The Code Breaker: Jennifer Doudna, gene editing, and the future of the human race

In this book review and accompanying commentary and Addendum, we focus on 5 principal topics/major themes that are of interest for our readership, with a focus on framing the translation of transformative technology into a platform business model in biopharma. We focus on: 1) the behavioral and personal side of the story of the academic scientist, in this case the principal “code breaker” – Jennifer Doudna; 2) the innovation/technology transfer models, including team building appropriate for successfully translating technology from the academic laboratory into the private sector; 3) the IP considerations needed for broad commercialization and dissemination of pivotal, platform inventions in biopharma; and, 4) framing the issues surrounding the ethical discussion related to use in patients associated with a transformative, gene based technology like CRISPR. We also include an Addendum that covers, 5) Some pertinent, concluding comments on the importance of high–performance, diverse teams for founding, building, and growing successful biotechnology companies.

A Puerto Rican chemist with coffee

It is always a great honor to be able to celebrate with colleagues the anniversary of a prestigious magazine. As I write this invited article for the celebration of the 60th Anniversary of publication of the IUPAC Journal, Pure and Applied Chemistry, I ponder upon my upbringing as a Puerto Rican academic, scientist, and chemist. The roads through school, academia, and life are often turbulent and not straightforward. Herein, I share a short recollection of my story as a young chemist and the aspirations I look forward to.

At the Origins of Dagestan Philosophy and Islamic Studies (to the 90th anniversary of the birth and 70th anniversary of the scientific, pedagogical and social activities of M.A. Abdullaev)

The article highlights some important philosophical and Islamic views and works of the famous Russian, Dagestani scientist Abdullaev Magomed Abdullayevich, in connection with his 90th anniversary of the birth and 70th anniversary of scientific, pedagogical and social activities. The author notes the importance and relevance of the problems raised in numerous monographs and articles, especially the specifics of Islam in the Caucasus and Dagestan, and the uniqueness of regional Sufism. Thanks to the works of Magomed Abdullayevich, the original views of doz-ens of thinkers representing the multinational Republic were preserved in historical memory. It is emphasized that he is not only an academic scientist, but also a publicist whose works on topical religious issues played a constructive role in particularly dramatic periods of the development of our country and our republic. Overcoming the stereotypes in assessing Islam that formed during the Soviet period of the county’s development, he shows that it is an integrating factor for the entire culture and life of Dagestanis.

A note of optimism in the melody of education

In the article, the author reflects on the nature of the changes in the field of education, which are associated with its active reform in the last two decades. The author insists that the development of education is the key to the development of science, and vice versa. And without science, it is impossible to build a great power and maintain its status. Being an academic scientist, the author demonstrates how the formation of the younger generation takes shape and shows the role of scientific journals in this process.

A Brief Guide to Patents for Academic Scientists

While the established infrastructure of academia promotes ventures into unknown intellectual territory, translating technologies from the enclaves of esoteric journals to the lives of everyone remains a challenge. Patents play a crucial role in the world beyond the university setting by disseminating academic work to those who can use it while financially protecting them. We discuss the reasons why an academic scientist would or would not patent, review the basics of patents relevant to a university setting, walk through the steps of filing patents at a university, and provide a more holistic analysis of the role of patents in various industries. We hope that you know enough about patents by the conclusion of this document to informedly decide whether you want to care about them, and that you have the basic vocabulary to dive into the details with experts should you decide you do.

Writing in Science

Scientific knowledge entails rigour and control, both as a process of creating a reasoned view of reality and also as the product of results that shape the dissemination of science. The publication is critical for the development of science and the career of the academic/scientist. This article discusses some aspects of writing in science, in a stance that starts from the authors’ scientific area – Sociology/Social Sciences –, using the scientific publication in specialized journals as a paradigmatic case. The results allow concluding that writing in science does not provide the indication of principles to be pursued and that it is shaped as more than rigid self-sufficient rules for the production of a scientific-type text. This topic is particularly relevant in the current context, in which the process of scientific publication is undergoing a profound reformulation.

Comparative metrics of neurosurgical scientific journals: What do they mean to readers?

Background: In regard to scientific information, are we effectively reaching the universe of physicians in the 21st century, all of whom have different backgrounds, practice environments, educational experiences, and varying degrees of research knowledge? Methods: A comparison of the top nine neurosurgery journals based on various popular citation indices and also on the digital metric, Readers (Users)/month, was compiled from available metrics and from internet sources. Results: Major differences in the ranking of the Readers (Users)/month metrics compared to ranking of the various citation indices were found. It is obvious that the citation indices do not measure the number of readers of a publication. Which metric should be used in judging the value of a scientific paper? The answer to that question relates to what the interest of the reader has in the scientific information. It appears that the academic scientist may have a different reason for reading a scientific publication than a physician caring for a patient. Conclusions: There needs to be more than one type of metric that measures the value and “Impact” of a scientific paper based on how physicians learn.