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Go To Greece!
September 20th 2010 We arrived in Crete today, bringing our Greek sampling leg to an end. We were very lucky to be able to sail in Greek waters, this place is truly beautiful. Not only did we get to see the natural beauty of Greece, but our hosts introduced us to the rich culture and extensive history of Greece. Our hosts, The Captain (AKA Mr Panayotis Tsakos ) and his family have been good friends with Dr. Venter for years. Being in the shipping business for decades, it isn’t...
National Academy of Sciences launches new open access journal, PNAS Nexus, in partnership with Oxford University Press; Karen Nelson to serve as inaugural editor-in-chief
Washington, DC – The National Academy of Sciences (NAS) is pleased to announce the launch of PNAS Nexus, a highly selective, open access journal with a focus on innovation and rapid publication. PNAS Nexus will publish innovative and multi-, trans-, and interdisciplinary work across the biological, physical, and social sciences, particularly encompassing engineering and health sciences. The journal will be published under the leadership of Editor-in-Chief Karen Nelson, president of the J....
Domoic Acid Decoded: Scientists Discover Genetic Basis for How Harmful Algal Blooms Become Toxic
A team led by scientists from Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California San Diego and the J. Craig Venter Institute (JCVI) has uncovered the genetic basis for the production of domoic acid, a potent neurotoxin produced by harmful algal blooms. Harmful algal blooms cause significant economic and environmental damage to coastal communities around the world. These blooms occasionally produce toxins that can sicken marine mammals and can threaten human...
About Gene S. Tan
Gene Tan is an assistant professor at the J. Craig Venter Institute working in the Infectious Disease group. The focus of his research is on virus-host interactions by defining the immunological, molecular and genetic determinants that govern immunity and disease. The aim is to better understand how viruses manipulate the host machinery to replicate and in turn elucidate the mechanisms by which the host counteracts the pathogen.
Assessing diversity and biogeography of aerobic anoxygenic phototrophic bacteria in surface waters of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans using the Global Ocean Sampling expedition metagenomes.
Aerobic anoxygenic photosynthetic bacteria (AAnP) were recently proposed to be significant contributors to global oceanic carbon and energy cycles. However, AAnP abundance, spatial distribution, diversity and potential ecological importance remain poorly understood. Here we present metagenomic data from the Global Ocean Sampling expedition indicating that AAnP diversity and abundance vary in different oceanic regions. Furthermore, we show for the first time that the composition of AAnP...
About James K. McCarthy
James K. “Flip” McCarthy is a staff scientist in Andrew E. Allen’s lab at the J. Craig Venter Institute. Dr. McCarthy’s long-term research centers on how marine diatoms, specifically the model organism, Phaeodactylum tricornutum, assimilate nitrate under the nitrate replete and depleted conditions encountered in the marine environment.
Scientist Spotlight: Todd Michael
A love of science began for Todd Michael, PhD when his 7th grade teacher had him write a report on tree leaves. After collecting different leaves and looking up their tree type, he realized that although all of the trees were similar, they grew different types of leaves. He was certain there was a reason and was determined to figure it out. This moment was the spark that inspired Todd’s interest in reading and interpreting the genetic code that determines differences between organisms....
Clinical presentation of prostate cancer in black South Africans.
Compared with White Americans, Black American men are at a significant increased risk of presenting with prostate cancer (PCa) and associated mortality, suggesting a link to African-ancestry. However, PCa status within Africa is largely unknown. We address the clinical presentation of PCa within Black South African men.