tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-74971056711082062622024-03-12T19:49:04.100-07:00MolBio Research HighlightsSelected stand-out papers in molecular biologyAlejandro Montenegro-Monterohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18078462764857337905noreply@blogger.comBlogger280125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7497105671108206262.post-28510306261906871892011-07-09T18:14:00.000-07:002011-07-09T18:14:15.369-07:00UPDATE YOUR BOOKMARKS: WE ARE GONEMake sure you update your bookmarks: we've moved to The MolBio Hut.
Follow me through my general RSS feed.
What's this 'generic RSS feed'? Read about it here.
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Alejandro Montenegro-Monterohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18078462764857337905noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7497105671108206262.post-46319422583089496512011-05-17T12:05:00.000-07:002011-05-17T12:05:19.511-07:00We have moved!
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Due to some problems with the Blogger platform and for a number of other reasons, we have decided to move into our new blog hosted at Wordpress: The MolBio Hut.
Please update your bookmarks and your RSS feeds as this blog will no longer be updated.
We will continue our work at The MolBio Hut and we hope you follow us there!
Thanks!
a2a_linkname=document.title;a2a_linkurl="Alejandro Montenegro-Monterohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18078462764857337905noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7497105671108206262.post-63070397806062388362011-04-08T17:34:00.000-07:002011-04-08T17:34:10.709-07:00Einstein vs Stephen Hawking -Epic Rap Battles of History #7Fantastic. Just great.
Enjoy....
(H/T: @Katie_PhD)
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Alejandro Montenegro-Monterohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18078462764857337905noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7497105671108206262.post-20814243909009905552011-04-07T15:20:00.000-07:002011-04-07T15:20:34.098-07:00MolBio Carnival #9A new edition of The MolBio Carnival is now up at Alles was lebt
Check it out now!
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Alejandro Montenegro-Monterohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18078462764857337905noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7497105671108206262.post-27652680784155048052011-04-05T06:48:00.000-07:002011-04-05T06:48:45.782-07:00Poll: Who would you choose as your PI?
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You always hear stories about people that have "the worst PI ever". These stories almost always start with "the friend of a friend used to work in a lab where the PI..."
Many of these are exaggerations (and even funny in some cases), but in others, some PIs actually do the things you hear about.
I don't want you to get the impression that I think PIs are 'evil'; in fact, many (ifAlejandro Montenegro-Monterohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18078462764857337905noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7497105671108206262.post-760881440176043152011-04-03T10:30:00.000-07:002011-04-03T10:30:28.463-07:00Quotes from the science blogosphere: Tip for grad students and postdocs
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(...) This brings me to the observation that it is not just the case that we evil PIs only train PhD level scientists for technical work. It is also the case that some many trainees show little evidence that they themselves understand that bench work IS just technical work. If you don't have a conceptual grasp of what you are trying to understand, big picture, you are soooo not Alejandro Montenegro-Monterohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18078462764857337905noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7497105671108206262.post-46304310468990221472011-03-07T12:34:00.001-08:002011-03-07T12:34:47.404-08:00The MolBio Carnival #8A new edition of The MolBio Carnival is out!
Go check it out over at Thoughtomics.
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Alejandro Montenegro-Monterohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18078462764857337905noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7497105671108206262.post-51786003819534757942011-02-25T11:10:00.000-08:002011-02-25T11:11:22.451-08:00qPCR: quicker and easier but don't be sloppy
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Quick post just to direct your attention to a new article in Nature Methods, under the "Technology Feature" section, discussing qPCR. This is a very powerful technique, but care must be taken when setting it up in order to arrive to the right conclusions.
Go check it out!
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Alejandro Montenegro-Monterohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18078462764857337905noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7497105671108206262.post-42684621276404901732011-02-10T19:16:00.000-08:002011-02-10T19:16:13.246-08:00You know you’re a biologist when…Hop over to the GE Global Research site and check John Nelson's full list...
