This list will be updated with all of our new commentaries including Comments, Editorials, Meeting reports, Opinions and Q&As. Commentaries in Genome Biology are open access and therefore free to read and share.
Commentaries
Recent commentaries published in Genome Biology
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Citation: Genome Biology 2022 23:3
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Heterochromatin: did H3K9 methylation evolve to tame transposons?
Citation: Genome Biology 2021 22:325 -
Mentorship is not co-authorship: a revisit to mentorship
Citation: Genome Biology 2021 22:2 -
Functional consequences of archaic introgression and their impact on fitness
Citation: Genome Biology 2020 21:3 -
Crowdfunding science
Citation: Genome Biology 2019 20:250 -
Is it time to change the reference genome?
The use of the human reference genome has shaped methods and data across modern genomics. This has offered many benefits while creating a few constraints. In the following opinion, we outline the history, prop...
Citation: Genome Biology 2019 20:159 -
Bridging the gap between reference and real transcriptomes
Genetic, transcriptional, and post-transcriptional variations shape the transcriptome of individual cells, rendering establishing an exhaustive set of reference RNAs a complicated matter. Current reference tra...
Citation: Genome Biology 2019 20:112 -
Genomics and data science: an application within an umbrella
Data science allows the extraction of practical insights from large-scale data. Here, we contextualize it as an umbrella term, encompassing several disparate subdomains. We focus on how genomics fits as a spec...
Citation: Genome Biology 2019 20:109 -
Next-generation genome annotation: we still struggle to get it right
While the genome sequencing revolution has led to the sequencing and assembly of many thousands of new genomes, genome annotation still uses very nearly the same technology that we have used for the past two d...
Citation: Genome Biology 2019 20:92 -
Machine learning and complex biological data
Machine learning has demonstrated potential in analyzing large, complex biological data. In practice, however, biological information is required in addition to machine learning for successful application.
Citation: Genome Biology 2019 20:76 -
Improving the usability and archival stability of bioinformatics software
Implementation of bioinformatics software involves numerous unique challenges; a rigorous standardized approach is needed to examine software tools prior to their publication.
Citation: Genome Biology 2019 20:47 -
Where is genomics going next?
We polled the Editorial Board of Genome Biology to ask where they see genomics going in the next few years. Here are some of their responses.
Citation: Genome Biology 2019 20:17 -
Making supplemental information more accessible
Supplemental information is difficult to organize, review, and understand. Genome Biology has listed some new recommendations for the organization of supplemental data.
Citation: Genome Biology 2018 19:225 -
We simply cannot go on being so vague about ‘function’
Function is an onerous concept, as the recent study by Steven Salzberg and colleagues demonstrates. We should be careful and always specific in using the ‘F-word’.
Citation: Genome Biology 2018 19:223 -
Parents in science
As part of our Q&A series, Genome Biology spoke to four scientists about their personal experiences as parents in their careers to highlight the challenges of researchers having children and the support they need...
Citation: Genome Biology 2018 19:180 -
Diverse model systems reveal common principles of meiosis
A meeting report on the 14th Gordon Research Conference on Meiosis, held at Colby Sawyer College, New London, NH, USA, 9–15 June 2018, chaired by Monica Colaiacovo, Harvard Medical School.
Citation: Genome Biology 2018 19:134 -
Consumer genomics will change your life, whether you get tested or not
With more than 10 million genotyped customers, the consumer genomics industry is maturing and becoming a mainstream phenomenon. At last, innovations and applications, some unforeseen, are being brought to the ...
Citation: Genome Biology 2018 19:120 -
Recent advances in plant and animal genomics are taking agriculture to new heights
A report on the International Plant and Animal Genomes (PAG) conference held in San Diego, USA, 13–17 January 2018.
Citation: Genome Biology 2018 19:48 -
A panoramic view of RNA modifications: exploring new frontiers
Meeting report on the Cold Spring Harbor Asia conference on RNA Modifications and Epitranscriptomics, held in Suzhou, China, 13–17 November, 2017.
Citation: Genome Biology 2018 19:11 -
Stranger in a strange land: the experiences of immigrant researchers
Continuing with our Q&A series discussing issues of diversity in STEM fields, Genome Biology spoke with three researchers on their experiences as immigrants.
Citation: Genome Biology 2017 18:232 -
Computational biologists: moving to the driver's seat
The recent shift of computational biologists from bioinformatics service providers to leaders of cutting-edge programs highlights the accompanying cultural and conceptual changes that should be implemented by ...
Citation: Genome Biology 2017 18:223 -
Early career researchers want Open Science
Open Science is encouraged by the European Union and many other political and scientific institutions. However, scientific practice is proving slow to change. We propose, as early career researchers, that it i...
Citation: Genome Biology 2017 18:221 -
Trialing transparent peer review
Citation: Genome Biology 2017 18:173 -
Searching for cancer vulnerabilities amid genetic chaos
A meeting report on the Third European Association for Cancer Research Conference on Cancer Genomics, held at Churchill College, Cambridge, UK, 25–28 June 2017.
Citation: Genome Biology 2017 18:147 -
Canonical mRNA is the exception, rather than the rule
A report on the Second Aegean International Conference on the Long and the Short of Non-Coding RNAs, held in Heraklion, Greece, 9–14 June 2017.
Citation: Genome Biology 2017 18:133 -
Plant epigenomics—deciphering the mechanisms of epigenetic inheritance and plasticity in plants
Citation: Genome Biology 2017 18:132 -
Missing heritability and where to find it
A report on the 11th Genomics of Rare Disease meeting held at the Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, UK, 5–7 April, 2017.
