The Pre-Metaphase Stretch: A Re-Examination

Pre-metaphase stretch is a term first coined by the preeminent cell biologist Sally Hughes-Schrader in 1950 to describe an elongation of prometaphase chromosomes observed in the primary spermatocytes of phasmid insects and praying mantids. Research from many groups since Hughes-Schrader’s initial observation has revealed reasons for both how and why chromosomes might elongate prior to metaphase. In this review, we describe Hughes-Schrader’s initial findings and discuss how recent work illuminates and provides some mechanistic explanation for this long-ago observed phenomenon.

The evolution of a cell biologist

I am honored and humbled to receive the E. B. Wilson Medal and happy to share some reflections on my journey as a cell biologist. It took me a while to realize that my interest in biology would center on how cells are spatially and dynamically organized. From an initial fascination with cellular structures I came to appreciate that cells exhibit dynamism across all scales—from their molecules, to molecular complexes, to organelles. Uncovering the principles of this dynamism, including new ways to observe and quantify it, has been the guiding star of my work.

A well-engineered path into cell biology and academia

Winning the American Society for Cell Biology’s Women in Cell Biology Mid-career Award is incredibly meaningful to me, as it validates that someone focusing on engineering and applications can be a “real” cell biologist, too. Single-minded devotion to studying a particular biological process is not a prerequisite for a career in science and academia. The more diverse the scientific styles and demographics of scientists who feel welcome, the stronger science will be.

Improving therapeutic potential of GDNF family ligands

The last decade has been a frustrating time for investigators who had envisioned major advances in the treatment of Parkinson’s disease using neurotrophic factors. The first trials of glial cell line–derived neurotrophic factor for treating Parkinson’s disease were very promising. Later blinded control trials were disappointing, not reaching the predetermined outcomes for improvement in motor function. Consideration of the problems in the studies as well as the biology of the neurotrophins used can potentially lead to more effective therapies. Parkinson’s disease presents a multitude of opportunities for the cell biologist wanting to understand its pathology and to find possible new avenues for treatment.