Question: Hi Adam how will you make this WWOX gene accessable to all?

Adam Paige answered on 19 Nov 2012:

That is a very good question and there are several answers:

When we first identified the WWOX gene and found that it was damaged in some cancers, we sequenced the gene in those cancers (to work out the order of A, C, T and G bases that make the DNA). We then deposited those sequences into a public database (NCBI in America). That made those gene sequences available to everyone.

We then published our work in one of the scientific journals. This explained what we had found and what we thought it meant. And it is again publically available (although people would have to buy a copy of the journal from the publisher).

Since then, each time we find more information that we think makes a sensible and understandable story we have published it in other scientific journals, and also presented it to other scientists at conferences.

In the last few years, open access publishing has begun. Many journals will now release the science articles they publish completely free of charge (although they may delay releasing them for 6-12 months after the pay-to-see version is available). This means that more people can read the data we scientists generate.

Sharing information and ideas is an essential part of science. And it is a central part of what we are trying to do.