Citation: Genome Biology 2017 18:89 -
An evolutionary case for functional gene body methylation in plants and animals
Methylation in the bodies of active genes is common in animals and vascular plants. Evolutionary patterns indicate homeostatic functions for this type of methylation.
Citation: Genome Biology 2017 18:87 -
Heroes of peer review: Robert Lowe
In the second of our series of articles celebrating peer reviewers, we talk to Robert Lowe, who is a Lecturer in computational biology at Queen Mary University of London, UK, and a valued reviewer for Genome Biol...
Citation: Genome Biology 2017 18:72 -
Structuring supplemental materials in support of reproducibility
Supplements are increasingly important to the scientific record, particularly in genomics. However, they are often underutilized. Optimally, supplements should make results findable, accessible, interoperable,...
Citation: Genome Biology 2017 18:64 -
Coming out: the experience of LGBT+ people in STEM
Continuing with our Q&A series discussing issues of diversity in STEM fields, Genome Biology spoke with three openly LGBT+ researchers on their experiences in biology.
Citation: Genome Biology 2017 18:62 -
Human disease genomics: from variants to biology
We summarize the remarkable progress that has been made in the identification and functional characterization of DNA sequence variants associated with disease.
Citation: Genome Biology 2017 18:20 -
Open Science at an institutional level: an interview with Guy Rouleau
The director of the Montreal Neurological Institute (MNI), Guy Rouleau, discusses the recent announcement that the MNI will be completely committed to open science.
Citation: Genome Biology 2017 18:14 -
Genome Informatics 2016
A report on the Genome Informatics conference, held at the Wellcome Genome Campus Conference Centre, Hinxton, United Kingdom, 19–22 September 2016.
Citation: Genome Biology 2017 18:5 -
Ten years of the Genomics of Common Diseases: “The end of the beginning”
The 10th anniversary ‘Genomics of Common Diseases’ meeting was held in Baltimore, September 25-28, 2016. Professor Chris Haley reports from the meeting on progress and challenges in the field.
Citation: Genome Biology 2016 17:254 -
Trends and challenges in computational RNA biology
A report on the Wellcome Trust Conference on Computational RNA Biology, held in Hinxton, UK, on 17–19 October 2016.
Citation: Genome Biology 2016 17:253 -
The Oxford Nanopore MinION: delivery of nanopore sequencing to the genomics community
Nanopore DNA strand sequencing has emerged as a competitive, portable technology. Reads exceeding 150 kilobases have been achieved, as have in-field detection and analysis of clinical pathogens. We summarize k...
Citation: Genome Biology 2016 17:239 -
The continuum of causality in human genetic disorders
Studies of human genetic disorders have traditionally followed a reductionist paradigm. Traits are defined as Mendelian or complex based on family pedigree and population data, whereas alleles are deemed rare,...
Citation: Genome Biology 2016 17:233 -
A two-fold challenge: the experience of women of color in genomics
What can be done to encourage and support women of color in STEM fields? Genome Biology spoke with three women of color who have had success in the area of genomics research.
Citation: Genome Biology 2016 17:210 -
Heroes of peer review: Hyongbum (Henry) Kim
Peer reviewers are the unsung heroes of science. We celebrate reviewers through a series of interviews with people who have made particularly strong recent contributions to Genome Biology as reviewers. The first ...
Citation: Genome Biology 2016 17:200 -
Gene name errors are widespread in the scientific literature
The spreadsheet software Microsoft Excel, when used with default settings, is known to convert gene names to dates and floating-point numbers. A programmatic scan of leading genomics journals reveals that appr...
Citation: Genome Biology 2016 17:177 -
Being open: our policy on source code
Citation: Genome Biology 2016 17:172 -
Virus genomics and evolution: the transformative effect of new technologies and multidisciplinary collaboration on virus research and outbreak management
The first Virus Genomics and Evolution Conference was held at the Wellcome Genome Campus in Hinxton, UK, 8–10 June 2016.
Citation: Genome Biology 2016 17:159 -
Single-cell genomics: coming of age
Citation: Genome Biology 2016 17:97 -
Single-cell epigenomics: powerful new methods for understanding gene regulation and cell identity
Emerging single-cell epigenomic methods are being developed with the exciting potential to transform our knowledge of gene regulation. Here we review available techniques and future possibilities, arguing that...
Citation: Genome Biology 2016 17:72 -
The potential of single-cell profiling in plants
Single-cell transcriptomics has been employed in a growing number of animal studies, but the technique has yet to be widely used in plants. Nonetheless, early studies indicate that single-cell RNA-seq protocol...
Citation: Genome Biology 2016 17:65 -
Plant epigenetics: from genotype to phenotype and back again
A report on the Plant Epigenetics: From Genotype to Phenotype Keystone Symposium held in Taos, New Mexico, USA, 15–19 February, 2016.
Citation: Genome Biology 2016 17:57 -
The real cost of sequencing: scaling computation to keep pace with data generation
As the cost of sequencing continues to decrease and the amount of sequence data generated grows, new paradigms for data storage and analysis are increasingly important. The relative scaling behavior of these e...
Citation: Genome Biology 2016 17:53 -
Genome engineering using CRISPR/Cas: getting more versatile and more precise at the same time
A report on the second meeting on ‘Genome Engineering and Synthetic Biology: Tools and Technologies’, held 28–29 January 2016 in Ghent, Belgium.
Citation: Genome Biology 2016 17:51 -
Talking about cross-talk: the immune system and the microbiome
A report on the first EMBO conference entitled “Next Gen Immunology—From Host Genome to the Microbiome: Immunity in the Genomic Era”, held at the Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel, 14–16 February, 2016.
Citation: Genome Biology 2016 17:50