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Published online 27 November 2003 | Nature | doi:10.1038/news031124-9

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Competition in biology: It's a scoop!

In the highly competitive world of cell and molecular biology, there are no prizes for coming second. But is the pressure to be the first to publish 'hot' results distorting scientific progress?

In 1998, Robert Insall abandoned his own lab and set up camp in that of his wife, cell biologist Laura Machesky. For three months, the pair slaved into the night at University College London.

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