Science expands Science Signaling, featuring research related to medical advances, and more

Michael B. Yaffe named chief scientific editor of Science Signaling

The journal Science, published by the non-profit American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), today announced plans to expand its online journal, Science Signaling, which focuses on new insights for combating disease as well as understanding normal human biology. See http://stke.sciencemag.org.

Michael B. Yaffe, a prominent cell signaling researcher and associate professor of biology and biological engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), has accepted a new position as Chief Scientific Editor for Science Signaling. Dr. Yaffe will help set the strategic direction of the journal and work with the staff to attract and publish top-notch signaling research.

An array of biological events – from reproduction and embryonic differentiation to programmed cell death and cancer development -- is governed by how cells “talk” to each other, through signal transduction pathways.

By tracing the intricate pathways of cell signals, a growing research community is developing new disease-fighting ideas, based on altering key biochemical events along the route, or knocking out genes that code for proteins involved in unhealthy signals.

To support such efforts, Science in 1999 established an online journal, Science’s Signal Transduction Knowledge Environment (STKE). Since then, the site has featured an array of “Perspective,” “Review,” and “Protocol” articles offering context for signal transduction research. The site also includes a Database of Cell Signaling, illustrating known pathways for signal transduction, and other resources such as the Teaching Resources and Glossary that advance education of topics in cell signaling.

This year, the popular online resource became Science Signaling, and now Science is gearing up to add original, peer-reviewed research reports to the site’s lineup by Fall 2008. In addition to weekly online publication, an optional monthly print version of Science Signaling is expected to debut in September 2008 and feature original research.

Signal transduction refers to the sequence of biochemical processes by which cells respond to cues in their internal or external environment. Some signal transduction pathways can alter gene expression and thereby control cell fate, influence cell movement, control cell survival or sentence a cell to death. These pathways are therefore the natural control circuits that regulate biological systems, and they provide potent targets for development of therapeutic agents to combat disease.