For the Green

September 19, 2012

Type size: - +
Login or register to post comments
Email
Printer-friendly version
RSS Feed

The US Congress is taking up the issue of visas for foreign graduates of US universities who studied science and technology.

Republicans in the US House of Representatives have put forth a bill for vote this week that would increase the number of permanent visas available to foreign graduates of US universities who received advanced degrees in the sciences, reports The New York Times. The bill, the paper adds, would allot 55,000 visas to such graduates while eliminating the lottery that randomly awards green cards — 55,000 of them — to applicants from nations that don't have a large immigrant presence in the US. This bill, sponsored by Lamar Smith (R-Texas), would only apply to graduates of universities "conducting 'high' levels of research," ScienceInsider adds.

Meanwhile, House Democrats introduced a version of the bill that keeps the lottery intact, thus adding to the total number of visas awarded, the Times reports. A similar bill was also introduced into the Senate by Democrats there.

"We support the concept behind bills designed to provide green cards to advanced STEM degree graduates, but we have not endorsed a particular bill," says Barry Toiv the Association of American Universities, at ScienceInsider.

Well being in the 53% of the

Submitted by Biotreker on Wed, 09/19/2012 - 13:29.

Well being in the 53% of the workers who pays taxes, and so much taxes my take-home barely covers our expenses, I am most certainly subsidizing the education of these carpetbaggers, in taxes that fund the universites directly, in taxes that to to grants and overhead charges that fund the reserach programs and educational expenses,etc. Now I am supposed to be excited that my taxes will further enable the carpetbaggers to take my job away from me instead of going home to bring the value of their education to the potential beneficieries in their native land. Not to mention preparing to support my children for life because they can't get jobs in the weak US economy either, never mind the competition for openings. Good idea.

Yes, those same

Submitted by ppal on Wed, 09/19/2012 - 15:36.

Yes, those same 'carpetbaggers' who are opening new companies, making technological breakthroughs that drive American innovation, and industries forward. Not to mention, create jobs.

The same 'carpetbaggers' also belong to your 53%. They pay the same federal and state taxes, as well as medicare and ss taxes (which they never get to benefit from due to their temporary visa status). All they are asking for is an opportunity to *choose* easily between staying in the US and contributing to this country or going back to their native land.

Btw, note that the Bills exclude those with advanced degrees in biological sciences, since there is ' very high unemployment rate ' in that field.

Most Viewed
Most Emailed
Blog

The Daily Scan
Prince William's DNA
The Daily Scan
Bill Nye, Famous Guy
The Daily Scan
Coming Soon
Careers
Who's an Author?
The Daily Scan
NCATS Turns to Crowdsourcing

GenomeWebinars

Advances in Single-Cell Genomics: Live Cell RNA and Circulating miRNA Detection

Sponsor: EMD Millipore

Data presented in this webinar illustrates the value of live cell analysis at the single-cell level to identify differences in expression levels across populations of cells. The cells remain intact for downstream analysis. Our experts also discuss the use of SmartFlare RNA detection probes for the direct quantification of circulating miRNAs with rapid processing of blood plasma/serum, which is done without the use of enzymes. Using circulating miRNAs with established roles in cancer and quality control, we can accurately detect these miRNAs in plasma using a microplate fluorometer within an hour after plasma preparation.

On-demand recording is available here.

Optimization of NGS Library Preparation: Low Inputs and Fast, Streamlined Workflows

Sponsor: New England Biolabs

Library preparation methods continue to be challenged by the requirement for faster and more efficient protocols, using lower input amounts. In this online seminar, recorded Feb. 7, 2013, experts discuss new approaches to tackle these challenges, particularly for bacterial and exome sequencing.

Available here.
Young Investigator Profile

Bernd Bodenmiller

Group Leader
University of Zurich

Single-Cell Proteomics

University of Zurich researcher Bernd Bodenmiller studies single-cell signaling with a technology almost as newly minted as his lab.

Bodenmiller launched his lab in February, and three months later, in May, he installed the instrument that has become key to his work — DVS Sciences' CyTOF mass cytometer, a new take on flow cytometry that lets scientists measure dozens of targets at once in single cells.

During his PhD work, Bodenmiller focused on the analysis of protein phosphorylation and cellular signaling. As he was wrapping up his thesis, though, he says he realized that "if you want to study signaling in disease, then you need the ability to study signaling on a single-cell level."
Blog

Prince William's DNA

A British noble's ancestry claim poses unique DNA privacy question.

NCATS Turns to Crowdsourcing

Nine research teams will pursue new uses for shelved pharma compounds.

Bill Nye, Famous Guy

The New York Times profiles the 'Science Guy.'

