Catch up on 2015’s most popular Policy & Advocacy posts!
How labor reform might overhaul postdoc pay
A proposed rule from the U.S. Department of Labor could soon mandate that postdocs making less than $50,440 per year will be eligible for overtime pay at 1.5 times their hourly rate. Research labs are generally not prepared to track overtime hours and many do not have the additional funds available to pay postdocs above their current stipend.
Authentic ethics in synthetic biology
While the science behind the synthetic yeast genome project Sc 2.0 is cutting edge, the ethical questions surrounding it aren’t new, suggests geneticist and ethicist Debra J. H. Mathews in an interview with Sarah Bay.
Gene Drive: More research, not more regulations
A guest post from GSA Public Policy Chair Allan Spradling on regulation of gene drive research.
The State of Federal Research Funding in Genetics As Reflected By Members of the Genetics Society of America
The concern over research funding in biology in general and genetics in particular led GSA to survey our membership to learn more about the federal support of genetics at the level of individual principal investigators.
Working through the issues: Science, ethics and governance of gene drive research
A report on a National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine meeting on Science, Ethics and Governance Considerations for Gene Drive Research.
pgEd Briefings: Increasing policymakers’ interest in genetics
Johnny Kung of the Personal Genetics Education Project at Harvard Medical School fills us in on a pgEd Congressional briefing on Capitol Hill about the latest developments and applications of emerging genetic technologies.
The Personal Genetics Education Project (pgEd) held a congressional briefing featuring Diana Bianchi, MD, Tufts University School of Medicine, Jennifer Doudna, PhD, University of California, Berkeley, and George Church, PhD, Harvard Medical School. Tuesday, November 17, 2015. Photo Credit: John Boal Photography
More questions than answers at Gene Editing Summit
Top scholars in genetics, bioengineering, ethics, and law debated the merits of human gene editing at the International Summit on Human Gene Editing; however consensus was far from achieved.
National Academies Human Gene-Editing Initiative holds public meeting
The Human Gene-Editing Initiative launched by the National Academy of Science and the National Academy of Medicine held a public meeting to provide an overview of the state of gene editing science in preparation for an international summit.
Scrutiny on fetal tissue impacts research community
The use of fetal tissue has drawn increasing public scrutiny in recent weeks as a result of secret video recordings involving the Planned Parenthood Federation of America. Getting less attention is how fetal cells can be essential research tools.
Stem cells (green) could someday be used to treat cancer, Parkinson’s disease, spinal cord injuries, Lou Gehrig’s disease, multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease and retinitis pigmentosa, among other applications. Image courtesy of Christina Tu / Sue & Bill Gross Stem Cell Research Center. CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
Agencies hold first public meeting on the GMO regulatory framework
A report on the first of three public meetings to discuss an update to the coordinated framework which serves as the regulatory guidelines for genetically engineered organisms. This meeting provided an opportunity for representatives from the primary agencies involved in GMO regulation, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and US Department of Agriculture (USDA) to clarify their roles in the current framework.
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Early Career Leadership Spotlight: Julio Molina Pineda
We’re taking time to get to know the members of the GSA’s Early Career Scientist Committees. Join us to learn more about our early career scientist advocates. Julio Molina Pineda Policy and Advocacy University of Arkansas Research Interest My research interests focus on using model organisms to genetically dissect complex traits related to human disease. My…
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Early Career Leadership Spotlight: Peiwei Chen
We’re taking time to get to know the members of the GSA’s Early Career Scientist Committees. Join us to learn more about our early career scientist advocates. Peiwei Chen Accessibility Subcommittee California Institute of Technology Research Interest Far from a harmonious place, the genome is a battleground, where every bit of DNA fights for inheritance and…
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#Dros23 GSA Poster Award winners
We are pleased to announce the GSA Poster Award winners from the 64th Annual Drosophila Research Conference! Undergraduate and graduate student members of the GSA were eligible for the awards, and a hard-working team of postdocs volunteered their time as judges. Congratulations to all! Undergraduate Students 1st Place: Sofia Karter Lopez, University of Toronto “Rab11 mediates E-cadherin recycling during…
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Congratulations to the Fall 2022 DeLill Nasser Awardees!
GSA is pleased to announce the recipients of the DeLill Nasser Award for Professional Development in Genetics for Fall 2022! Given twice a year to graduate students and postdoctoral researchers, DeLill Nasser Awards support attendance at meetings and laboratory courses. The award is named in honor of DeLill Nasser, a long-time GSA supporter and National Science Foundation…
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New editors join GENETICS, G3 editorial boards
Several new editors are joining the GSA Journals. We’re excited to welcome Ricardo Zayas to the GENETICS editorial board under the Molecular Genetics of Development section, and on the G3: Genes|Genomes|Genetics board, we welcome Polly Campbell, Kevin Vogel, Joe Parker, and Ricardo Mallarino. Ricardo Zayas Associate Editor Ricardo Zayas is a Professor of Biology at…
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Worms and Flies Provide Key Clues to Medical Mystery
This article is part of a series of posts outlining the history and impact of research in experimental organisms. The series is developed in collaboration with the GSA Public Communications and Engagement Committee. By the time Bertrand Might was six months old, it was clear something was amiss. His muscles weren’t developing normally; he was…
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Congratulations to the 2023 Early Career Leadership Program Cohort!
The Genetics Society of America (GSA) is excited to announce the latest cohort of student, postdoc, and early-career research leaders joining the Early Career Leadership Program. Participants receive training and mentoring while serving on committees charged with understanding the needs, interests, concerns, and challenges of early career scientist members of the GSA. As part of…
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GSA LOCI: Local Outreach Community Initiatives @ GSA Conferences
Highlights: Local Outreach Community Initiatives (LOCI): The Genetics Society of America is committed to supporting the communities of the host cities of our conferences. This new year, we are excited to reconnect with our GSA community in meaningful ways within and beyond our existing programming. The GSA membership has created a caring and supportive environment…
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New members of the GSA Board of Directors: 2023–2025
We are pleased to announce the election of five new leaders to the GSA Board of Directors: 2023 Vice President/2024 President Mariana Wolfner Distinguished Professor of Molecular Biology and Genetics and Stephen H. Weiss Presidential Fellow My research has focused on the genes and pathways that mediate sexual development and reproduction, primarily in Drosophila. From…
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Lance David Miller: Lighting Your Own Fire by Finding the Right Resources
By Daniel J. Gironda In the Paths to Science Policy series, we talk to individuals who have a passion for science policy and are active in advocacy through their various roles and careers. The series aims to inform and guide early career scientists interested in science policy. This series is brought to you by the…
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Graça Almeida-Porada: The Importance of Communication in a Technologically Advancing World
By Daniel J. Gironda In the Paths to Science Policy series, we talk to individuals who have a passion for science policy and are active in advocacy through their various roles and careers. The series aims to inform and guide early career scientists interested in science policy. This series is brought to you by the…