Vol.
30 No. 2
March-April 2008
From the Editor
“Good ideas really do not need a lot of selling” was the comment by the reviewer of a project proposal submitted recently to IUPAC. Is this really right? Sure it is if the ideas presented are well targeted to an audience that knows the importance and ramifications of the proposal. But what if the targeted audience is broader than the experts directly involved in the judging? Then, we should not take for granted that “good ideas do not need a lot of selling.” Indeed, it would be presumptuous to think that the rationale for a particular project proposal is unequivocal.
There are many good ideas emanating from IUPAC projects and activities; the feature articles presented in this issue attest to that. One feature in particular
(p. 4 in print), “Chemistry for Biology,” discusses the fundamental role of chemistry in biological processes and the role of chemistry in multidisciplinary perspectives.
Another article (p. 16 in print) describes a good idea that has stood the test of time. For about 30 years, the solubility data series project has made available critically evaluated data and recommended values to practicing chemists. And, as the article shows, these data are essential for research and industry.
New or ongoing projects are routinely presented in CI to raise awareness about them, but also to showcase the diversity of IUPAC’s activities, which is too often under appreciated. Whatever you read in CI, be sure to engage in follow up with the identified task group. You can also do your part by disseminating project information locally; for instance, by sharing such news with your colleagues. And remember, I am always on the lookout for good ideas for CI; do not hesitate to contact me if you have any.
Fabienne
Meyers
[email protected]
Cover: “The Human Kinome”—Courtesy of the Invitrogen Corporation. This circular diagram is an artistic interpretation of the phylogenetic relationships between all members of the human kinase family. Bioinformatics analysis concluded that the superfamily comprises 517 distinct protein kinases. The kinases are organized into nine major groups labeled and colored distinctly. The three-dimensional structure in the middle of the diagram is a model based on cAMP-dependent protein kinase. See full caption on page 6. Request your free copy of the poster from Invitrogen at
www.invitrogen.com/kinasebiology.
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