Cell signaling news
Here we present recent news items specially selected from Nature, Nature Medicine and Nature Biotechnology.
February 2004
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News | News in brief | News Features
News
Poor communication blamed for delays to US visas
Foreign students and scientists coming to the United States are suffering big delays caused by immigration restrictions, a congressional report has confirmed.
Nature (26 February 2004)
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Labs urged to pre-empt bioterrorism threat
An initiative is under way to get biotechnology companies to reduce the risks that their staff or labs could nurture bioterrorism – either by accident or by design.
Nature (26 February 2004)
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Publishers split over response to US trade embargo ruling
The US Department of the Treasury has ruled that editing or publishing scientific manuscripts from Iran, Libya, Sudan and Cuba violates the trade embargo on these countries. And US publishers and scientific societies are divided over how to respond.
Nature (19 February 2004)
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Scientists slam Bush record
Nearly two dozen Nobel laureates and 40 other leading researchers have signed an angry statement accusing the Bush administration of "misrepresenting and suppressing scientific knowledge".
Nature (19 February 2004)
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Cloning success marks Asian nations as scientific tigers
The successful cloning of human embryos by a South Korean team has alerted Western researchers to the pace of scientific and technological progress in East Asia, biologists say.
Nature (19 February 2004)
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Medical research wins simpler grants and extra cash
UK researchers are to get more cash and a simpler grant system, after a budget overhaul at the Medical Research Council (MRC).
Nature (19 February 2004)
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Misconduct row fuels calls for reform
A fierce row over misconduct allegations has prompted Australian researchers to call for an office of research integrity to be set up.
Nature (19 February 2004)
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Berlin biologists outraged by imminent pay cut
Biologists at one of Berlin's leading biomedical research centres have been told to prepare for a 12% pay cut. Unions representing 700 staff at the Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC) say that they will fight the cut in the courts.
Nature (19 February 2004)
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Thumbs up for fresh formula to gauge university funding
What's the best way to divide £8 billion (US$ 15 billion) in annual funding between Britain's 100-plus universities? A fresh approach to the challenge was revealed last week, and looks to have the qualified backing of academics and administrators.
Nature (19 February 2004)
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Retraction signals end of cell-biology debate
A biology paper that could have overturned a widely accepted theory on cell signaling has been retracted 15 months after it was published.
Nature (12 February 2004)
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Bioprospectors hunt for fair share of profits
Representatives of almost 200 nations convene in Malaysia this week to try to agree terms for sharing profits from natural molecules and organisms between indigenous peoples, scientists, governments and drug companies.
Nature (12 February 2004)
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Kofi Annan backs call for science push in developing countries
Scientific academies worldwide are calling for the establishment of two funds to boost research efforts in poor countries.
Nature (12 February 2004)
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Bush's belt-tightening budget offers science slim pickings
A decade of strong growth in US research funding came to an abrupt halt on 2 February, when President Bush released a budget proposal that attempts to confront the nation's massive financial deficit.
Nature (05 February 2004)
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Suicide-inquiry fallout 'could gag' scientists
When the report into the death of UK government scientist David Kelly was published on 28 January, a painful picture emerged of the biowarfare researcher's last days.
Nature (05 February 2004)
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Universities battle for extra funds in bid to boost quality
Germany's top universities are being asked to compete for top-up grants from the federal government to help them pack more of a punch internationally.
Nature (05 February 2004)
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US pressures publishers to honor trade embargoes
Bowing to pressure from the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), the American Society for Microbiology (ASM) on 12 January stopped accepting papers submitted to its 11 journals from Sudan, Libya, Iran and Cuba.
Nature Medicine (February 2004)
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Animal research stance spells knight-mare for Blakemore
A fight has erupted in the UK over a leaked Cabinet Office document that suggests Colin Blakemore, the new chief executive of the Medical Research Council (MRC), was not recommended for knighthood because of his public support for animal research.
Nature Medicine (February 2004)
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For HIV vaccine trials, size does matter
When California-based VaxGen announced in February 2003 that its HIV vaccine selectively protects blacks from infection, experts questioned the statistical significance of the results.
Nature Medicine (February 2004)
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In world of epidemics, WHO's in control
Last year's outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) provided the World Health Organization (WHO) an opportunity to show the world its teeth.
Nature Medicine (February 2004)
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China pushes liver proteomics
The Chinese government agreed in December 2003 to invest more than RMB 200 ($24) million over three years in the human liver proteome project (HLPP). It plans to create in Beijing the world's premier antibody bank specific to proteins that play a role in liver diseases.
Nature Biotechnology (February 2004)
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Genomics companies shop around for chemical expertise
During the last quarter of 2003, two genomics companies – deCODE genetics and Lexicon Genetics – announced significant progress in efforts to strengthen their product pipelines, reassuring dubious investors about genomics companies' commitment and ability to establish 'genes–to–drugs' platforms.
Nature Biotechnology (February 2004)
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Rogan steps down as USPTO director
James Rogan stepped down from his post as director of the US Patent and Trademark Office on January 9.
Nature Biotechnology (February 2004)
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News in brief
Society lifts publishing ban on nations facing US sanctions
| HIV enzyme boosts base amplification of artificial DNA
| European patent win aims to protect public research
| Élite institute to be spread around Italy
| Royal Society split over merits of 'popularizer'
| Poll says young scientists lack the talent for teamwork
| South Africa's science minister quits his post
| Butler resigns post as he awaits sentencing
| India looks to restore sight with stem cells
| Pasteur Institute set to open doors in China
| NIH resets conflict-of-interest limits
| Invitrogen spending spree
| UK innovation questioned
| US Congress probes NIH
| New Jersey backs ES cells
| Genomics center opens in Argentina
News Features
Disease control: Virtual plagues get real
Mathematical models incorporating ecological data are starting to be deployed on the front line in the battle against infectious disease. Virginia Gewin talks to the number-crunchers who are spearheading the assault.
Nature (26 February 2004)
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News Feature: A lab of her own
Why do women continue to drop out of research in record numbers? Charlotte Schubert and Gunjan Sinha plumb the 'leaky pipeline'.
Nature Medicine (February 2004)
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News Feature: Make or break for costimulatory blockers
Immunomodulator CTLA4-Ig was set to be the miracle drug for organ transplantation a dozen years ago, but then faded from view. Now, with startling results in rheumatoid arthritis, costimulatory blockers are on a comeback.
Nature Biotechnology (February 2004)
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