The story of the chance discovery of cyclin in sea urchin eggs shows why reporting standards and editorial best practice may need to respect the wayward character of biology.
This month we celebrate a whole decade since the launch of Plant Methods, the first fully open access journal focusing on technological innovation in the plant sciences. It therefore seems like an appropriate moment to reflect on how far we have come in those 10 years and to try to convey a flavor of the diversity of the content that the journal has featured.
A round-up of recent research published elsewhere over the past few weeks across open access biology.
Decades of research into basic epigenetic mechanisms, along with advanced research into epigenetic disease biomarkers, have made it possible to bring epigenetics to the clinic. A review series published in Clinical Epigenetics this year provides insights into some of the hottest areas in the field.
According to research published in Frontiers in Zoology today, stripes might not offer animals such as zebras the protection from predators that was previously thought. So why do zebras have stripes? Anna Hughes, co-author on the new paper, explains what current research tells us, as well as what it doesn’t…
Providing you with a quick update on some of the recent research published in our biology journals over the past month.
Genome editing is a transformative technology, whether in human genetics or in its potential for crop improvement. The ability to rapidly alter developmentally significant traits has long been a panacea in crop genetics. We’re looking forward to a CRISPR workshop jointly organized by the GARNet and OpenPlant networks, supported by Plant Methods.
In a new editorial series, the editors of BMC Biology explore how figures and illustrations can mislead. Here, Emma explains how well-designed figures contribute to reproducibility, and how the series fits in with the launch of BioMed Central’s Minimum Standards of Reporting Checklist.
To mark the launch of the BioMed Central’s China Gateway, the team at Genome Biology have picked out eight fascinating articles from Chinese researchers published so far this year. Dominique Morneau from the journal’s editorial team gives us the run down.