Creating connections when we talk about science.

For Cell's 50th anniversary Focus on Immunology, scientific editor Cheri Sirois asked science communicator Liz Neeley, founding partner of Liminal and cofounder of Solving for Science, to discuss strategies for tackling technical complexity and for engaging effectively with broad audiences. A lightly edited transcript of their conversation is shared here.

Metabolism in the spotlight: Dr. Giles Yeo on the impact and challenges of science communication.

In this interview with Cell, Dr. Giles Yeo shares his journey into metabolism research, his strategies for engaging audiences, and the challenges of simplifying complex concepts. He also discusses the impact of social media, the advantages of podcasting, and the question he's most afraid of.

The beauty and challenges of studying cell biology in diverse organisms.

Cell Reports Editor Shawnna Buttery interviewed Holly Goodson, Wallace Marshall, and Thibaut Brunet at the annual ASCB/EMBO Cell Bio conference. Shawnna asked how non-traditional organisms help us better understand the fundamentals of cell biology. A transcript of the conversation appears below, and the full conversation is available with the article online.

The power of storytelling in STEM.

Elea-Maria Abisamra is an honors undergraduate student and research fellow at Virginia Tech. She is majoring in Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience and has passions for STEM, writing, and entrepreneurship. In June 2022, Elea acted on her dream and founded Kids Can Write, becoming a CEO of a global nonprofit organization helping turn kids into published authors while teaching them STEM in an innovative and unique way. This is her story.

A reference cell tree will serve science better than a reference cell atlas.

Single-cell biology is facing a crisis of sorts. Vast numbers of single-cell molecular profiles are being generated, clustered and annotated. However, this is overwhelmingly ad hoc, and we continue to lack a principled, unified, and well-moored system for defining, naming, and organizing cell types. In this perspective, we argue against an atlas or periodic table-like discretization as the right metaphor for a reference taxonomy of cell types. In its place, we advocate for a data-driven, tree-based nomenclature that is rooted in a "consensus ontogeny" spanning the life cycle of a given species. We explore how such a reference cell tree, inclusive of both lineage histories and molecular states, could be constructed, represented, and segmented in practice. Analogous to the taxonomic classification of species, a consensus ontogeny would provide a universal, stable, and extendable framework for precise scientific communication, both contemporaneously and across the ages.

Harnessing social media to challenge scientific misinformation.

Ben Rein is a postdoctoral scholar at Stanford University and a science communicator on social media. In January, 2022, he and his colleagues wrote an open letter to Spotify to combat scientific misinformation. Here, Rein tells his story, sharing thoughts and lessons learned from publishing the open letter.

Scientific communication on TikTok.

Abbie Richards is an active scientific communicator on TikTok who posts videos to communicate climate science and to combat misinformation. Cell editor Jia Cheng chatted with Abbie Richards to get her viewpoint on scientific communication through social media. Annotated excerpts from this conversation are presented below, and the full conversation is available with the article online.

The common sense of the community.

Maternal and childhood mortality are health indicators that show very wide gaps between rich and poor, and between countries. The 2022 John Dirks Global Health Award recognizes Zulfiqar Bhutta "for the development and evaluation of evidenced-based interventions in child and maternal health for marginalized populations, focusing on outcomes for the 'first thousand days' of life." Cell editor Nicole Neuman caught up with Zulfiqar to discuss how he became passionate about maternal and child health, how mentors have shaped his career, and the lessons of his work for high-income countries. Excerpts of the conversation are presented below and have been edited for clarity and conciseness.

Creating collaboration by breaking down scientific barriers.

The scientific world rewards the individual while often discouraging collaboration. However, times of crisis show us how much more we can accomplish when we work together. Here, we describe our approach to breaking down silos and fostering global collaborations and share the lessons we have learned, especially pertaining to research on SARS-CoV-2.

Scientific misinformation: A perfect storm, missteps, and moving forward.

The spread of scientific misinformation is not new but rather has long posed threats to human health, environmental well-being, and the creation of a sustainable and equitable future. However, with the COVID-19 pandemic, the need to develop strategies to counteract scientific misinformation has taken on an acute urgency. Cell editor Nicole Neuman sat down with Walter Quattrociocchi and Dietram Scheufele to gain insights on how we got here and what does-and does not-work to fight the spread of scientific misinformation. Excerpts from this conversation, edited for clarity and length, are presented below, and the full conversation is available with the article online.

Nurturing Undergraduate Researchers in Biomedical Sciences.

Undergraduate researchers are the next-generation scientists. Here, we call for more attention from our community to the proper training of undergraduates in biomedical research laboratories. By dissecting common pitfalls, we suggest how to better mentor undergraduates and prepare them for flourishing careers.

Starting Conversations toward Inclusion.

Communal discussions on anti-racism and inclusion are crucial to addressing the history of racism in scientific communities. Unfortunately, universities are not universally implementing these conversations. We provide a blueprint for initiating and executing student-led discussions to empower young scientists to take action toward making science more welcoming and inclusive.

Asking the Question of Why.

Pioneering research from Mina Bissell established the "Dynamic-Reciprocity" view of biology in which there is a bidirectional interaction between cells and their microenvironment. Her revolutionary work showed that extracellular matrix signaling and microenvironment impact gene expression, taking cancer research beyond genetics. For these contributions, she is the recipient of the 2020 Canada Gairdner International Award. Growing up in a well-educated family in Iran, Mina liked to ask many "why" questions. She spoke with Cell editor Miao-Chih Tsai about how she tackles scientific questions and life challenges. Excerpts from this conversation are presented below, and the full conversation is available with the article online.

Going Public in Support of Science.

Scientists are stepping up like never before to support science in the public arena. In big and small ways, scientists are adopting creative ideas to promote science.

Staying Afloat in the Rising Tide of Science.

New York Times columnist and science writer Carl Zimmer discusses the challenges of effectively communicating with the public about science.

A Scientist and a Journalist Walk into a Bar .

Who are science journalists, and how can journalists and research scientists work together to improve science communication?

Communication in Drug Development: "Translating" Scientific Discovery.

The discovery and development of new medicines that promote human health and potentially extend natural life remains a remarkably challenging endeavor. In this Commentary, we identify key elements of communication required to successfully translate promising biological findings to novel approved drug therapies and discuss the attendant challenges and opportunities.

What Drives You to Blog?

Science blogs come in all shapes and sizes. We asked a spectrum of science communicators to share what first sparked their interest in blogging.

Terri Grodzicker: 35 years of shaping scientific publishing and communication.

GUEST EDITOR.