Comment

Cell biologists must decide whether to embrace the maturing field of systems biology. We argue that a fusion of the two is urgently needed to strengthen both fields.

Novel perspectives emerge from a recent conference on the origins of eukaryotic cells, which covered phylogenetics, population genetics and evolutionary consequences of energy requirements and host–pathogen interactions.

Although the road to cell therapeutics is rife with uncertainties — scientific, clinical and economic — its success could transform medicine. Five years into its mission, the California Institute of Regenerative Medicine is laying a foundation for this new form of medical treatment.

Many RNA interference (RNAi) screens are now performed to functionally annotate the mammalian genome. Implementing a public repository based on common data standards is essential to realize the full value of largescale RNAi data sets.

There is a lack of trained scientists to fill the increasing number of jobs and funding opportunities in the Indian scientific research sector. This is a great opportunity for the international scientific community to help build and nurture a vibrant cell biology research community in India.

Here, we make a case for multivariate measurements in cell biology with minimal perturbation. We discuss how correlative data can identify cause-effect relationships in cellular pathways with potentially greater accuracy than conventional perturbation studies.

In the current climate of cuts to science and research funding, the commitment of researchers to influencing science policy has resurfaced as an essential issue.

Image repositories are growing. Their potential impact is huge; they require support and proper funding.