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If not for a single genetic mutation, each kernel on a juicy corn cob would be trapped inside a inedible casing as tough as a walnut shell. The mutation switches one amino acid for another at a specific position in a protein regulating formation of these shells in modern corn’s wild ancestor, according to a study published in the July 2015 issue of GENETICS, a publication of the Genetics Society of America.

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By volunteering to mail saliva to researchers working with their health care provider, thousands of people in California have helped build one of the nation’s most powerful medical research tools. The researchers have now published the first reports describing these volunteers’ genetic characteristics, how their self-reported ethnicity relates to genetic ancestry, and details of the innovative methods that allowed them to complete DNA analysis within 14 months. The articles are published in the journal GENETICS.

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Patients seeking certainty in genetic tests often receive a perplexing result. Many learn they carry a “variant of unknown significance” of a disease-linked gene. Such variants might—or equally might not—increase disease risk. A study published in the June issue of the journal GENETICS characterized nearly 2000 variants of the breast cancer-associated gene BRCA1, demonstrating the potential of a new approach for sorting out which variants are harmful and which are harmless.

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More than 1,700 scientists are expected to attend the 20th International C. elegans Meeting, organized by the Genetics Society of America (GSA), June 24–28, 2015, in Los Angeles, California. This biennial meeting is the world's largest assembly of scientists conducting cutting-edge research using the nematode worm Caenorhabditis elegans, a model organism that lends itself to easy investigation where findings can easily be translated to humans.

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The Genetics Society of America (GSA) is proud to name ten early-career scientists—four graduate students and six postdoctoral researchers—as Fall 2015 recipients of GSA’s DeLill Nasser Award for Professional Development in Genetics. The award provides a $1,000 travel grant for each recipient to attend any national or international meeting, conference, or laboratory course that will enhance his or her career.

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The Genetics Society of America (GSA) is pleased to name the recipients of the GSA Undergraduate Travel Awards for summer 2015. These students will use the funds from this award to travel to the 20th International C. elegans Meeting, where they will present their research findings.

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Recent reports on undergraduate education have emphasized the crucial role of authentic research experiences. A genomics research article published in the May issue of G3: Genes|Genomes|Genetics allowed 940 undergraduate students not only to engage in original scholarship, but also to be authors on a peer-reviewed scientific paper. The research, on the evolution of an unusual chromosome in fruit flies, was powered by the contributions of students at 63 higher education institutions across the US, coordinated by the Genomics Education Partnership (GEP).

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The Genetics Society of America (GSA) and Executive Producer Rochelle Easton Esposito, PhD, are pleased to announce that Conversations in Genetics, an oral history of our intellectual heritage in genetics, is now available for free online viewing at http://www.genestory.org/.

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The Genetics Society of America (GSA) and the community of fungal geneticists are pleased to announce the winners of the GSA poster awards at the 28th Fungal Genetics Conference, which took place in Pacific Grove, CA, March 17-22, 2015. The awards were made to graduate student and postdoctoral scientists in recognition of the research they presented at the conference.

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The Genetics Society of America (GSA) and the Drosophila research community are pleased to announce the winners of the GSA poster awards at the 56th Annual Drosophila Research Conference, which took place in Chicago, IL, March 4–8, 2015. The awards were made to undergraduate, graduate and postdoctoral scientists in recognition of the research they presented at the conference. The fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster is one of the most versatile and widely used model organisms applied to the study of genetics, physiology, and evolution.

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Humans carry an average of one to two mutations per person that can cause severe genetic disorders or prenatal death when two copies of the same mutation are inherited, according to estimates published today in the journal GENETICS. The new numbers were made possible by a long-term collaboration between medical researchers and a unique community that has maintained detailed family histories for many generations.

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Nearly 1,000 scientists from 35 countries will attend the 28th Fungal Genetics Conference organized by the Genetics Society of America (GSA), March 17–22, 2015, at the Asilomar Conference Grounds in Pacific Grove, CA. The conference will feature approximately 900 presentations (including over 200 talks) of cutting-edge fungal genetics research – with a focus on filamentous fungi – on topics including genomics, gene regulation, cell biology and development, evolutionary biology, fungal-host interactions and biotechnology.

