Top 5 Grouches of 2005

To close out the year, in this issue on page 14 we review major research developments in 2005, and on page 18 we discuss the issues that have had an impact on infrastructure and business in the life sciences. As ever, science marches on.But it has not all been plain sailing. Here is a selection of quotes that illustrate my top five grumbles, controversies, and setbacks of the year.1. Let's start with a scalding comment on a hot area of research, systems biology from straight-talking Dutchman Ronald Plasterk: "The fundamental misconception of systems biology advocates is that one could create a 'virtual cell,' and use big computers to model life and make discoveries. ... a role. One makes discoveries by watching, working, checking. They want to be Darwin, but do not want to waste years on the Beagle. They want sex but no love, icing but no cake. Scientific pornography."Is he serious? Check the Nov. 8, 2005, issue of Current Biology for more perspectives from Plasterk.12. Next, a chilling reminder of the ongoing threat to academic freedom. Thomas Butler, the plague researcher convicted of illegally shipping plague samples and for defrauding the university in unrelated consulting for drug companies, lost his appeal in October, sparking impotent fury in the science community. "I'm bitterly disappointed but still confident in the American judicial system. This will go to the next level," Peter Agre, a 2003 Nobel laureate in chemistry and a former student of Butler's, told The Scientist when we reported the verdict.23. Beware, fraudsters are among us. Learning of alleged misconduct at MIT, Isabel Merida of the National Biotechnology Center in Madrid, whose publications cited some of the findings under investigation, told The Scientist: "In somebody with such a broad number of scientific contributions ... [this] is really scary. It represents a terrible loss of time and money trying to reproduce experiments which are not true."34. How are decisions about what gets published in top journals being made? Take this comment from Roland Carlstedt, chair of the American Board of Sport Psychology, on studies investigating whether certain uniform colors give sports teams an advantage: "Nonparametric and posthoc retrospective analyses are at the lowest level in the evidence hierarchy. They could easily have tested their theories in an experimental manner, rather than speculate about it ... that's what should be getting into Nature."45. Lastly, an honorable mention for the good old British tabloids. In November two of them, The News of the World and The Mail on Sunday, broke the story of Andrew Stimpson, described as "the first in the world to be cured of HIV."56 The seroconversion from HIV positive to negative was a "sensational development" that "dumbfounded doctors" and was "medically remarkable," according to The News. The Mail had a more realistic appraisal, noting that the patient needed further assessment. Prize for hyperbole went to the spokesperson for an HIV charity who suffered a dose of tabloidese: "It's the statistical equivalent of going to the moon without a spaceship. HIV researchers will be jumping up and down about this."Clearly, change is needed, which brings me to some news: This is the final issue of The Scientist in fortnightly format. Come January 2006, we will emerge like a butterfly from the pupa, transformed into a dazzling monthly publication. Never mind the lack of seasonality of the image – you get the picture. Our Web site will metamorphose, too. We look forward to serving you then. Meantime, enjoy the holidays.

Top 5 Grouches of 2005

we discuss the issues that have had an impact on infrastructure and business in the life sciences. As ever, science marches on.

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