Features in 2011

Nature's mentoring awards honour three scientists in France.

Student-initiated projects have the potential to change a lab's focus. But with freedom comes responsibility.

Europe's largest economy is boosting research on alternative energy sources and generating job opportunities.

Advances in single-cell imaging bring opportunities for physicists, biologists and chemists alike.

The multifaceted field of carbon-based electronics offers options for researchers from all areas of the physical sciences.

For some, a lack of tenure creates a dynamic lab environment. For others, it's a gamble not worth taking.

Researchers hoping to have an impact in the clinic are searching for diagnostic tools for neurodegenerative disease.

Once known mostly for its natural beauty, Grenoble is becoming a centre of innovation for academia and industry.

Internet-based degree programmes are gaining acceptance, but doubts remain about their suitability for graduate science.

What the novice peer reviewer needs to know before combing through a submission.

Trainees in bioinformatics and computational biology should seek depth of knowledge over breadth.

Internet-based tools and videos are making it easier to perfect lab techniques and tasks. But they augment, rather than replace, conventional guidance in person.

Young scientists want to concentrate on their research, but teaching can bring rewards.

Scientific animators are borrowing tools from Hollywood to breathe life into cells and molecules on screen.

Undergraduate-focused colleges aren't known for research. But they are attractive to those with an interest in teaching.

The sunshine state's rush to become a bioscience player started with a bang. Now it faces more realistic expectations.

Adventure-seeking researchers could benefit from NASA's exit from manned space flight.

Maintaining a research focus is among the challenges facing aspiring physician-scientists.

A bid to host a major international radio telescope has created a demand for astronomers in Western Australia, and built a community that looks set to endure.

Many researchers are exploring the boundaries of established disciplines. But does this cutting-edge approach lead to job opportunities?