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Data from only a small number of gene variants can predict which maritime pine trees are most vulnerable to climate change, scientists report in the March issue of GENETICS. The results will improve computer models designed to forecast where forests will grow as the climate changes, and promises to help forestry managers decide where to focus reforestation efforts. The results will also guide the choice of tree stocks.

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Over 1,500 scientists from 30 countries and 46 states will attend next week's 56th Annual Drosophila Research Conference organized by the Genetics Society of America (GSA), March 4–8 in Chicago, IL. The conference will feature close to 1,000 presentations (including 170 talks) describing cutting-edge research on genetics, developmental biology, cancer, stem cells, neurology, epigenetics, genetic disease, aging, immunity, behavior, drug discovery, and technology. It is the largest meeting in the world that brings together researchers who use the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster to study biology.

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The Genetics Society of America (GSA) is pleased to announce that Brian Charlesworth, PhD (University of Edinburgh) has been awarded the Society's Thomas Hunt Morgan Medal for lifetime achievement in the field of genetics. The award, whose namesake was a Nobel laureate and geneticist, recognizes Dr. Charlesworth's profound impact on our understanding of population genetics and evolutionary biology. Dr. Charlesworth will receive the award at the 56th Annual Drosophila Research Conference, organized by GSA, March 4–8, 2015 in Chicago, IL.

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The Genetics Society of America (GSA) is pleased to announce that Steven Henikoff, PhD (Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center) has been awarded the Genetics Society of America Medal in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the field of genetics during the past 15 years. Dr. Henikoff will receive the award at the 56th Annual Drosophila Research Conference, organized by GSA, March 4–8, 2015 in Chicago, IL.

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The Genetics Society of America (GSA) is pleased to announce that Sue Biggins, PhD (Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center) has been awarded the Society's Edward Novitski Prize. The award recognizes Dr. Biggins' extraordinary level of creativity and intellectual ingenuity in solving significant problems in genetics research—namely, her groundbreaking research on the molecular mechanisms of chromosome segregation, a process essential for cell division and frequently impaired in cancer.

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The Genetics Society of America (GSA) is pleased to announce that John H. Postlethwait, PhD (University of Oregon) has been selected to receive the Society's George W. Beadle Award for outstanding contributions to the community of genetics researchers. The award, whose namesake was a Nobel laureate and geneticist, recognizes Dr. Postlethwait's seminal contributions to the zebrafish community. Dr. Postlethwait will receive the honor next week at GSA's 6th Strategic Conference of Zebrafish Investigators, January 17–21, in Pacific Grove, CA.

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Venom from an eastern diamondback rattlesnake in the Everglades is distinct from the cocktail of toxins delivered by the same species in the Florida panhandle area, some 500 miles away. But no matter where you go in the Southeastern United States, the venom of the eastern coral snake is always the same. The results of a large-scale survey of venom variation in the two snake species, published January 8, 2015 in the journal GENETICS, challenge common assumptions in venom evolution research, provide crucial information for rattlesnake conservation, and will help coral snake antivenom development.

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The Genetics Society of America (GSA) is proud to name eight early-career scientists—four graduate students and four postdoctoral researchers—as Spring 2015 recipients of GSA’s DeLill Nasser Award for Professional Development in Genetics. The award provides a $1,000 travel grant for each recipient to attend any national or international meeting, conference, or laboratory course that will enhance his or her career. 

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The Genetics Society of America (GSA) and the Drosophila research community are pleased to announce the recipients of the 2015 Victoria Finnerty Undergraduate Travel Awards. These awards support travel costs for undergraduates engaged in research to attend the Annual Drosophila Research Conference sponsored by GSA. The six winners will present their research at the 56th Annual Drosophila Research Conference, which will take place in Chicago, IL, March 4–8, 2015.

