Taking Aim at Melanoma
Understanding oncogenesis at the molecular level offers the prospect of tailoring treatments much more precisely for patients with advanced cases of this deadliest of skin cancers.
By Keith T. FlahertyApril 2011
Table of Contents
Cover Story
Features
The Movement of Goods Around the Cell
By Patricia Bassereau and Bruno GoudA biologist and a physicist collaborate on a decade-long exploration of the physical parameters of membrane traffic in eukaryotic cells.
An Aspirin for your Cancer?
By Giorgio TrinchieriCan tumors—which can originate from, and often resemble, chronically inflamed tissue—be curtailed using familiar anti-inflammatory agents, without their side effects?
Departments
Editorial
The “Me Decade” of Cancer
By Sarah GreeneDrugs that target specific tumors are harbingers of a new era of genetically informed medicine.
Notebook
Family Affair
By Megan ScudellariIn discovering their shared ancestry, a distantly related animal geneticist and plant pathologist find a common thread in their work on immune receptors.
Fountain of Youth?
By Richard P. GrantPreston Estep discusses the role that telomeres play in the aging process.
Top 7 From F1000
By The Scientist staffA snapshot of the highest-ranked articles from a 30-day period on Faculty of 1000
Taking Shape
By Richard P. GrantA plant biologist borrows an engineering technique to study how flowers develop their unique architecture.
PET Guerrilla
By Chris TachibanaA former Uruguayan antigovernment rebel is developing a revolutionary diagnostic tool for Alzheimer’s disease.
Speaking of Science
Speaking of Science
April 2011′s selection of notable quotes
Thought Experiment
Medical Publishing for an N of One
By George D. LundbergNew technologies and mind-sets are required for information delivery in the age of genomics.
Critic At Large
Imagining a Cure
By Nicholas P. Restifo and Megan BachinskiFor cancer patients, close is not good enough.
The Literature
The Heart of the Matter
By Terry S. Elton, Mahmood Khan, and Dmitry TerentyevAre miRNAs useful for tracking and treating cardiovascular disease?
Viral Hijackers
By Hannah WatersEditor’s Choice in Immunology
Model Liver
By Richard P. GrantEditor’s Choice in Physiology
Truly Phenome-nal
By Hannah WatersEditor’s Choice in Microbiology
Profile
Harvesting Ideas
By Karen HopkinJoy Ward is reaping the rewards of her studies on how plants handle global climate change—gathering academic accolades and presidential embraces along the way.
Scientist to Watch
Kelly Benoit-Bird: Sounding the Deep
By Carrie ArnoldAssociate professor, College of Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences, Oregon State University. Age: 34
Lab Tools
Vital Signs
By Kelly Rae ChiNew frontiers in the search for novel, noninvasive biomarkers
Bio Business
Teaching an Old Drug New Tricks
By Megan ScudellariBiotech companies hope to turn the practice of finding novel uses for existing compounds into big business.
Capsule Reviews
Capsule Reviews
By Bob GrantThe Great Sperm Whale, Noble Cows & Hybrid Zebras, Radioactive, Science-Mart
Foundations
Ancient Anatomy, circa 1687
By Cristina LuiggiSeventeenth-century Tibet witnessed a blossoming of medical knowledge, including a set of 79 paintings, known as tangkas, that interweaved practical medical knowledge with Buddhist traditions and local lore.
Contributors
Contributors
Meet some of the people featured in the April 2011 issue of The Scientist.
Multimedia
Tibetan medical paintings
By Cristina LuiggiSeventeenth-century Tibet witnessed a blossoming of medical knowledge, with the construction of a monastic medical college and the penning of…
Boosting T Cell Activation
By Keith T. FlahertyAntigen-presenting cells, such as macrophages or dendritic cells, elicit an immune response by displaying tumor antigens bound to the major…
Molecular Targeting of BRAF Mutations
By Keith T. FlahertyBRAF is the most commonly mutated gene associated with melanoma, found in more than 50 percent of patients. The gene…
Imaging Trauma
By Kelly Rae ChiRadiology scientist Alexander Lin talks about searching for the tell-tale biomarkers of chronic traumatic encephalopathy. Read the full story.
Optical Tweezers
By Patricia Bassereau and Bruno GoudInstitut Curie researchers Bruno Goud, a biologist, and Patricia Bassereau, a physicist, talk about their fruitful, decade-long collaboration exploring the…
Where Cancer and Inflammation Intersect
By Giorgio TrinchieriRecent clinical trials have reignited the interest in simple anti-inflammatory drugs like aspirin for controlling the inflammation associated with cancer….