Just a sample:
You know you’re a biologist when…
-You use the word “aliquot” in regular sentences.
-You’ve made dry ice grenades.
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Alejandro Montenegro-Monterohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18078462764857337905noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7497105671108206262.post-46802300350162437502011-02-07T12:45:00.000-08:002011-02-07T12:45:55.082-08:00The MolBio Carnival #7It’s our turn to host the 7th issue of The MolBio Carnival and as usual, we have great posts to discuss and highlight. This is actually my first time hosting it, as last time, for the 1st issue of this Carnival, Alejandro did all the work, and a fine one, I might add.
Although I´ve been absent from posting for a very long time (mainly because of the revision of a manuscript I'm involved in), I Francisco Barrigahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04331796971961157992noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7497105671108206262.post-17509401455081572752011-01-31T09:08:00.000-08:002011-01-31T09:09:35.742-08:00The Grad Student Rap".... my new results, to be unveiled, are experiments to show why my experiments failed..."
(H/T: @apfejes)
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Alejandro Montenegro-Monterohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18078462764857337905noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7497105671108206262.post-25601657038549895112011-01-31T08:47:00.000-08:002011-01-31T08:48:35.508-08:00Follow me on Twitter: I tweet a lot more than I blog
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My blogging frequency is less than ideal, but that doesn't mean I've stop highlighting fascinating articles in molecular and cell biology or linking to interesting things on the web. For me, Twitter is a better tool for when you just want to direct people's attention to things on the web than a blog, basically, because when I mention something on my blog I like to take the time Alejandro Montenegro-Monterohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18078462764857337905noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7497105671108206262.post-83517518940631542102011-01-17T05:19:00.000-08:002011-01-17T05:19:22.205-08:00Poll at Science and a quote
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A recent poll at Science wanted to evaluate whether people would be willing to reduce their frequent travelling to meetings in favor of the environment. This poll was generated as a consequence of a letter by I. C. Burke urging scientists to examine the environmental consequences of their own frequent travel.
This was that poll:
On 10 December 2010, we asked you to consider the Alejandro Montenegro-Monterohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18078462764857337905noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7497105671108206262.post-25092854360900737002011-01-15T10:49:00.001-08:002011-01-15T10:49:49.550-08:00Great books for the summer!I'm super excited as my sisters just gave me this fabulous book:
Phage and the Origins of Molecular Biology, The Centennial Edition
Here's its description:
This hugely influential book, published in 1966 as a 60th birthday tribute to Max Delbrück, is now republished as The Centennial Edition. On first publication, the book was hailed as “[introducing] into the literature of science, for the Alejandro Montenegro-Monterohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18078462764857337905noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7497105671108206262.post-48404125430330781442011-01-09T17:30:00.000-08:002011-01-11T04:49:04.000-08:00What is a "least publishable unit"?I've recently linked to a Letter in Science arguing that there's nothing wrong with the publication of “least publishable units” (LPUs) and that we needn't worry about a hypothetical paper glut and it's alleged effects on paper quality, provided a rigurous peer review system exists (See Quotes from the science world). This was published as a response to this letter.
Dave Bridges postedAlejandro Montenegro-Monterohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18078462764857337905noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7497105671108206262.post-37602719069838129592011-01-09T10:00:00.000-08:002011-01-09T10:01:49.251-08:00Quotes from the science world
(...) Most of us who are actively involved in science today do not worry about a hypothetical paper glut, for the simple reason that we store scientific documents electronically, not on paper. In the electronic age, the claim can be made that a manuscript is suitable for publication if it is technically sound and that the importance of any particular article should be determined after Alejandro Montenegro-Monterohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18078462764857337905noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7497105671108206262.post-27308470361258081882011-01-08T08:53:00.000-08:002011-01-08T08:53:11.104-08:00Santiago is the place to be in 2011We may not have the money or technology available in other research centers, but we have a kick-ass city!