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The Genetics Society of America (GSA) announced today that it is partnering with Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) Press to assist authors in submitting unpublished manuscripts to bioRxiv, a fast-growing preprint server for the life sciences.

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After many generations, rats bred for their bad attitude behave differently from those selected for a calm demeanor around humans. Research published November 7 in the journal GENETICS identifies gene regions that contribute to differences between nasty and nice rats in their behavior and the activity of genes in the brain. These results may provide important clues as to which genes make tame animals like dogs behave so differently from their wild ancestors.

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Research in zebrafish has helped identify the cause of an unknown genetic disorder affecting a boy and two of his uncles, scientists report in the journal GENETICS. The researchers tracked down a mutation carried only by the affected males and their mothers, within a gene called RPL10 . When the equivalent gene was suppressed in zebrafish, the animals developed smaller heads, which is one of the major symptoms of the human disease.

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The Genetics Society of America (GSA) is pleased to announce the election of four new members to its Board of Directors. The new members include a vice-president, who will serve as president of the Society in 2016, and three directors.

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The Genetics Society of America today announced new appointments to the editorial board of its flagship journal GENETICS. The recent additions complement the renewed focus of the peer-reviewed, peer-edited journal in the areas of genomics, human genetics, and methods, among other fields.

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The Genetics Society of America today announced new additions to the editorial board of its peer-reviewed, peer-edited journal G3: Genes|Genomes|Genetics. Since the journal’s launch in June 2011, its editorial board of academic experts has been instrumental in shaping G3 into an important forum for the publication of useful genetics findings and resources.

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The Genetics Society of America (GSA) and the yeast genetics research community are pleased to announce the winners of the GSA poster awards at the 2014 Yeast Genetics Meeting, which took place in Seattle, WA, July 29–August 3, 2014. These awards were made to undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral scientists in recognition of the research they presented at the conference. Their projects examined the molecular basis of several processes governing the inheritance of traits using yeast as a model organism.

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Nearly 600 scientists from 25 countries and 35 states will attend the 2014 Yeast Genetics Meeting organized by the Genetics Society of America (GSA) next week at the University of Washington in Seattle. The conference will feature close to 500 presentations (including 70 talks) of cutting-edge research results on topics including gene expression and regulation, functional genomics, chemical biology and drug discovery, emerging technologies, evolution, aging, and a variety of diseases.

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More than 140 years ago, Charles Darwin noticed something peculiar about domesticated mammals. Compared to their wild ancestors, domestic species are more tame, and they also tend to display a suite of other characteristic features, including floppier ears, patches of white fur, and more juvenile faces with smaller jaws. Since Darwin’s observations, the explanation for this pattern has proved elusive, but now, in a Perspectives article published in the journal GENETICS, a new hypothesis has been proposed that could explain why breeding for tameness causes changes in such diverse traits.

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Nearly 900 scientists from 27 countries will attend the 11th International Conference on Zebrafish Development and Genetics organized by the Genetics Society of America (GSA), June 24–28, 2014, in Madison, Wisconsin. The conference will feature 600 presentations of cutting-edge research results on topics including embryonic and adult development, functional genomics, regenerative medicine, chemical biology, emerging technologies, evolution, and cancer as well as cardiovascular, digestive, and infectious diseases.

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The Genetics Society of America (GSA) is pleased to name the recipients of the GSA Undergraduate Travel Awards for summer/fall 2014. These awards promote excellence in undergraduate research and education by providing financial assistance for undergraduate members to present their research at a GSA conference.

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The Genetics Society of America (GSA) is proud to name nine early-career scientists—four graduate students and five postdoctoral researchers—as Fall 2014 recipients of GSA’s DeLill Nasser Award for Professional Development in Genetics. The award provides a $1,000 travel grant for each recipient to attend any national or international meeting, conference, or laboratory course that will enhance his or her career.

