Last week we looked at the Nobel Prize for the discovery of the hepatitis C virus; there was some interest in also discussing the chemistry prize announced shortly before that post went up. That prize was shared by Emmanuelle Charpentier and Jennifer Doudna for their contributions to developing the genetic engineering pathway based on CRISPR and Cas9. The system uses small RNA molecules to target DNA with complementary sequence for modification, allowing researchers to make specific modifications to just about any part … [Read more...] about Science Corner: A Timely Nobel in Chemistry
Nobel Prize
Science Corner: Recognizing the Discovery of Hepatitis C
Having spent a little time looking at the Ig Nobel prizes, let's give some attention to this year's Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, awarded equally to Harvey J. Alter, Michael Houghton and Charles M. Rice "for the discovery of Hepatitis C virus." Hepatitis C is primarily transmitted by direct blood contact, such as a blood transfusion or sharing of needles for intravenous drug use. Knowing that the virus exists, how it is transmitted, and how to detect it has significantly increased the safety of our blood … [Read more...] about Science Corner: Recognizing the Discovery of Hepatitis C
Science Corner: Nobel Complications
The Nobel Prize Winners were announced over the past week. James Peebles, Michel Mayor and Didier Queloz shared the physics prize for work on physical cosmology (Peebles) and discovery of the first planet outside our solar system (Mayor and Queloz). William Kaelin Jr., Sir Peter Ratcliffe and Gregg Semenza won the physiology or medicine prize for studying how our cells respond to oxygen. The one I've been thinking most about though is the prize in chemistry, awarded to John Goodenough, M. Stanley Whittingham and Akira … [Read more...] about Science Corner: Nobel Complications
Science Corner: Out with the Old?
Photo by opensourceway The challenges of getting funding and being published are perennially of interest, particularly to emerging scholars. I imagine this examination of the current status quo will therefore be popular. But for an article on science funding, it seems to have a disconnect between its data and conclusions. … [Read more...] about Science Corner: Out with the Old?