Sugar Metabolism Gone Awry

Certain immune cells keep adipose tissue in check by helping to define normal and abnormal physiological states.

Can emulating our early human ancestors make us healthier?

Puerto Rican businesses and residents come together to support the genomic sequencing of the island’s only native parrot species, hoping to help protect the endangered bird.

By tapping local knowledge among African pastoralists and veterinarians, researchers successfully eradicated a deadly livestock virus—and are looking to replicate their success to halt other epidemics.

Undergraduate students delve into genomics and synthetic biology thanks to a new breed of technologically advanced courses.

A graduate student rediscovers a snail species officially declared extinct in 2000.

A precision microfluidic system enables single-cell analysis of growth and division.

A hormone called jasmonate mediates plants' responses to touch and can boost defenses against pests.

A protein called Coco rouses dormant breast cancer cells in the lung.

The poxvirus stockpiles genes when it needs to adapt.

While exploring the genetics of a rare type of tumor, Stephen Baylin discovered an epigenetic modification that occurs in most every cancer—a finding he’s helping bring to the clinic.

Senior Scientist, Millennium Pharmaceuticals: The Takeda Oncology Company Age: 39

Cell-based assays are popular for high-throughput screens, where they strike a balance between ease of use and similarity to the human body that researchers aim to treat.

A guide to some new and improved high-content screening systems

December 2012's selection of notable quotes

Unusual Creatures, Extinct Boids, The Mating Lives of Birds and A World in One Cubic Foot

The role of field biologists is changing as conservation biology evolves and ecological challenges mount.

Researchers at Cambridge recreate an experiment first performed by Charles Darwin to understand how humans interpret facial expressions.

Meet some of the people featured in the December 2012 issue of The Scientist.

To successfully use a patient’s genetic makeup in a clinical setting, we must better understand the incredible diversity of human genomes.
 

Genome sequencing: it’s not for everyone

Apps and software for improving lab productivity