What am I reading in ScholarWorks? November 2024

This month I was drawn in by a word—pluripotency. A marvelous word! Pluripotency means the potential to become any cell type. A cell that is able to develop into many cell types is pluripotent. "Pluripotency of a Founding Field: Rebranding Developmental Biology” has many authors, Smith College’s Professor Michael Barresi being one, but is able to exude a singular joy of the subject—as evidenced by the clever title of the paper. It is also a thoughtful examination and collaborative project to understand a “decline in prominence” of developmental biology as a field of study. The discussion of how to improve scientific communication feels ever more pressing these days, I appreciate the effort of the authors to situate their work into the wider world. Thinking through better ways to connect, include, and communicate applies to us all. This article models a coherent plan for a specific field, but also evinces the larger ‘why.’ Foundations needn’t be made of stone, their potency benefits from flexibility, responsiveness, and good communication from which the pluripotency can then flourish.

To view this work in ScholarWorks, visit: 
https://scholarworks.smith.edu/bio_facpubs/309/
 

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