Part of the new Gabriela Mistral Center, right next to my University, is to the right. The Lastarria neighborhood, filled with restaurants and bars is at the back (Image credit)
When science resources are scarce, you can always travel abroad as part of collaborations and do the Alejandro Montenegro-Monterohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18078462764857337905noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7497105671108206262.post-49260343955028199602010-12-25T06:10:00.000-08:002010-12-25T06:24:13.797-08:00Season's Greetings from MolBio Research HighlightsMerry Christmas from all of us at MolBio Research Highlights. We wish you love and happiness in this Holiday Season.
Oswald Avery (Image credit, modified by me)
Oswald Theodore Avery (1877-1955) was a distinguished Canadian-born bacteriologist and research physician and one of the founders of immunochemistry. He is best known for his discovery that deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) serves as Alejandro Montenegro-Monterohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18078462764857337905noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7497105671108206262.post-81499008262721012552010-12-24T10:35:00.000-08:002010-12-24T10:40:44.636-08:002010 - A year in review. We are now 2 years old!Another year has gone by and it’s time to evaluate how 2010 was for us. Yesterday was my blogoversary, making MolBio Research Highlights 2 years old. In these two years, a lot has happened and this blog has evolved from being a place where I linked to papers I considered interesting, to a full blog where we discuss primary research articles in the field, link to interesting things in the web (Alejandro Montenegro-Monterohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18078462764857337905noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7497105671108206262.post-30707165207319727162010-12-19T10:59:00.000-08:002010-12-19T10:59:43.310-08:00Call for submissions MolBio Carnival #6A new edition of the MolBio Carnival is coming! There's still time to get your posts in, as it goes live on Jan 3rd.
Read all about it here!
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Alejandro Montenegro-Monterohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18078462764857337905noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7497105671108206262.post-73155134419466488502010-12-16T05:11:00.000-08:002010-12-16T05:15:29.919-08:00PostDocs Forum Featured ScientistA (very) long time ago, Susan Steinhardt from the PostDocs Forum sent me an email with the idea of featuring me in their website. I immediately accepted, but I wasn't really diligent about it. I really appreciate Susan's continuous interest, regardless of my "inattention to schedule", as Keith Robison would say.
Anyway, my interview is now live at the Forum and I encourage Alejandro Montenegro-Monterohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18078462764857337905noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7497105671108206262.post-37930752917540906442010-12-14T09:00:00.000-08:002010-12-14T09:01:05.416-08:00Top 5 papers of 2010Go and take a look at the selection made by Faculty of 1000, which includes the article describing the structure of a bacterial complex I enzyme.
Alejandro Montenegro-Monterohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18078462764857337905noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7497105671108206262.post-49199218905917116462010-12-12T07:46:00.000-08:002010-12-12T07:46:59.226-08:00The MolBio Carnival #5The 5th edition of the MolBio Carnival is out at LabRat's blog. Go check it out!
If you didn't have time to get your post in this month's issue, don't worry! You can always submit to the next edition, which will be hosted at Phased.
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Alejandro Montenegro-Monterohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18078462764857337905noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7497105671108206262.post-60589875313882914112010-12-11T09:09:00.000-08:002010-12-13T13:23:42.411-08:00Middle Ages Science meets Present Times Science...... and me!
Taken at the Karlsruhe Palace. Thanks to Alex Knoll for inviting me to his home while in Germany and for taking me sightseeing (and for taking the picture!).
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Alejandro Montenegro-Monterohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18078462764857337905noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7497105671108206262.post-19784424266689160222010-12-05T07:01:00.000-08:002010-12-05T07:01:51.826-08:00Quotes from the science blogosphereI read the paper (Wolfe-Simon et al., 2010) and I can assure you that nothing in that paper is going into my biochemistry textbook. I predict that a year from now we'll have forgotten about this discovery. I'm not even sure it's going to be confirmed but, if it is, the result is pretty trivial.
Larry Moran on the recent media hype about the paper "A Bacterium That Can Grow by Using Arsenic Alejandro Montenegro-Monterohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18078462764857337905noreply@blogger.com0