JACC: BASIC TO TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCE
VOL. 2, NO. 3, 2017
ª 2017 THE AUTHOR. PUBLISHED BY ELSEVIER ON BEHALF OF THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF CARDIOLOGY FOUNDATION. THIS IS AN OPEN ACCESS ARTICLE UNDER
ISSN 2452-302X http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jacbts.2017.05.001
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EDITOR’S PAGE
The 2017 March for Science Douglas L. Mann, MD, FACC
W
hile attending a scientific meeting in
“Be like a positron, be positive!” I thought he totally
Chicago, I had the opportunity to join
killed it.
40,000 other people who rallied on
Whether you are a Republican, a Democrat, or an
Saturday morning, April 22, 2017, to participate in
Independent, or even don’t care about politics, it is
the 2017 March for Science. The march coincided
very likely that your life has benefitted in some way
with Earth Day, and was 1 of about 600 events taking
from the translation of science into our everyday
place worldwide, which were intended to celebrate
lives. Unfortunately, there has been a slow burning
science, as well as draw attention to the skepticism
distrust of science and the scientific community in
that has grown around scientific facts over the past
both the government, as well as in society. Part of the
several years. The day began with a rally in Grant
blame may be our inability as scientists to commu-
Park that included speeches by several prominent
nicate effectively, part of this may relate to the ten-
scientists who lived in Chicago. Shortly after the
dency of scientists to overhype their work, and part of
speeches, participants marched down Columbus
this may relate to the long-lasting damaging effects
Drive to the Field Museum, where >50 science-
of fraudulent research. Dr. David Skorton, who is
related research groups and nonprofit organizations
the current Secretary of the Smithsonian Institute,
were stationed for a 3-h science exposition. I was
believes that “.scientific, medical, and public health
fortunate enough to strike up a conversation with
developments sometimes fail to gain public accep-
several scientists who were attending the annual
tance for reasons that lie far outside the realm of
American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular
science. And that is not the fault of the public—that is
Biology (ASBMB) meeting. They invited me to walk
our fault as scientists” (1). He also remarked that
with them under their ASBMB banner, which I
“Scientists need not only to explain much more
proudly did. Although the organizers of the march
clearly and compellingly what we are doing, but also
stated that it was not intended to be partisan, they
to establish on social, cultural, and emotional levels
did indicate that the march was political in nature
why our work is important. We need to respect cul-
and was intended to defend scientific research from
tural differences that lead to misunderstanding and
attack, including proposed U.S. government budget
even fear of science.” In an article in The Atlantic
cuts under President Trump, especially the proposed
magazine entitled “What Exactly Are People March-
20% cut to the National Institutes of Health. Aside
ing for When They March for Science?,” activist Beka
from the sense of comradery that everyone felt
Economopoulos stated that “Science is not an inher-
that day, the other highlight was reading the clever
ently noble pursuit: the same process that leads to
signs that people were carrying. There were the
medical treatments also gave us nuclear weapons and
inevitable partisan signs (“Get your tiny hands off
eugenics. Science is a tool.. The relevant question is:
my science”), the ubiquitous Earth Day signs (“There
whose interests does science serve?” (2). Econo-
is no Planet B!”), and then there was my favorite sign
mopoulos stated that she marched for science on
that was carried by an 8-year-old boy who had a
April 22nd to ensure that science was pointed in the
streak of his blond hair dyed blue, which read:
right direction. As editor-in-chief of a new journal that is devoted entirely to publishing scientific discoveries that are intended to improve the outcomes of patients
From the Center for Cardiovascular Research, Department of Medicine,
afflicted with cardiovascular disease, my goal is
Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri.
to ensure that that JACC: Basic to Translational
Mann
JACC: BASIC TO TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCE VOL. 2, NO. 3, 2017 JUNE 2017:344–5
Editor’s Page
Science is always pointed in the right direction and
was the certainty that, now, more than ever before,
that we communicate that direction effectively.
we need to remain positive—like a positron—about
Whenever the editorial board discusses papers that
effectively communicating the immense contribu-
have been submitted to us, we first begin by discus-
tions that science has made to all of our lives, and
sing the quality of the science, and then end by
that we need to continue to support the ongoing
discussing whether the paper has a “translational
efforts that are being made to fund basic, trans-
vector”*; that is, is the research pointed towards a
lational, and clinical science. As always, we welcome
new therapy. As stated in our inaugural issue, JACC:
your thoughts and would like to hear whether you
Basic to Translational Science seeks to serve patients
think that we are pointed in the right direction, either
and families impacted by cardiovascular disease, in-
through
vestigators in academia and industry, the National
(
[email protected]).
social
media
(#JACCBTS)
or
by
email
Heart, Blood, and Lung Institute and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in an effort to advance
ADDRESS FOR CORRESPONDENCE: Dr. Douglas L.
translational cardiovascular medicine (3). Like Beka
Mann, Editor-in-Chief JACC: Basic to Translational
Economopoulos, I marched on April 22nd to ensure
Science, American
that science is pointed in the right direction. What I
House, 2400 North Street NW, Washington, DC 20037.
took away from the 2017 Chicago March for Science
E-mail:
[email protected].
College
of
Cardiology,
Heart
REFERENCES 1. Skorton DJ. Why Scientists Should Embrace the Liberal Arts: Science Alone Isn’t Enough to Solve the World’s Problems. January 16, 2014. Scientific American. Available at: https://www. scientificamerican.com/article/why-scientists-should-
2. Yong E. What Exactly Are People Marching for When They March for Science?: The Event Has Around 21 Stated Goals. The Atlantic. May 7, 2017. Available at: https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2017/ 03/what-exactly-are-people-marching-for-when-
embrace-liberal-arts/. Accessed May 2017.
they-march-for-science/518763/. Accessed May 2017.
*The expression “translation vector” is attributed to Gordon Tomaselli, MD.
3. Mann DL, Annex BH, Bishopric NH, et al. Introducing JACC: Basic to Translational Science: Why now? J Am Coll Cardiol Basic Trans Science 2016;1:1–2.
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