Blog Comments

Kinetica Online is pleased to provide direct links to commentaries from our senior editor Dr. Steven Pelech has posted on other blogs sites. Most of these comments appear on the GenomeWeb Daily Scan website, which in turn highlight interesting blogs that have been posted at numerous sites in the blogosphere since the beginning of 2010. A wide variety of topical subjects are covered ranging from the latest scientific breakthroughs, research trends, politics and career advice. The original blogs and Dr. Pelech’s comments are summarized here under the title of the original blog. Should viewers wish to add to these discussions, they should add their comments at the original blog sites.

The views expressed by Dr. Pelech do not necessarily reflect those of the other management and staff at Kinexus Bioinformatics Corporation. However, we wish to encourage healthy debate that might spur improvements in how biomedical research is supported and conducted.

Genetics

GSA: 'Cardinal' Organisms to Human Biology

Gary Ruvkun at Harvard Medical School suggested renaming "model organisms" as "cardinal organisms" in view of their importance in basic research and in the clinic. S. Pelech argues that this suggestion is rather self-serving and markedly overstates the real value of the study of invertebrates for understanding human pathology and further perpetuates the mythology that genomics analyses of organisms such as yeast, flies and worms are providing continuing breakthroughs in clinical research. Read More...

The Sound of Genetics

The Wellcome Trust has funded a project to investigate the genetic determinants of musical ability, which has included the composition by Michael Zev and presentation by the New London Chamber Choir (NLCC) of a new choral work called 'Allele,' which is based on DNA sequence data from the 41 members of the NLCC. S. Pelech thinks that using DNA sequences is about as meaningful for composing a symphony or choral work as using stock market quotations, sport statistics or actuary data as inspirational sources, and wonders whether this is an appropriate choice for Wellcome Trust funding. Read More...