About the author

Dan Rhoads

Dan is a postdoc working at the University of Cyprus in developmental biology. He has a BSc in molecular biology and a PhD pharmacology and biochemistry.

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This week’s highlights from Around the Blogs include shakes in the lab, confused science journalists and brain tissue from stem cells…

23andMe’s Advanced Global Similarity Tool
Dienekes takes a critical look at 23andMe’s new “global similarity” tool, which allows you to visually place your own genetic data in the context of genome-wide SNP data from over 1,000 individuals from around the world.

Industry vs. Academic Research
There has been some tendency in some corners of academia to knock industry-sponsored or -executed biomedical research as tainted. Is this attitude changing?

Getting the Roles of Blogs and Journals Straight
“[Blogs] certainly don’t replace the journals, but add a way to inject the results into the public sphere, where they can be part of a popular conversation.”

Micropipettes and the Shakes
“Something that we often don’t think about in science education but is critically important when you’re actually in a lab: having good hands.”

100 Years of Genetic Research and Science Journalists are Still Confused
Alex comments on a NY Times article on “The Gene” and has a few interesting quibbles to discuss with you.

The Mason’s Apprentice
PZ Myers has an outstanding article on the evolutionary origins of multi-cellularity.

Embryonic Stem Cells Form Functional Brain Tissue
Mo comments on a fascinating new paper out on a political hot-topic in Cell Stem Cell.