●Molecular feedback. Niehrs, C. & Meinhardt, H. Nature 2 May (2002)

Two new studies that further our understanding of how signalling networks interact during development are discussed in this News and Views piece.

●Keeping the genome in shape. Uhlmann, F. Nature 9 May (2002)

A News and Views discussion of insights into the dynamics of proteins that package DNA in different phases of the cell cycle.

●Cell polarity: Oskar seeks PARtner for a stable relationship. Bullock, S. L. & Ish-Horowicz, D. Nature Cell Biology May (2002)

This News and Views piece discusses new data from Drosophila that extend our knowledge about how cell polarity is determined.

●Gene therapy in recovery phase. Ready, T. Nature Medicine May (2002)

The author of this News piece points out that, although gene-therapy research has suffered from set backs in the past few years, it is now picking up speed, especially after some recent successes.

●Complex trait genetics: the emergence of synthetic multivariate strategies. Phillips, T. J. & Belknap, J. K. Nature Reviews Neuroscience June (2002)

●Human mutation — blame (mostly) men. Ellegren, H. Nature Genetics May (2002)

The author of this News and Views piece discusses recent findings that mutations occur in men at a rate five times of that in women, a finding that is in agreement with the hypothesis that evolution is male driven.

●Yeast and apoptosis. Jin, C. & Reed, J. C. Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology June (2002)

This review highlights the power of yeast genetics in studying mechanisms of programmed cell death and forms part of a special focus on apoptosis.

●The impact of pharmacogenetics and pharmacogenomics on drug discovery. Lindpainter, K. Nature Reviews Drug Discovery June (2002)