SAB NewsWinner of the "Tools and Techniques of Neuroscience" Study AnnouncedPosted 10/25/2005 The Science Advisory Board asked the opinions of over 500 neuroscientists conducting basic, translational and clinical research about their preferred techniques and instrumentation in four strategic areas: nucleic acids, proteins, cells and imaging. Advances in genomic technology and neuroimaging coupled with a wider range of model organisms has made it possible to conduct more complicated experiments aimed at understanding how neurons communicate with one another. More than any other life science discipline, neuroscience research requires a multi-level approach involving molecular, cellular, systems, translational, and integrative tools. A summary of their best practices and insights is presented in the SAB "Study Snapshots" webpage. As a token of our appreciation, study participants were entered in an additional drawing for a $20 gift certificate from Amazon.com. We are excited to announce that Konrad, a Professor from the United States, was the contest winner. When give the following scenario and asked to provide a comment to the corresponding question, "The year is 2015 and you are about to board a plane for Sweden to receive the Nobel Prize. A reporter from the New York Times catches you in the airport lounge and asks for a few minutes to quickly interview you. Given the long and distinguished history of neuroscientists as recipients of the Nobel Prize what additional discovery in the field could be so worthy of the honor?” Konrad replied: "The major unanswered question in psychiatry is why the vast majority of gene alterations associated with psychiatric illnesses occur in portions of the genome (introns) not coding for proteins. Perhaps the most important implication of my work is that each of those non-coding elements can nevertheless affect expression of multiple genes associated with such disorders. As more such introns are affected in an individual, the chances of developing a psychiatric disorder increase exponentially. Once identified, we may be able to identify those at high risk by relatively simple genotyping at birth." Congratulations to everyone who made this study possible. The Science Advisory Board provides opportunities for its members to earn honoraria each and every time they participate in SAB-sponsored studies. Interested in finding out more? Please visit: http://www.scienceboard.net/about/participate.asp. The Science Advisory Board will be exhibiting at the Neuroscience 2005 Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C. Visit booth #2926 to receive a free copy of "Neuroscience Technologies: 2005 and Beyond: An Exploration of Trends Transforming Your Research" and an entry to win an Apple iPod. |
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