Regular readers of Nature Genetics PDFs online will have known for a few weeks now that the journal has been redesigned. We trust that the most obvious changes—artwork being splashed across the entire cover and the research material being given a new layout and style—will make the journal even more attractive to look at and to read. Why the new look? For one, Nature Genetics has not changed dramatically in appearance since its launch in 1992, and the time seemed right for a somewhat different aesthetic. More importantly, this redesign coincides with a similar process at the other monthly Nature research journals. Although each journal is editorially independent, the 'family resemblance' should now be more evident, reflected in consistent nomenclature for each section.

This redesign has also given us the impetus to include different types of content. On page 133, readers will find a page of 'Research Notes'—short synopses of recent notable papers in genetics. Pieces that normally ran under the heading 'Progress' will now be given the more straightforward title 'Review', the first of which appears on page 135. We will continue to run reviews—authoritative, balanced and scholarly surveys of particular areas of research—as well as commentaries, which will be less technical and more opinionated discussions of any topic of broad interest to geneticists. Starting next month, we will run an occasional 'perspective,' which will be a scholarly review of the literature that is perhaps too technical to be termed a commentary or puts forward a speculative hypothesis. As always, we welcome proposals for such pieces, in the form of one-page outlines, which can be sent to natgen@natureny.com. Finally, we will run obituaries to mark the passing of prominent people in the field. Sadly, the recent loss of Ira Herskowitz has meant that this section has been introduced immediately. On page 121, Anita Sil offers an overview of the life and work of this outstanding scientist.