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October 1, 2014 | ||
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| Society News Today is your last chance to nominate an outstanding researcher or educator for one of GSA's 2015 awards! Submitting a nomination only takes a few minutes. Help us give your colleagues the recognition they deserve, and help us to honor a diverse sample of the genetics community!  Calling all Drosophilists: Registration and abstract submission is now open for the 56th Annual Drosophila Research Conference! The meeting will be held March 4–8, 2015 in Chicago and features a stellar lineup including GSA member Allan Spradling as the keynote speaker. Claim your early discounted registration today!Some great coverage of the 15th International Xenopus Conference organized by GSA this August is featured on the Node, written by GSA member and postdoc Gary McDowell (@BiophysicalFrog ). GSA is accepting renewals for the 2015 membership year. We’ve given you some motivation to renew early, including prizes you can win if you join or renew before November 15. New for 2015, GSA has added a membership category for K–12 teachers and community college faculty: please reach out to the educators you know and invite them to join the GSA community. [more…]
The GSA Journals  FlyBook: GSA is pleased to announce a multi-year project to publish FlyBook, a comprehensive compendium of review articles presenting the current state of knowledge in Drosophila research. Beginning in early 2015, the articles will be published as a special collection in GENETICS, reflecting the Society's commitment to supporting fundamental research in model systems. At the helm of FlyBook are co-Editors-in-Chief Lynn Cooley (Yale Univ), R. Scott Hawley (Stowers Inst for Med Res), and Teri Markow (Univ of California, San Diego), who will collaborate with a select group of subject leaders acting as Section Editors. [more…]Multiparental Populations (MPP) Collection: Over the last decade, several prominent MPPs have been developed in model organisms, including the Drosophila Synthetic Reference Population, the Arabidopsis Multiparent Advanced Generation Inter-Cross (MAGIC) population, and the Collaborative Cross/Diversity Outbred mice. Agricultural geneticists have also been taking increasing advantage of the approach, with many crop MPPs under development or in use. To encourage innovation and set standards in this rapidly-developing research landscape, the GSA journals have launched an ongoing thematic collection on multiparental populations. The September issues of GENETICS and G3 feature 18 articles from the collection, along with an editorial that discusses promoting community science via society journals, authored by editors DJ de Koning (Swedish Univ of Agricultural Sciences) and Lauren M. McIntyre (Univ of Florida). [more...] CRISPR Cleans Up: A versatile new CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing strategy allows mutation, tagging, and gene deletion in C. elegans without the use of co-integrated markers or long homology arms, report Paix et al. in an article published Early Online in GENETICS. The strategy can be easily scaled up, and should allow systematic construction of precise ORF deletions and reporter fusions for every gene in the C. elegans genome, which has not previously been feasible for an animal model. [more...] The Saccharomyces Genome Database (SGD) recently blogged about a GENETICS paper: "Just like people, different strains of S. cerevisiae get 'drunk' more or less easily," they note, describing a study by Lewis and coworkers which delves into the genetic basis of alcohol tolerance in yeast. Have a timely result that you want you to publish quickly? Think GENETICS' Communications! GENETICS' new Communications article type provides a format for expedited publication of particularly significant and timely observations or advances. Communications receive the same rigorous peer review as Investigations, but ensure that authors can share time-sensitive results as fast as possible. Authors must submit a pre-submission inquiry that includes an abstract and a cover letter detailing why the findings are particularly significant and timely. For more information, please read the Instructions for Authors or contact the GENETICS editorial office at genetics-gsa@thegsajournals.org. |
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Members in the News
Congratulations to Jason Stajich (Univ of California, Riverside) for winning one of the National Science Foundation's first Genealogy of Life (GoLife) Awards! NSF has awarded $7.4 million in GoLife grants to support investigations of the evolutionary history of all species' lineages. Jason's research will focus on the study of zygomycete biodiversity. Yeast, the final frontier: GSA member and G3 Associate Editor Corey Nislow (Univ of British Columbia) is regularly sending yeast to space to study genetic and cellular responses to microgravity and cosmic radiation. By using the yeast genome-wide deletion collection, these experiments should also help to enhance our understanding of the molecular basis of earthly processes like DNA damage. NIH has just awarded $35 million to support Centers for Collaborative Research in Fragile X to better understand Fragile X-associated disorders and to work toward developing effective treatments. Among the recipients is GSA member Stephen T. Warren (Emory Univ), whose team will use patient genome sequencing to identify whether additional genes may affect an individual's likelihood of developing certain health problems associated with FMR1 mutations. Education and Professional Development
