Second annual JBC Methods Madness tournament begins next week
Calling all scientists! The Journal of Biological Chemistry’s second annual Methods Madness tournament is here.
Last year’s tournament came down to the wire with #TeamCryo scraping by #TeamMassSpec to be crowned the first ever #JBCMethodsMadness champion. Can #TeamCryo repeat this year? Will #TeamMassSpec get revenge? Will both be upset by a new contender? Now is your chance to decide who makes it through.
The madness begins on Monday. (See tournament schedule below). Submit your bracket by Sunday for a chance to win a $100 gift card.
Round 1: The Scientific 16
Vote for your favorite methods by participating in polls posted by @jbiolchem.
Monday, March 15
9 a.m. – #TeamMassSpec vs. #TeamFRET
2 p.m. – #TeamImmuno vs. #TeamXRC
Tuesday, March 16
9 a.m. – #TeamCryo vs. #TeamMachine
2 p.m. – #TeamiPSC vs. #TeamLiveCell
Wednesday, March 17
9 a.m. – #TeamPCR vs. #TeamChroma
2 p.m. – #TeamCloning vs. #TeamNMR
Thursday, March 18
9 a.m. – #TeamCRISPR vs. #TeamSuperRes
2 p.m. – #TeamOmics vs. #TeamOpto
All times Eastern.
A note about JBC methods
It's well known that science progresses by building on the shoulders of those who came before. That's especially true for papers that report new tools — genetic constructs, small molecules, model organisms, etc. — that can be directly used by colleagues to jump-start a new project or resolve a technical hurdle. And at JBC, our high standards for rigor and reproducibility mean that readers can trust published tools to work as promised.
— Lila Gierasch, JBC editor-in-chief
Enjoy reading ASBMB Today?
Become a member to receive the print edition four times a year and the digital edition monthly.
Learn moreGet the latest from ASBMB Today
Enter your email address, and we’ll send you a weekly email with recent articles, interviews and more.
Latest in Science
Science highlights or most popular articles

ApoA1 reduce atherosclerotic plaques via cell death pathway
Researchers show that ApoA1, a key HDL protein, helps reduce plaque and necrotic core formation in atherosclerosis by modulating Bim-driven macrophage death. The findings reveal new insights into how ApoA1 protects against heart disease.

Omega-3 lowers inflammation, blood pressure in obese adults
A randomized study shows omega-3 supplements reduce proinflammatory chemokines and lower blood pressure in obese adults, furthering the understanding of how to modulate cardiovascular disease risk.

AI unlocks the hidden grammar of gene regulation
Using fruit flies and artificial intelligence, Julia Zeitlinger’s lab is decoding genome patterns — revealing how transcription factors and nucleosomes control gene expression, pushing biology toward faster, more precise discoveries.

Zebrafish model links low omega-3s to eye abnormalities
Researchers at the University of Colorado Anschutz developed a zebrafish model to show that low maternal docosahexaenoic acid can disrupt embryo eye development and immune gene expression, offering a tool to study nutrition in neurodevelopment.

Top reviewers at ASBMB journals
Editors recognize the heavy-lifters and rising stars during Peer Review Week.

Teaching AI to listen
A computational medicine graduate student reflects on building natural language processing tools that extract meaning from messy clinical notes — transforming how we identify genetic risk while redefining what it means to listen in science.