Cell Crunch is now CodonMag.com
An announcement about the future of this newsletter: Cell Crunch is now www.codonmag.com.
The first issue of this newsletter was sent on August 1st, 2020. Back then, it was called This Week in Synthetic Biology, and 192 people read it. Eight people subscribed.
Over time, the newsletter’s readership grew. It still isn’t huge — a few thousand scientists, investors, bio-enthusiasts —but each issue has brought new people, and I’m so grateful for that. Many folks have reached out to share their work, or to offer kind words. Thank you. I only write this newsletter because I enjoy interacting with, and learning from, all of you.
I’ve sent another 65 issues since that initial email, took a couple hiatuses, and graduated from journalism school. Over the last 18 months, I’ve experimented with different formats and newsletter structures. Consistently, I’ve found that readers prefer longer pieces, and more detailed analyses of new research papers. I’d like to provide that for you, without being hampered by the physical confines of an email.
That’s why Cell Crunch is being rebranded as Codon Magazine. The newsletter will continue — basically nothing is changing — but the Substack will be shut down. Future issues will be sent from a codonmag.com email address. All prior issues and research roundups are hosted on the new website, and you can find them there. I’ll continue sending two or more newsletters each week, but hopefully with more input and contributions from the community.
I chose the name for two reasons:
I like that it reflects the confluence of biology and programming (aka code-on).
The domain for cellcrunch.com costs like $4000.
If you received this email directly, no action is required; you’ll automatically be added to the new email list. If you were forwarded this email and would like to receive future newsletters, you can subscribe at codonmag.com.
The new website will, in time, have longer articles, more detailed viewpoints, and in-depth resources for researchers. I’m brimming with excitement (and ideas) and can’t wait to share them all with you.
But I Need Your Help
Codon Magazine will be most useful if it accurately reflects the wants and interests of the synthetic biology community. Nobody is better equipped to shape this new venture than you.
If you’d like to write an article for the new website — an explainer, a Q&A, a research study highlight, a regular column, a blurb about your own research project — please get in touch. I would love to work with you, and come up with a compensation scheme that is both fair and transparent.
To tell better stories — and more of them — we will also need resources. If you’d like to sponsor a newsletter or article, please get in touch. All sponsorships will be used to pay writers and contributors.
As always, thanks for reading.
—Niko