Cover image
Planarian flatworms have the remarkable capacity to regenerate their entire body. Despite a wealth of molecular-genetic data, no constructive model of regenerative patterning exists. Levin and colleagues (doi:10.1242/bio.20123400) created a formalism for abstracting key features of flatworm anatomy from functional experimental data; an example of this graph representation is shown here superimposed upon successive stages of head regeneration in an amputated worm. New artificial intelligence tools can use the formalism and database to help derive algorithmic models of regeneration, establishing a new bioinformatics of shape.
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Biology Open and COVID-19
We are aware that the COVID-19 pandemic is having an unprecedented impact on researchers worldwide. The Editors of all The Company of Biologists’ journals have been considering ways in which we can alleviate concerns that members of our community may have around publishing activities during this time. Read about the actions we are taking at this time.
Please don’t hesitate to contact the Editorial Office if you have any questions or concerns.
Interviews – Stéphanie, Jessica and Lana
In our latest interviews with BiO first authors, Stéphanie Cottier, Jessica Sam and Lana de Vries each tell us about the implications of their findings, project surprises and life as an early-career researcher.
When fieldwork meets a global pandemic
“Eventually, food transport was going to be stopped, so the field team were airlifted back to Cayenne.”
For Lauren O’Connell (Stanford University), lockdown had a dramatic start when members of her lab were given 24 hours’ notice to detag their poison frogs and evacuate their field station in French Guiana. Read the full story to find out more and hear how her lab is now returning to the bench.
Journal of Cell Science launches new microscopy community site
FocalPlane is an online meeting place for microscopists and biologists to share the latest microscopy news, events and resources. Find out more from Community Manager Christos Kyprianou and read the origin story of FocalPlane.