Coming Soon

Labs get ready to offer BRCA testing.
Papers of Note

Genetic structure and evolution of the Leishmania genus in Africa and Eurasia: what does MLSA tell us
El Baidouri, Diancourt, et al. PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases

Through a multilocus sequence analysis of 222 African and Eurasian Leishmania isolates, French researchers identified seven genetic clusters of Leishmania in the regions tested. For the most part, those clusters corresponded to existing Leishmania classification schemes, the study authors note, though their analysis suggests genetic distinctions are somewhat hazier for three Leishmania species implicated in visceral forms of leishmaniasis. "Although these taxa cause specific clinical forms of the disease and are maintained through different parasitic cycles," they say, "they are not clearly distinct and form a continuum, in line with the concept of species complex already suggested for this group thirty years ago."

Evolutionary changes of multiple visual pigment genes in the complete genome of Pacific bluefin tuna
Nakamura, Mori, et al. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

AJapanese team describes findings from a genome sequencing study focused on the Pacific bluefin tuna, Thunnus orientalis. An analysis of the genome revealed more than 26,400 predicted protein-coding genes, including genes coding for rhodopsin and opsin pigments poised to pick up blue, green, red, and UV light. Within genes coding for the color-sensing proteins, researchers found substitutions and duplications suspected of helping bluefish tuna differentiate between blue and green. If so, that could confer an evolutionary advantage in the fish's ocean environment, they say, perhaps explaining some aspects of the tuna's predatory proficiency.
People on the Move

Direct-to-consumer genetic testing firm 23andMe has appointed Andy Page as its president, a newly created post. Page, who has served as a member of 23andMe's board of directors for the past year, will report to CEO and co-founder Anne Wojcicki. He was previously president of the Gilt Groupe, an online luxury shopping website, and chief operating and financial officer at PlayPhone.

The Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research has appointed David Lane to be its new scientific director, effective June 1. He succeeds Andrew Simpson, who was scientific director for five years, from 2007 to 2012. Lane is chief scientist at Singapore's Agency for Science, Technology, and Research, and he will retain that post in addition to his new role at Ludwig.

Kevin Hrusovsky is resigning his post at PerkinElmer as senior VP and president of the Life Science and Technology division. Hrusovsky will serve as a consultant to the company for up to one year, beginning in June. He joined PerkinElmer through the company's acquisition of Caliper Life Sciences, where he was CEO and president.
Upcoming Events

Conferences, Meetings & Deadlines

International Meeting on Cell-Free DNA
June 20-21 / Copenhagen
Copenhagen University Hospital

Intelligent Systems for Molecular Biology
July 21-23 / Berlin
International Society for Computational Biology

2013 AACC Annual Meeting
July 28-August 1 / Houston
American Association for Clinical Chemistry

NGS for Drug Developers
July 31-August 2 / Boston
Wyss Institute

Cancer Cytogenomics Microarray Consortium meeting
August 5-7 / Chicago
Cancer Cytogenomics Microarray Consortium

Abstract & Registration Deadlines

more

Science
An international research team has uncovered unexpected genetic diversity in the miniscule marine algae Emiliania huxleyi, a species now known to have the type of variable 'pan genome' previously described in some bacterial species. They detected an array of genes and repetitive sequences that are present in some E. huxleyi strains but not in others, varying with each strain's habitat, physical features, and metabolic capabilities, among others.
Business
The US Supreme Court unanimously ruled that human genes are not patentable, but synthetic DNA, or cDNA, is patent eligible because it does not occur naturally. Its decision had broad implications for the biotech industry and for Myriad Genetics, in particular, whose patents on the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes were at the center of the case. The ruling runs counter to the US Patent and Trademark Office's policy of granting patents on isolated gene sequences.
Funding
The US investment in the Human Genome Project and the ensuing federal funding for genome science has reaped massive economic benefits, according to a new study from Battelle. It found that genomics-related fields from biomedicine to energy and agriculture have had a $965 billion impact on the US economy, stemming from a total of $14.5 billion in federal investments between 1988 and 2012. Genomics-related funding has yielded a $65 return on every $1 invested.
GenomeWebinars
GenomeWebinar: Advances in Single-Cell Genomics: Live Cell RNA and Circulating miRNA Detection

Sponsor: EMD Millipore

GenomeWeb and EMD Millipore invite you to view an archived webinar discussing new approaches to detect RNA at the single-cell level as well as new probes for the direct quantification of circulating miRNAs. In this free online seminar, recorded April 25, 2013, our expert panel shares protocols for improved RNA and miRNA detection.

On-demand recording available here.

Search

For the Green

Well being in the 53% of the

Yes, those same

GenomeWebinars

Young Investigator Profile

Blog

Papers of Note

People on the Move

Upcoming Events

Science

Business

Funding

GenomeWebinars

TechGuides Listings

Poll