November 1994

At a September 9 meeting in Geneva, the 10-member WHO Ad Hoc Committee on Orthopoxvirus Infections unanimously agreed that the potential costs to humanity from biological warfare or inadvertent outbreaks of the disease outweigh its research benefits to Science--especially when there are alternatives to using the live virus for scientific investigations. Advocates of preserving the viral stores argue, however, that given the powerfu

"Gallo's meeting has juice, that's what it's got," declares Cecil H. Fox, an experimental pathologist, biochemist, and 20-year NIH veteran who is now president of Molecular Histology Laboratories Inc., Gaithersburg, Md. "That is, there's a lot of interpersonal contact, there are colorful people that go to it, there are discussions, disagreements, and, frequently, hard feelings and good feelings that come out of it. It's what scienti

Industrial and academic biomedical scientists are increasingly affected by 'competition without the management end' But regardless of their position on the issue, research administrators in industry and academia agree that the United States health-care market is already driving the system toward reform, even without legislation. And in the two years since Bill Clinton became president, they say, these market-influenced changes have

At a September 9 meeting in Geneva, the 10-member WHO Ad Hoc Committee on Orthopoxvirus Infections unanimously agreed that the potential costs to humanity from biological warfare or inadvertent outbreaks of the disease outweigh its research benefits to Science--especially when there are alternatives to using the live virus for scientific investigations. Advocates of preserving the viral stores argue, however, that given the powerfu

"Gallo's meeting has juice, that's what it's got," declares Cecil H. Fox, an experimental pathologist, biochemist, and 20-year NIH veteran who is now president of Molecular Histology Laboratories Inc., Gaithersburg, Md. "That is, there's a lot of interpersonal contact, there are colorful people that go to it, there are discussions, disagreements, and, frequently, hard feelings and good feelings that come out of it. It's what scienti

Industrial and academic biomedical scientists are increasingly affected by 'competition without the management end' But regardless of their position on the issue, research administrators in industry and academia agree that the United States health-care market is already driving the system toward reform, even without legislation. And in the two years since Bill Clinton became president, they say, these market-influenced changes have

From December 10 through 14, organizers expect approximately 7,000 researchers to gather in San Francisco for the 34th annual meeting of the American Society for Cell Biology. More than 2,800 presentations and posters, as well as a trade show representing more than 300 organizations are scheduled. Following are some of the special events scheduled to take place at the convention: Saturday, December 10, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.: P

From December 10 through 14, organizers expect approximately 7,000 researchers to gather in San Francisco for the 34th annual meeting of the American Society for Cell Biology. More than 2,800 presentations and posters, as well as a trade show representing more than 300 organizations are scheduled. Following are some of the special events scheduled to take place at the convention: Saturday, December 10, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.: P

The biomedical-research community--joined by many members of Congress--was overwhelmingly in favor of the amendment. "The support for that bill this year was unlike anything I've seen," says Terry Lierman, president of Washington, D.C.based Capitol Associates Inc., a government-relations firm. But with health-care reform bills taken off the table, at least for the remainder of the year, there is no guarantee that the proposal will p

According to the polling organization, the 1,254 respondents' age, sex, race, education, and region were weighted "to bring them into line with their actual proportions in the population." The margin of error for the survey is approximately 3 percent. Following are highlights of the survey: 91 percent of respondents said they believed the U.S. should spend more on medical research. Given a choice, 61 percent said the country shoul

The biomedical-research community--joined by many members of Congress--was overwhelmingly in favor of the amendment. "The support for that bill this year was unlike anything I've seen," says Terry Lierman, president of Washington, D.C.based Capitol Associates Inc., a government-relations firm. But with health-care reform bills taken off the table, at least for the remainder of the year, there is no guarantee that the proposal will p

According to the polling organization, the 1,254 respondents' age, sex, race, education, and region were weighted "to bring them into line with their actual proportions in the population." The margin of error for the survey is approximately 3 percent. Following are highlights of the survey: 91 percent of respondents said they believed the U.S. should spend more on medical research. Given a choice, 61 percent said the country shoul

Gold in That Thar Crater Where Credits Are Due Garden of E-Mail WHI Expands Survival Center Power Lines Bibliographers' Competition Date: November 14, 1994, pp.25 In today's overpublished research environment, what kind of work captures the world's attention? Los Alamos National Laboratory geologist Fraser Goff has an answer. Last month, at the Geological Society of America's annual meeting in Seattle, he presented a paper report

Gold in That Thar Crater Where Credits Are Due Garden of E-Mail WHI Expands Survival Center Power Lines Bibliographers' Competition Date: November 14, 1994, pp.25 In today's overpublished research environment, what kind of work captures the world's attention? Los Alamos National Laboratory geologist Fraser Goff has an answer. Last month, at the Geological Society of America's annual meeting in Seattle, he presented a paper report

