In an editorial, authors examine the current American university system, arguing that since most science today is veering toward an interdisciplinary nature, de-centralizing research may pave the way for future success. A feature on Arizona State University showcases one model institution.
Move over South Beach, biotech is moving in. Due to an influx of cash from the governor, the Florida biotech boom is bringing talent and business. However, in light of dwindling NIH funding, private investment will be needed to make Tampa, Palm Beach, or Miami into the next big biotech cluster, the author argues.
A special "Insight" section highlights the burgeoning field of glycochemistry and glycobiology. One paper explores how the protective structural carbohydrates that coat HIV might be excellent therapeutic targets.
In research, chemists at the University of Oxford report a chemical tagging approach that offers a way to synthetically model post-translational modifications in proteins in bacteria, and thereby create probes of protein–PTM interactions that can be used in the lab.