Features
Underground Supermodels
Thomas J. Park and Rochelle Buffenstein | Jun 1, 2012 | 10+ min read
What can a twentysomething naked mole-rat tell us about fighting pain, cancer, and aging?
Targeting DNA
Jef Akst | Jun 1, 2012 | 10+ min read
After 20 years of high-profile failure, gene therapy is finally well on its way to clinical approval.
Best Places to Work Industry, 2012
The Scientist | Jun 1, 2012 | 10+ min read
Much has changed in the 10 years since our first survey of industry researchers. Large companies are now looking to small, nimble ones for services as well as innovation.
Editorial
Avant-Garde Science
Avant-Garde Science
Why naked mole-rats and experimental gene therapies remind me of groundbreaking artists.
Speaking of Science
Speaking of Science
Speaking of Science
June 2012's selection of notable quotes
Notebook
Finding Phasmids
Finding Phasmids
Researchers rediscover a giant insect, thought to have gone extinct a century ago, and plan to reintroduce it to its native island off the coast of Australia.
A Can of Worms
A Can of Worms
Scientists at the American Museum of Natural History use DNA barcoding to show that even sardines infected with nematodes can still be kosher.
From Bones to Brains
From Bones to Brains
With the help of a mother, one researcher uncovered a common link between autism and a devastating bone disease.
Space Rocks
Space Rocks
Orbiting ultrasound machines are being used to diagnose and treat astronauts' kidney stones.
Critic at Large
Regulations for Biosimilars
Regulations for Biosimilars
As biologic drug patents begin to expire, generic versions will hit the market—but how will they be regulated?
Food for Thought
Food for Thought
Plant research remains grossly underfunded, despite the demand for increased crop production to support a growing population.
Modus Operandi
Tracing the Ephemeral
Tracing the Ephemeral
A novel reporter system can track the ever-changing levels of the plant signal auxin with great precision.
The Literature
Grading on the Curve
Grading on the Curve
Actin filaments respond to pressure by forming branches at their curviest spots, helping resist the push.
Interfering with Resistance
Interfering with Resistance
Drug efficacy and resistance mechanisms shine a light on how drugs enter cells, which could facilitate the development of new sleeping-sickness treatments.
Growing Human Eggs
Growing Human Eggs
Germline stem cells discovered in human ovaries can be cultured into fresh eggs.
Profiles
Hacking the Genome
Hacking the Genome
In pondering genome structure and function, evolutionary geneticist Laurence Hurst has arrived at some unanticipated conclusions about how natural selection has molded our DNA.
Scientist to Watch
Sohini Ramachandran: Population Tracker
Sohini Ramachandran: Population Tracker
Assistant Professor, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Brown University. Age: 30
Lab Tools
Sons of Next Gen
Sons of Next Gen
New innovations could bring tailored, fast, and cheap sequencing to the masses.
Microbiology Goes High-Tech
Microbiology Goes High-Tech
Out with toothpicks and pipettors; in with automation.
Careers
Motivate Your Lab
Motivate Your Lab
How to run an efficient and creative lab without micromanaging
Reading Frames
Migration: Micro and Macro
Migration: Micro and Macro
Biology and history both tell us that life began with migration: from cells to sharks, hummingbirds to human beings, life migrates for three reasons—survival, protection, and reproduction.
Foundations
The Blood Exchange, Circa 1930
The Blood Exchange, Circa 1930
Early 20th century cross circulation experiments on dogs paved the way for milestones in human cardiac surgery.
Slideshows
Discovering Phasmids
Discovering Phasmids
Shortly after a rat infested supply ship ran around in Lord Howe Island off the east coast of Australia in 1918, the newly introduced mammals wiped out the island's phasmids—stick insects the size of a human hand.
Surgical Art
Surgical Art
In 1929 and 1930, Johns Hopkins Medical School surgeon Warfield Firor carried out a series of experiments to determine how long blood could flow between animals with joined circulatory systems. Without using any anti-coagulants, Firor attempted to es
Best in Industry, 2012
Best in Industry, 2012
Whether working for a pharmaceutical giant or a biotech start-up with a unique vision, researchers who responded to this year’s Best Places to Work in Industry survey are translating society’s most pressing scientific needs into a new generation of drugs, research tools, and cutting-edge innovations.
Capsule Reviews
Capsule Reviews
Capsule Reviews
The Aha! Moment, Imagine, Ignorance, and The Age of Insight
Infographics
Digging the Underground Life
Digging the Underground Life
A rare peek inside the subterranean home of the naked mole-rat
Pain Free
Pain Free
One of the naked mole-rat’s amazing qualities is the reduced ability to feel certain kinds of pain.
Delivering New Genes
Delivering New Genes
Gene therapies typically involve the introduction of genetic material into target cells to replace or supplement an existing, usually dysfunctional, gene.
Messing with HIV
Messing with HIV
Sangamo Biosciences is putting a different spin on gene therapy.
Contributors
Contributors
Contributors
Meet some of the people featured in the June 2012 issue of The Scientist.