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Assessing papers that report (or use) computational methods is demanding for referees, but peer review of these methods and related software is crucial for biological research.
The Indian parliament will soon discuss a bill regarding forensic DNA profiling, the terms of which will affect a vast population. It should not pass without substantial national debate and a provision for independent oversight.
Some cells have a remarkable capacity to organize into tissue-like structures in vitro. As methods to enable self-organization improve, ethical aspects of some of these experiments will need to be considered.
The journal impact factor is a much-criticized yet still-used number. As with any metric, it should not be used uncritically and without an understanding of what it measures.
The biology research landscape is littered with antibodies that perform poorly for many applications. Two publicly funded academic efforts to explore high-quality binder generation are coming to an end. What have we learned—and what happens next?
Comparing methods in a fair and informative manner is often not straightforward. Benchmark data sets, thoughtfully applied metrics and clear reporting can help.