The National Science Foundation has issued a challenge for "students enrolled in community colleges to propose STEM-based solutions to perplexing, real-world problems." Students are asked to help with topical issues such as big data, sustainability, and improving STEM education. The deadline for submission of ideas is January 15, 2015, and the winners will receive professional coaching and cash prizes. Inclusive science is better science: an in-depth collection of articles by Scientific American and Nature Publishing Group investigates the connections between diversity and research and addresses persistent misconceptions. The series underscores the importance of diversity for excellence in science and innovation. The LGBT community is also discussed; although promising shifts in attitude and infrastructure are in play, it may be a long time before LGBT individuals feel accepted in science. Additional data collection and outreach efforts by scientists could help to address the challenges they face. Funding, Fellowships, and Awards The Simons Foundation has launched its Early Career Investigator in Microbial Ecology and Evolution Awards program. These awards aim to help launch and support the careers of outstanding young investigators who use quantitative approaches to study marine microbial ecology and evolution. Applicants must have held a tenure-track, tenured, or equivalent position for between three and eight years and currently hold such a position at a U.S. institution. Applications are due October 15, 2014. Nominations are being accepted until October 15, 2014, for the AAAS Early Career Award for Public Engagement with Science. This award recognizes early-career scientists who demonstrate excellence not only in their research careers but also in promoting meaningful dialogue between science and society. The recipient of the award will win a prize of $5,000, a commemorative plaque, and complimentary registration and travel to the 2015 AAAS Annual Meeting in San Jose, CA. Several funding opportunities with NSF for broadening participation and increasing diversity in STEM have upcoming proposal deadlines. Some of these opportunities fall under the Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation Program: "Bridge to the Doctorate" (deadline: October 3, 2014); "Broadening Participation in STEM Education" (deadline: October 17, 2014); and LSAMP Alliance (deadline: October 17, 2014). Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) are also invited to submit a proposal for the HBCU Undergraduate Program (HBCU-UP), which provides awards for the development, implementation, and assessment of innovative models and approaches for preparation and success of HBCU undergraduates (deadline: October 27, 2014). NSF has issued the solicitation for its 2015 Graduate Research Fellowship Program. Fellows will receive an annual stipend of $32,000 (anticipated to increase to $34,000) and a $12,000 annual cost-of-education allowance. The award provides three years of funding over a five-year fellowship period. Application deadlines vary by discipline, with life science applications due November 4, 2014. Are you already an NSF Graduate Research Fellow? If so, consider applying for the new Graduate Research Internship Program (GRIP), which enables research collaborations with partnering federal agencies. In its first year, GRIP partners include the Office of Naval Research, the Smithsonian Institution, and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The first target application deadline is December 5, 2014. NIH has just announced its first wave of investments totaling $46 million under the Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies (BRAIN) Initiative. The funding will support more than 100 investigators in 15 states and several countries as they work to develop new tools and technologies to understand neural circuit function and capture a dynamic view of the brain in action.
There's a new group helping to advocate for biomedical research funding. ACT for NIH is pushing for an immediate, significant funding increase for NIH, followed by steady, predictable budget growth in the future. And finally... Recent highlights from the GSA's social networking platforms. Keep up with the buzz by joining us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Google+:
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| Do you have a brief announcement to submit to GSA e-News? e-News items include news about GSA members — new positions, book publication, awards or grants received and obits; short policy items; brief research news items and grant programs; and, award nomination announcements. Deadline for next issue: October 9, 2014. Send items (and feedback) to GSA's Communications and Engagement Manager, Raeka Aiyar, raiyar@genetics-gsa.org. |
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