Editorials in 2012

Despite the revolutionary advances made through the application of omic approaches, the importance of studying organisms in pure culture should not be forgotten.

In our final Editorial of the year, we take a look back at 2012 and the microbiology-related research that made the news.

Despite low levels of uptake and active engagement, social media and other online tools can be of great benefit to microbiology researchers, and their use is to be encouraged.

A day off in the middle of the schedule of a recent microbial ecology conference highlighted the importance of taking time out.

With funding for the HMP and Meta-HIT consortia now ending, what's next for these large-scale efforts to map the hidden microbial hordes associated with the human body?

Graduate training programmes must provide the tools and information necessary to help trainees make informed decisions about their future career path, whether in science or not.

After 35 years, the US Food and Drug Administration has officially dropped the idea of comprehensive legislation to control the non-medical use of antibiotics in agriculture, and instead is advocating voluntary oversight.

There are signs that the therapeutic successes that have contributed to the downward trajectory for HIV-1 mortality may soon be repeated for HCV.

The campaign to eradicate polio has achieved a 99% decrease in the number of polio cases worldwide, but the remaining 1% is the most important.

A better understanding of the factors that affect children's desire to follow a career in science is vital if we are to inspire the next generation of scientists.

The decision of an independent oversight committee to recommend the redaction of sensitive information from two influenza research papers highlights the complexities of dual-use research.