Databases have revolutionized nearly every aspect of our lives. Information of all sorts is being collected on a massive scale, from Google to Facebook and well beyond. But as the amount of information in databases explodes, we are forced to reassess our ideas about what knowledge is, how it is produced, to whom it belongs, and who can be credited for producing it. Every scientist working today draws on databases to produce scientific knowledge. Databases have become more common than microscopes, voltmeters, and test tubes, and the increasing amount of data has led to major changes in research practices and profound reflections on the proper professional roles of data producers, collectors, curators, and analysts. Collecting Experiments traces the development and use of data collections, especially in the experimental life sciences, from the early twentieth century to the present. It shows that the current revolution is best understood as the coming together of two older ways of knowing—collecting and experimenting, the museum and the laboratory. Ultimately, Bruno J. Strasser argues that by serving as knowledge repositories, as well as indispensable tools for producing new knowledge, these databases function as digital museums for the twenty-first century.

During the past decade we have witnessed not only an increase in knowledge of the "traditional" biophysical problems, but also an understanding of the molecular basis of various biological phenomena. The principles and methods of biophysics now provide an underpin ning of all of the basic biosciences and are the rational language for discussion between scientists of different disciplines. The International School on Biophysics Supramolecular Structure and Function held in Dubrovnik in September 1984 had as its goal to provide comprehensive discussions on a large number of subjects both for younger scientists at the doctoral or postdoctoral level interested in the molecular nature of fundamental biological entities, and for experienced scientists wishing to gain a broader insight into molecular structures and functions. The topics discussed at the School were inter- and intramolecular interactions in biological systems, and the structure, organization, and function of biological macromolecules and supramolecular assemblies. A number of topics were centered around either a biological problem or a physical technique, sometimes giving an unbalanced view of the field under discussion. Some of the topics required previous knowledge of basic biophysical principles, which were then applied to gain greater insight into the molecular functions of diverse supramolecular systems. Although not all the lectures could be prepared for publication in this volume, I hope that it contains valuable up-to-date information on various aspects of the molecular basis of life.

Collagen is a fascinating protein not only because of its ubiquitous occurrence in multicellular animals, but also because of its unique chemi cal structure. As the predominant constituent in bone, cartilage, skin, tendon, and tooth, it is not surprising that collagen is of interest to anatomists, biochemists, biomedical engineers, cell biologists, dermatolo gists, dental surgeons, leather chemists, orthopedic surgeons, physiologists, physicians, zoologists, and a host of others. This book was planned to provide an up-to-date comprehensive survey of all aspects of biochemistry of collagen. The recent discovery of genetically distinct collagens with tissue specificity has opened a new era in collagen biochemistry, and Karl Piez discusses this in the opening chapter on primary structure. In the next chapter, Ramachandran and Rama krishnan deal with the molecular structure of collagen, placing special emphasis on the conformational aspects of its polypeptide chains. Follow ing the consideration of primary and secondary structure of collagen, the three-dimensional arrangement of collagen molecules in the fibrils is covered by Miller in Chapter 3. Collagen is generally in the insoluble state in the living organism due to the cross-linking of individual molecules, and Tanzer describes the various aspects of this cross-linkage in Chapter 4. The biosynthesis of collagen is discussed in depth by Prockop and his colleagues.

A wealth of information has accumulated over the last few years on the human genome. The new insights have completely changed the focus of protein analysis. It is no longer time-consuming analysis of unknown products, but rather selective identifications of individual forms, modifications and processings, and overall analysis of global protein outputs from cells and tissues in health and disease. This book gears to the rising need of sensitive, accurate, and fast separation and identification techniques in proteomics. It discusses current methodologies of modern protein analysis, from isolation and sample preparation, over analysis and identification, to final characterization. Several evaluations concentrate on the now productive approaches of two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and mass spectrometry, but alternative methods and further perspectives are also outlined. The book includes an overlook over current databases to connect protein analysis data with all available information,...

The MPSA international conference is held in a different country every two years. It is devoted to methods of determining protein structure with emphasis on chemistry and sequence analysis. Until the ninth conference, MPSA was an acronym for Methods in Protein Sequence Analysis. To give the conference more flexibility and breadth, the Scientific Advisory Committee of the lOth MPSA decided to change the name to Methods in Protein Structure Analysis; however, the emphasis remains on "methods" and on "chemistry. " In fact, this is the only major conference that is devoted to methods. The MPSA conference is truly international, a fact clearly reflected by the composi tion of its Scientific Advisory Committee. The Scientific Advisory Committee oversees the scientific direction of the MPSA and elects the chairman of the conference. Members of the committee are elected by active members, based on scientific standing and activity. The chairman, subject to approval of the Scientific Advisory Committee, appoints the Organizing Committee. It is this latter committee that puts the conference together. The lectures of the MPSA have traditionally been published in a special proceedings issue. This is different from, and more detailed than, the special MPSA issue of the Journal of Protein Chemistry in which only a brief description of the talks is given in short papers and abstracts. In the I Oth MPSA, about half the talks are by invited speakers and the remainder were selected from submitted short papers and abstracts.

-- "The Scientist"