Renewed optimism

2009 will be remembered as a year of up and downs for science. We all, naturally, felt the effects of a down economy in the early part of the year. But based on all the vendors I’ve seen at trade shows in the second half of the year offering their own stimulus packages, things started looking up as we headed into 2010. I think it’s time for some renewed optimism.

Certainly, new stem cell regulations can be seen as a good thing. Shortly after his inauguration, President Obama signed an order that expanded the use of stem cells for government-funded researchers. Combine this with the Obama administration’s emphasis on health care and sciences, and it looks like increased government support (read funding!) will continue in 2010.

H1N1, or swine flu, made a lot of headlines throughout the year. It was declared a pandemic early this past summer. By fall, vaccinations started rolling out—just in time for flu season. It’s still a scary bug and has infected many, but it seems the worst fears have not come true. As we head into winter and peak flu seasons, let’s hope it stays that way.

Bioscience Technology has seen its fair share of events in 2009 as well. We launched our Researcher of the Year competition in May, and awarded it to C. Shad Thaxton for his work in cardiovascular disease. In 2010, we’ll continue this award program. Instructions for entering will be posted shortly on our Web site and in the January issue of Bioscience Technology.

The most useful change to our readers is the newly redesigned Web site. Even if you’ve had the chance to check out the new site, believe me, you haven’t seen anything yet. We’ll soon add even more functionality into the site that will make it even easier to find the tools and technologies you need to accomplish your research goals. The online Buyers' Guide will be updated in 2010, and we’ll be adding tools to help you post your research, solicit comments, and interact with your peers. Some of this is already in place. If you get a chance, check out the community section on www.biosciencetechnology.com and post in our forums.

Keep me posted on how the new year is going for you and your research. I wish you all a happy and successful 2010.