancer company, to put together a group of technologies that would give us a gene-based approach to cancer drug discovery," recalls Susan Primrose, director of business development at the now-formed Genzyme Molecular Oncology (GMO) in Framingham, Mass. They found a key to their project in SAGE (Serial Anal

Big Pharma: Big markets. Traditional science. Big future and lofty salaries. Biotech: Lots of competition for smaller markets. Cutting-edge science. Iffy future, but tempting stock options. Such are the widely held perceptions regarding the industry sectors that employ life science researchers. Those perceptions have become clichés, and like all great clichés, they're not altogether accurate--but they do contain a kernel of truth. The real truth is, the maturing biotech industr

STARTED A TREND: Jane Lubchenco and her husband Bruce Menge became pioneers in the fractional tenure-track concept when they accepted positions at Oregon State University. Maybe you're just entering the work force, after four, six, nine, or even more years of post-high school priming. Or maybe you've been working for a few years and you just got wind of a fantastic opportunity you'd like to pursue. If you're the neophyte, now comes the seemingly monumental task of gathering transcripts and r

The biotechnology industry is among the biggest employers of life science professionals, with 140,000 employees generating $17.4 billion of revenue in 1997, according to an industry report by Ernst & Young LLP of Palo Alto, Calif. Since the birth of biotechnology in the 1970s, many of the seminal companies--such as Biogen and Genentech-- have matured into profitable or near- profitable companies. As these companies arose, venture capitalists fell in love with start-up biotechs in the 1980s