Ending "domestic helicopter research"

"Helicopter research" refers to a practice where researchers from wealthier countries conduct studies in lower-income countries with little involvement of local researchers or community members. This practice also occurs domestically. In this Commentary, we outline strategies to curb domestic helicopter research and to foster equity-centered collaborations.

Unlocking the power of virtual networking for early-career researchers

Many successful researchers in the biomedical sciences have benefitted from mentors and networks earlier in their career. However, early-career researchers from minoritized and underrepresented groups do not have the same access to potential mentors and networks as many of their peers. In this article we describe how 'cold emails' and social media platforms - notably Twitter/X and LinkedIn - can be used to build virtual networks, and stress the need to invest in maintaining networks once they have been established.

Postdoctoral mentorship needs a reform

To retain talented scientists in academia, there is a need for structural reform to postdoctoral researcher (postdoc) mentorship. These changes include mentorship training for postdocs and their mentors, formalizing postdoc mentorship networks and postdoc cohorts within a department, and incorporating mentorship development plans (MDPs) in funding decisions for principal investigators (PIs).

Juneteenth in STEMM and the barriers to equitable science

We are 52 Black scientists. Here, we establish the context of Juneteenth in STEMM and discuss the barriers Black scientists face, the struggles they endure, and the lack of recognition they receive. We review racism's history in science and provide institutional-level solutions to reduce the burdens on Black scientists.

Career choices of underrepresented and female postdocs in the biomedical sciences

The lack of diversity among faculty at universities and medical schools in the United States is a matter of growing concern. However, the factors that influence the career choices of underrepresented minority and female postdoctoral researchers have received relatively little attention. Here we report the results of a survey of 1284 postdocs working in the biomedical sciences in the US. Our findings highlight possible reasons why some underrepresented minority and female postdocs choose not to pursue careers in academic research, and suggest interventions that could be taken in the early stages of postdoctoral training to prevent this attrition of underrepresented groups.

Molecular Biology of Glucocorticoid Signaling

Well-defined as signaling hormones for the programming of cell type-specific and context-dependent gene expression signatures, glucocorticoids control experience-driven allostasis. One unifying model is that glucocorticoids help maintaining the integrity and plasticity of cellular networks in changing environments through the mobilization of cellular energy stores, profiling of gene expression, and changes in the electrical and morphological properties of cells. The nucleus is their primary site of action, yet recent discoveries point to additional gene transcription-independent functions at the plasma membrane of neuronal synapses. Glucocorticoids are secreted factors that reflect intrinsically the changes coming from the external world, temporally and regionally, during development and adulthood. In this review, we will enumerate the properties and signaling attributes of glucocorticoids and their receptors that characterize them as allostatic modulators. The molecular mechanisms used to support their role at the synapse will be highlighted.

High levels of Hsp90 cochaperone p23 promote tumor progression and poor prognosis in breast cancer by increasing lymph node metastases and drug resistance

p23 is a heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90) cochaperone located in both the cytoplasm and nucleus that stabilizes unliganded steroid receptors, controls the catalytic activity of certain kinases, regulates protein-DNA dynamics, and is upregulated in several cancers. We had previously shown that p23-overexpressing MCF-7 cells (MCF-7+p23) exhibit increased invasion without affecting the estrogen-dependent proliferative response, which suggests that p23 differentially regulates genes controlling processes linked to breast tumor metastasis. To gain a comprehensive view of the effects of p23 on estrogen receptor (ER)-dependent and -independent gene expression, we profiled mRNA expression from control versus MCF-7+p23 cells in the absence and presence of estrogen. A number of p23-sensitive target genes involved in metastasis and drug resistance were identified. Most striking is that many of these genes are also misregulated in invasive breast cancers, including PMP22, ABCC3, AGR2, Sox3, TM4SF1, and p8 (NUPR1). Upregulation of the ATP-dependent transporter ABCC3 by p23 conferred resistance to the chemotherapeutic agents etoposide and doxorubicin in MCF-7+p23 cells. MCF-7+p23 cells also displayed higher levels of activated Akt and an expanded phosphoproteome relative to control cells, suggesting that elevated p23 also enhances cytoplasmic signaling pathways. For breast cancer patients, tumor stage together with high cytoplasmic p23 expression more accurately predicted disease recurrence and mortality than did stage alone. High nuclear p23 was found to be associated with high cytoplasmic p23, therefore both may promote tumor progression and poor prognosis by increasing metastatic potential and drug resistance in breast cancer patients.