Alison Abbott - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Alison Abbott

Nature, 1999

Génopôle and for society at large," he says. Support for a role for Genset comes from Eric Molini... more Génopôle and for society at large," he says. Support for a role for Genset comes from Eric Molinie, an official at the French Muscular Dystrophy Association. The charity has invested more than FF1 billion in the Evry Génopôle and was the largest funder of French genome research before it shifted its focus in the mid-1990s to gene therapy. The consortium proposal is "a good way to unite public and private genome research", says Molinie, arguing that that there are few genome companies in Europe with the size and expertise of Genset. The consortium would allow France to recapture the lead it has lost in genomics, he says.

Nature, 1992

Italian space scientists win round in funding Munich. The Italian government last week came down ... more Italian space scientists win round in funding Munich. The Italian government last week came down on the side of space scientists in their battle to recover millions of dollars now going to commercial space projects. Antonio Roberti, Italian research minister, has told the Italian Space Agency (ASI) that it must adhere to a law that requires the agency to spend 15 per cent of its budget on research. The president of ASI, Luciano Guerriero, has been deducting Italy's contribution to the European Space Agency (ESA)of which only about one-seventh goes for research-and other costs before calculating the share that researchers are entitled to receive. The problem, which has been building up since ASI was created in 1988, came to a head last year when the agency's science advisory committee blocked the agency from spending any of its 1991 budget in protest at ASI's policy. Its actions effectively paralysed many international research collaborations (see Nature 356,647; 1992). Roberti also reprimanded Guerriero for funding some research projects without first consulting the advisory committee, a further contravention of the regulations. The minister's intervelltion vindicates the committee's chairman, Remo Ruffini of the University of Rome. Ruffini had been criticized by scientists and by members of his own committee for exercising his right to refuse to approve any award in order to increase the amount of money going to research. Committee members now say that they are united behind Ruffini and have

news@nature, 2004

Thanks to the availability of its genome sequence, and the promise of new genetically engineered ... more Thanks to the availability of its genome sequence, and the promise of new genetically engineered strains, the rat is restoring its reputation as researchers' favourite lab animal. Alison Abbott hails a remarkable rodent.

Nature, 2014

This year may be best remembered for how quickly scientific triumph morphed into disappointment, ... more This year may be best remembered for how quickly scientific triumph morphed into disappointment, and even tragedy: breakthroughs in stem-cell research and cosmology were quickly discredited; commercial spaceflight faced major setbacks. Yet landing a probe on a comet, tracing humanity's origins and a concerted push to understand the brain provided reasons to celebrate.

Nature, 2009

A thens' newest research institute, the Bioacademy, is a grandiose structure of exquisite marble ... more A thens' newest research institute, the Bioacademy, is a grandiose structure of exquisite marble and sandstone that blends modern and classical styles. Its colonnaded wings enclose a triangular courtyard, which features a shimmering pool that mirrors the activity of the 400 scientists within. Athena, goddess of wisdom, would probably feel as much at home here today as she did in the nearby Parthenon, built to honour her in the fifth century bc. Elsewhere in Greece, though, Athena might feel a little lost. The country has one of the lowest levels of national research funding in the European Union (EU) and the government has not held a competition for grants in five years. That contrast makes the Bioacademy (pictured) all the more remarkable. Established by the Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, the Bioacademy opened for business in 2004, and has already recruited 50 group leaders and around 350 postdocs and doctoral students. Together, they have published more than 100 papers in strong journals. The Bioacademy coordinates two major EU biology infrastructure projects and has brought in more than €16 million

Nature, 2002

An air of unease has settled over US researchers who work on human embryos, following a significa... more An air of unease has settled over US researchers who work on human embryos, following a significant shift in the remit of a committee that advises on research involving human subjects. For the first time, the advisory committee is being asked to broaden its scope to consider the welfare of embryos and fetuses involved in research. Some scientists suspect that the move is a step towards extending the legal protection given to human embryos and fetuses. Should such a revision win approval, it could hamper some kinds of research, such as work on embryonic stem cells. The charter for the new Secretary's Advisory Committee on Human Research Protections, details of which were revealed in The Washington Post on 30 October, instructs its members to pay particular attention to "pregnant women, embryos and fetuses", among other groups. The panel was set up last month, although its members have yet to be appointed. It is the successor to the National Human Research Protections Advisory Committee, set under the Clinton administration, which was not asked to consider the welfare of embryos or fetuses. The committee is appointed by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and does not have the power to make new rules. Instead, its recommendations must be passed into law by Congress or made into policy by HHS officials. But many observers suspect that the Bush administration will use decisions made by the committee to back up the case for greater legal protection of embryos and fetuses. They are worried, for example, that health secretary Tommy Thompson may appoint committee members who support such changes to the law. Stem-cell researcher Irving Weissman of Stanford University in California echoes these concerns. "I am very nervous that political activity at the input decides the outcome, and this administration may be news

Nature, 2000

A ny research institute with the word 'national' in its title should be some thing special. Espec... more A ny research institute with the word 'national' in its title should be some thing special. Especially if it is in Germany,a country with a reputation for scientific excellence. But curiously many of Germany's 16 national research centres are failing to live up to this billing. Ask researchers from outside the country to identify a leading German research centre and the chances are they will name one of the prestigious institutes run by the Max Planck Society. It is unlikely, however, that anyone will mention the National Centre for Biotechnological Research (GBF) in Braunschweig. But biologist Rudi Balling has plans to change all that when he takes over the reins at the GBF later this year. At 47, Balling will be the youngest director a German national research centre has ever had. This is no coincidence -Balling's appointment is part of a broader push by all of the centres to rejuvenate and modernize themselves. "We very much need young directors," says Detlev Ganten, director of the Max Delbrück Centre for Molecular Medicine in Berlin, and chairman of the Helmholtz Association, the umbrella organization that oversees the national research centres.