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Immunity stops you dying from a common cold or a tiny pinprick. Differences in resistance or tolerance to disease influence who catches the bug that’s going around the office, or which species succumb to the deadly fungus devastating frogs around the world. To catalyze new advances in this complex field, the Genetics Society of America journals GENETICS and G3: Genes|Genomes|Genetics have launched an ongoing collection of research articles that address the genetics of immunity.

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Sex is everywhere in nature. Whether it’s a bird singing or a tiny yeast cell secreting chemicals to attract the opposite mating type, sex has profoundly shaped the appearance, behavior and evolution of many organisms. In recognition of the importance of the genetic and evolutionary forces underlying sex differences and sex determination, the Genetics Society of America journals GENETICS and G3: Genes|Genomes|Genetics announce an ongoing collection of research articles on the genetics of sex.

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A new approach to studying microbes in the wild will allow scientists to sequence the genomes of individual species from complex mixtures. It marks a big advance for understanding the enormous diversity of microbial communities —including the human microbiome. The work is described in an article published May 22 in Early Online form in the journal G3: Genes|Genomes|Genetics, published by the Genetics Society of America.

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The Genetics Society of America (GSA) and the Drosophila research community are pleased to announce the winners of GSA Poster Awards at the 55th Annual Drosophila Research Conference. These awards were made to undergraduate, graduate student, and postdoctoral researchers in recognition of the work they presented at the conference. Their projects, using the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster as a model organism, spanned a diverse range of topics on the genetic and molecular basis of fundamental biological processes.

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The power of genome-wide association studies (GWAS) to detect genetic influences on human disease can be substantially increased using a statistical testing framework reported in the May issue of the journal GENETICS.

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Technical objections to the idea that Neandertals interbred with the ancestors of Eurasians have been overcome, thanks to a genome analysis method described in the April 2014 issue of the journal GENETICS (http://www.genetics.org). The technique can more confidently detect the genetic signatures of interbreeding than previous approaches and will be useful for evolutionary studies of other ancient or rare DNA samples.

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The massive genome of the loblolly pine—around seven times bigger than the human genome—is the largest genome sequenced to date and the most complete conifer genome sequence ever published. This achievement marks the first big test of a new analysis method that can speed up genome assembly by compressing the raw sequence data 100-fold.

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The Genetics Society of America Drosophila Research Conference, March 26 to 30, 2014, San Diego, CA, will spotlight research advances in cell biology and the cytoskeleton, RNA biology, screening of experimental therapeutics in fly models as well as fly models of such human diseases as cancer, epilepsy, heart disease and diabetes.

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The Genetics Society of America (GSA) is pleased to announce its 2014 Award Recipients. The five individuals honored are recognized by their peers for outstanding achievements and contributions to the genetics community.

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Eleven early career researchers receive travel grants to attend conferences

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Eleven undergraduates win Victoria Finnerty Travel Awards to present research at the Genetics Society of America's Drosophila Research Conference in San Diego in March, 2014.

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The Genetics Society of America (GSA) welcomes the election of five members to its Board of Directors.

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Seven receive Genetics Society of America poster awards at worm meeting.

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Five graduate students and five postdoctoral researchers are recipients of the 2013 DeLill Nasser Awards for Professional Development in Genetics from the Genetics Society of America. Each researcher receives a $1,000 travel grant to attend any national or international meeting, conference or laboratory course that will enhance his or her career.

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Scientists at the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation studying neurons in Caenorhabditis elegans have found a gene, unc-16, that serves as a gatekeeper, restricting the flow of specific membrane-enclosed organelles from the cell body to the axon. Organelles clogging the axon could potentially interfere with neuronal signaling or cause the axon to degenerate, leading to neurodegenerative disorders.

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These are the selected highlights, covering a wide array of genetics topics and organisms, for the May 2013 issue of the Genetics Society of America’s journal, GENETICS.

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The Genetics Society of America and its Drosophila community announce the nine early career geneticists who are recipients of poster awards for their presentation at the 54th Annual Drosophila Research Conference held April 3-7, 2013 in Washington, D.C.