S&S: Technology
- Toward a role model
- Roded Sharan1
With ever‐growing amounts of 'omics data, the challenge is to develop an automatic modelling pipeline that receives as input large‐scale data pertaining to the system of interest and outputs a complete, logical model that maximizes the fit to the given data.
- Copyright © 2013 European Molecular Biology Organization
- A Mobius strip of scientific imaginationHow deep does the relationship between science fiction and science go?
How deep does the relationship between science fiction and science go?
- Paige Brown1
From H.G. Wells to Star Trek, science fiction and science have had a long and fruitful relationship. But does science drive the imagination of authors, or do authors drive the imaginations of scientists?
- Copyright © 2013 European Molecular Biology Organization
- Had enough of that crummy stuff
- Howy Jacobs
The mobile internet, launched amid great fanfare, falls far short of scientists‘ needs and expectations. Howy argues that it's time for a rethink.
- Copyright © 2013 European Molecular Biology Organization
- Brothers in armsMilitary funding for basic and applied biomedical science is thriving, with civilian applications delivered along the way
Military funding for basic and applied biomedical science is thriving, with civilian applications delivered along the way
- Andrea Rinaldi1
The horrific injuries and difficult working conditions faced by military medical personnel have forced the military to fund biomedical research to treat soldiers; those new technologies and techniques contribute significantly to civilian medicine.
- Copyright © 2013 European Molecular Biology Organization
- The A to T of historical evidenceHistorians, archaeologists and geneticists are teaming up to answer historical questions
Historians, archaeologists and geneticists are teaming up to answer historical questions
- Howard Wolinsky1
Geneticists and historians collaborated recently to identify the remains of King Richard III of England, found buried under a car park. Genetics has many more contributions to make to history, but scientists and historians must learn to speak each other's languages.
- Copyright © 2013 European Molecular Biology Organization
- Elixirs of deathInternational organizations are working towards a global solution to address the problem of falsified and substandard medicines, but progress has stagnated
International organizations are working towards a global solution to address the problem of falsified and substandard medicines, but progress has stagnated
- Katrin Weigmann1
Substandard and fake drugs are increasingly threatening lives in both the developed and developing world, but governments and industry are struggling to improve the situation.
- Copyright © 2013 European Molecular Biology Organization
- The right to care and the expectations of society—controversial stem cell therapy in Italy
Claiming that a disease is incurable does not justify the use of unsafe or ineffective therapies. Instead, the process of drug approval as a whole should be improved, with all involved giving clear and honest answers to ensure the dignity of patients and quality of care.
- Copyright © 2013 European Molecular Biology Organization
- Banking the brainAddressing the ethical challenges of a mental‐health biobank
Addressing the ethical challenges of a mental‐health biobank
Mental health diagnoses are largely based on clinical observation and symptom reports, rather than biological evidence. A biobank that collects biological samples should allow the identification of disease mechanisms and more effective treatments.
- Copyright © 2013 European Molecular Biology Organization
- XNA marks the spotWhat can we learn about the origins of life and the treatment of disease through artificial nucleic acids?
What can we learn about the origins of life and the treatment of disease through artificial nucleic acids?
- Philip Hunter1
Synthetic genomics tinkers with nucleic acids to understand the evolution of these molecules of life. But the so‐called ‘XNAs’ created also hold great potential for diagnostic and therapeutic applications.
- Copyright © 2013 European Molecular Biology Organization
- The health risks of ARTScience & Society Series on Sex and Science
Science & Society Series on Sex and Science
Assisted reproductive technologies enable subfertile couples to have children. But there are health risks attached for both mothers and children that need to be properly understood and managed.
- Copyright © 2013 European Molecular Biology Organization
Pages
