Connection Between Epigenome, Selective Mutability, Evolution, and Human Disease
Li, Harris et al., PLoS Genetics
Researchers at the Baylor College of Medicine and elsewhere propose a "connection between the epigenome, selective mutability, evolution, and human disease" based on the findings of their study on associations of structural mutability with germline DNA methylation and with non-allelic homologous recombination mediated by low-copy repeats. "Combined evidence from four human sperm methylome maps, human genome evolution, structural polymorphisms in the human population, and previous genomic and disease studies consistently points to a strong association of germline hypomethylation and genomic instability," the Baylor-led team writes.
Future of the Force
A new report from the National Institutes of Health Advisory Committee to the Director reviews feedback the group received following its request for information on the future of the biomedical workforce. Sally Rockey, deputy director of extramural research at NIH, sums up the report, noting at her blog that "questions of supply and demand and characteristics of the PhD received the most comments." The report, which is based on 219 comments, also offers recommendations. To address the concern of supply and demand, the report advises decreasing the number of supported students and postdocs while increasing funding. Then to deal with PhD characteristics, it recommends changing how NIH supports PhDs, providing funding for career development programs that include alternative career advice, and modifying grant review policies so that having trainees who go on to work outside academia are not termed "training failures."