Interview With: FRANKLIN HOKE, pp.12 Date: November 14, 1994 Gallo's Laboratory of Tumor Cell Biology in the National Cancer Institute at the National Institutes of Health developed a blood test to detect HIV antibodies and thus help ensure virus-free blood supplies worldwide. But shortly after the lab's findings were announced, information emerged that researchers in the laboratory of Luc Montagnier at the Institut Pasteur in P

Interview With: FRANKLIN HOKE, pp.12 Date: November 14, 1994 Gallo's Laboratory of Tumor Cell Biology in the National Cancer Institute at the National Institutes of Health developed a blood test to detect HIV antibodies and thus help ensure virus-free blood supplies worldwide. But shortly after the lab's findings were announced, information emerged that researchers in the laboratory of Luc Montagnier at the Institut Pasteur in P

The Scientist, Sept. 19, 1994, page 17). It is indeed exciting to contemplate the convenience of having instantaneous, fingertip access to the Journal of Biological Chemistry, Journal of the American Chemical Society, and other primary-research publications. Of course, major reference works are also available on CD-ROM, such as the Science Citation Index and the Oxford English Dictionary. These are being joined by a growing number o

The Scientist, Sept. 19, 1994, page 17). It is indeed exciting to contemplate the convenience of having instantaneous, fingertip access to the Journal of Biological Chemistry, Journal of the American Chemical Society, and other primary-research publications. Of course, major reference works are also available on CD-ROM, such as the Science Citation Index and the Oxford English Dictionary. These are being joined by a growing number o

The anti-animal research position extolled by Kenneth Stoller (The Scientist, Sept. 5, 1994, page 12) seems rather contradictory in light of his profession. As a pediatrician, he must be aware of the vast amount of animal research that directly affects a newborn's health. The first surgical closure of a patent ductus, which normally closes at birth, was performed using puppies. Without this closure, a "blue" baby lingered and soon d

Paris is not the genius behind this hysterical "beating of the bush," as others--notably the National Association for Biomedical Research--have been making a nice living with the same tactic for years. The simple fact is that most animal-rights activists embrace medical research, though not at the expense of sentient creatures. We are all concerned about our own health and the health of our loved ones; we decry the expenditure of b

The anti-animal research position extolled by Kenneth Stoller (The Scientist, Sept. 5, 1994, page 12) seems rather contradictory in light of his profession. As a pediatrician, he must be aware of the vast amount of animal research that directly affects a newborn's health. The first surgical closure of a patent ductus, which normally closes at birth, was performed using puppies. Without this closure, a "blue" baby lingered and soon d

Paris is not the genius behind this hysterical "beating of the bush," as others--notably the National Association for Biomedical Research--have been making a nice living with the same tactic for years. The simple fact is that most animal-rights activists embrace medical research, though not at the expense of sentient creatures. We are all concerned about our own health and the health of our loved ones; we decry the expenditure of b

Society for Neuroscience 11 Dupont Circle, N.W.Suite 500 Washington, D.C. 20036 Phone: (202) 462-6688 Nancy Beang, executive director Carla Shatz, president 23,000 members International Society for Developmental Neuroscience University of Texas Medical Branch Galveston, Texas 77550-0652 Phone: (409) 772-3667 Fax: (409) 772-8028 E-mail: regino@beach.utmb.edu Arne Schousboe, president Regino Perez-Polo, secretary-general 1,000 m

Society for Neuroscience 11 Dupont Circle, N.W.Suite 500 Washington, D.C. 20036 Phone: (202) 462-6688 Nancy Beang, executive director Carla Shatz, president 23,000 members International Society for Developmental Neuroscience University of Texas Medical Branch Galveston, Texas 77550-0652 Phone: (409) 772-3667 Fax: (409) 772-8028 E-mail: regino@beach.utmb.edu Arne Schousboe, president Regino Perez-Polo, secretary-general 1,000 m

C.F. Lesser, C. Guthrie,"Mutations in U6 snRNA that alter splice-site specificity--implications for the active site," Science, 262:1982-88, 1993. Cammie Lesser (Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco): "Nuclear pre-mRNA splicing is the process by which the introns- -the noncoding portions of precursor mRNAs--are removed and the coding sequences called exons are ligated

K.G. Peters, D. Ornitz, S. Werner, L. Williams, "Unique expression pattern of the FGF receptor 3 gene during mouse organogenesis," Developmental Biology, 155:423-30, 1993. Kevin G. Peters (Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, N.C.): "Members of the fibroblast growth factor (FGF) family are powerful regulators of cell growth and differentiation that stimulate cells by activating spe

