2009 International Science & Engineering Visualization Challenge
02.19.10 by Michelle Kienholz
Woohoo! One of my favorite events of the year … the announcement of the NSF & Science International Science & Engineering Visualization Challenge winners.
The NSF maintains a nice Website for this annual competition, and this issue of Science covers the 2009 highlights. Categories include Illustration, Photography, non-interactive media, and interactive media.
Enjoy!
Nature Journal Editors are Well-Meaning and Insightful
02.18.10 by Michelle Kienholz
Or maybe, in light of today’s editorial, Nature’s Choices, inciteful. The editors:
offer an explanation of how we pick research papers for publication in Nature, focusing on a number of false impressions that we have become aware of in and beyond the research community.
Myths addressed include gaming impact factor, kowtowing to big names, using only a small clique of reviewers per discipline, and allowing a single spiteful reviewer to derail a submission. And, indeed, they do not at all mind admitting outright that:
… there were several occasions last year when all the referees were underwhelmed by a paper, yet we published it on the basis of our own estimation of its worth.
Hmm. Refreshing honesty, but one wonders the long-term outcome of these papers and whether reveiwers whose recommendations were ignored (particularly if there was consensus, unbeknownst to them, among the reviewers against publication) were inclined to accept more Nature manuscripts for review, having had their time, effort, and expertise discounted by an editor’s prerogative. The editorial explains that decisions on which papers to publish are made
on the basis of criteria such as the paper’s depth of mechanistic insight, or its value as a data resource or in enabling applications of an innovative technique.
Well, at least no tarot cards seem to be involved. In the end, they conclude:
Myths about journals will continue to proliferate. We can only attempt to ensure that the processes characterized above remain as robust and objective as possible, in our perpetual quest to deliver to our readers the best science that we can muster.
Perhaps continue with the transparency as part of your “attempt to ensure … as possible”? Perhaps remind readers of how you “become aware of” false impressions and channels through which concerns can be raised, such as your thoughtful but undersubscribed Peer-to-Peer blog?
Science Translational Medicine – Coming Soon to a Newstand Near You
09.28.09 by Michelle Kienholz
And what a shocker … the Chief Scientific Advisor is none other than the Great Zerhouni (Katrina Kelner is the Editor, aided by Senior Editor Kelly LaMarco and an Advisory Board).
So what does the newest AAAS journal, whose “mission is to chronicle the conversion of basic biomedical research into practical applications,” want to publish?
The journal’s editorial team is seeking a variety of research papers, reviews, commentaries and other article formats in the following areas: cancer, cardiovascular disease, metabolism/diabetes/obesity, neuroscience/neurology/psychiatry, immunology/vaccines, infectious diseases, policy, behavior, bioengineering, physics, chemical genomics/drug discovery, imaging, applied physical sciences, medical nanotechnology, drug delivery, biomarkers, gene therapy/regenerative medicine, toxicology and pharmacokinetics, data mining, cell culture, animal and human studies, medical informatics, other interdisciplinary approaches to medicine.
Preference will be given to papers on humans, human tissue, and animal models with proven relevance to human diseases.
Hmmm. Did they leave anything out? We’ll soon see. The first issue of Science Translational Medicine (not to be confused with BMC’s open access Journal of Translational Medicine) is slated to go online on October 7th.
Of course, the Mission Statement & Purpose are pure GZ:
Mission statement: To promote human health by providing a forum for communication and cross-fertilization among basic, translational, and clinical research practitioners and trainees from all relevant established and emerging disciplines.
Purpose: A profound transition is required for the science of translational medicine. Despite 50 years of advances in our fundamental understanding of human biology and the emergence of powerful new technologies, the rapid transformation of this knowledge into effective health measures continues to elude biomedical scientists. This paradox illustrates the daunting complexity of the challenges faced by translational researchers as they apply the basic discoveries and experimental approaches of modern science to the alleviation of human disease. Studies in humans often highlight deep gaps in our fundamental understanding of biology, but the linkages back to basic research to fill these gaps have not been as effective as they could be. Clearly, creative experimental approaches, novel technologies and new ways of conducting scientific explorations at the interface of established and emerging disciplines are now required to an unprecedented degree if real progress is to be made. Nothing short of a true reinvention of the science of translational medicine is likely to suffice. To aid in this reinvention, Science and AAAS have created a new interdisciplinary journal, Science Translational Medicine.
AAAS also kindly defines translational medicine, including specific examples.
Okay folks, go forth and reinvent yourselves (and don’t forget about the National New Biology Initiative as you do so).