J.T. Weeks, O.D. Anderson, A.E. Blechl, "Rapid production of multiple independent lines of fertile transgenic wheat (Triticum aestivum)," Plant Physiology, 102:1077-84, 1993. J. Troy Weeks (United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Western Regional Research Center, Albany, Calif.): "Although wheat was transformed genetically in 1992 (V. Vasil et al., Bio/Technology, 10:667 74, 1992), an improved transf

C.F. Lesser, C. Guthrie,"Mutations in U6 snRNA that alter splice-site specificity--implications for the active site," Science, 262:1982-88, 1993. Cammie Lesser (Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco): "Nuclear pre-mRNA splicing is the process by which the introns- -the noncoding portions of precursor mRNAs--are removed and the coding sequences called exons are ligated

K.G. Peters, D. Ornitz, S. Werner, L. Williams, "Unique expression pattern of the FGF receptor 3 gene during mouse organogenesis," Developmental Biology, 155:423-30, 1993. Kevin G. Peters (Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, N.C.): "Members of the fibroblast growth factor (FGF) family are powerful regulators of cell growth and differentiation that stimulate cells by activating spe

J.T. Weeks, O.D. Anderson, A.E. Blechl, "Rapid production of multiple independent lines of fertile transgenic wheat (Triticum aestivum)," Plant Physiology, 102:1077-84, 1993. J. Troy Weeks (United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Western Regional Research Center, Albany, Calif.): "Although wheat was transformed genetically in 1992 (V. Vasil et al., Bio/Technology, 10:667 74, 1992), an improved transf

"Lots of companies come out with media or reagents for this or that, and make a big splash, but they're all basically derivatives of traditional products," says Hayden Coon, a former National Institutes of Health re-searcher who is the founder of Human Cell Therapies Inc. of Chebeague Island, Maine. Advanced Biotechnologies Inc. Columbia, MD American Qualex Antibodies La Mirada, CA American Type Culture Collection (ATCC) Rockv

"Lots of companies come out with media or reagents for this or that, and make a big splash, but they're all basically derivatives of traditional products," says Hayden Coon, a former National Institutes of Health re-searcher who is the founder of Human Cell Therapies Inc. of Chebeague Island, Maine. Advanced Biotechnologies Inc. Columbia, MD American Qualex Antibodies La Mirada, CA American Type Culture Collection (ATCC) Rockv

Booth Numbers 218, 220, 222 ---- Molecular Dynamics' Vistra FluorImager SI is a system for quantitative analysis of fluorescent gels, blots, thin-layer chromatography (TLC), and microplates. It holds larger samples than can be accommodated in Molecular Dynamics' FluorImager 575 system, the product it replaces. The larger sample capacity allows researchers to use standard, long-format, glasssandwiched gels, which are popular for hum

Booth Numbers 218, 220, 222 ---- Molecular Dynamics' Vistra FluorImager SI is a system for quantitative analysis of fluorescent gels, blots, thin-layer chromatography (TLC), and microplates. It holds larger samples than can be accommodated in Molecular Dynamics' FluorImager 575 system, the product it replaces. The larger sample capacity allows researchers to use standard, long-format, glasssandwiched gels, which are popular for hum

Dorothy Rodmann, a career-services consultant at the Washington, D.C.-based American Chemical Society (ACS), is seeing transitioning becoming a necessity for an increasing number of chemists. "In light of what has been happening in the job market -downsizing and strategic changes in direction [among chemical companies]--many chemists are looking at ways to move in different directions, and use their chemical knowledge and skills, of

Dorothy Rodmann, a career-services consultant at the Washington, D.C.-based American Chemical Society (ACS), is seeing transitioning becoming a necessity for an increasing number of chemists. "In light of what has been happening in the job market -downsizing and strategic changes in direction [among chemical companies]--many chemists are looking at ways to move in different directions, and use their chemical knowledge and skills, of

Thomas Kirk- Former SSC Official Assumes Key Post At National Laboratory Jerome Bert Wiesner - Obituary Date: November 14, 1994, pp.25 Thomas Kirk, the former deputy director of the now-defunct superconducting supercollider (SSC) laboratory in Waxahachie, Texas, has assumed the position of associate director for high energy and nuclear physics at the United States Department of Energy's Brookhaven National Laboratory in Upton, N.

Thomas Kirk- Former SSC Official Assumes Key Post At National Laboratory Jerome Bert Wiesner - Obituary Date: November 14, 1994, pp.25 Thomas Kirk, the former deputy director of the now-defunct superconducting supercollider (SSC) laboratory in Waxahachie, Texas, has assumed the position of associate director for high energy and nuclear physics at the United States Department of Energy's Brookhaven National Laboratory in Upton, N.