Techniques
Turn a Smartphone into a Digital Microscope for Only 3 Cents
Want to build your own microscope for almost nothing? You probably already have most of the tools that you need right in your lab or at home! Here’s how.
Read MoreHow to Get a Picture-Perfect Agarose Gel
Check out our agarose gel hacks for troubleshooting your blurry or uneven bands, and tips for getting picture-perfect agarose gel images every time.
Read MoreTrapping Objects With Light: From Star Wars to Neurons
Can lasers be used to trap and move objects? Sure they can! Read on to know how you can use lasers in a cool technique called optical tweezers to manipulate minuscule objects under the microscope.
Read MoreTroublesome Site-Directed Mutagenesis: Troubleshooting Your Experiment for Stubborn Mutations
As is sadly the case in many experiments, site-directed mutagenesis (SDM) does not always work the way we would like it to the first time around. Here are a few tips to help you on your way when trying to troubleshoot a bothersome SDM reaction!
Read MoreGet a Move On: How to Measure Movement in Zebrafish
If you are interested in the sensory or motor function of your zebrafish model, this is the test to try.
Read More7 Steps to Avoid Photodamage in Fluorescent Live-cell Imaging
Don’t get overexcited but we’ve got 7 top tips to help you minimize photodamage during your fluorescent live-cell imaging experiments.
Read MoreHow to Measure Myelin Thickness Manually (and Other Tedious Lab Tasks) and Keep Your Sanity
Tips on staying sane from a student survivor of tedious lab tasks.
Read More6 Dos and Don’ts for Perfecting the CAM Assay
Don’t put all your eggs in one basket! Learn how to handle your eggs, prevent contamination and keep track of your experiments when performing the CAM assay.
Read MoreDetecting Post-Translational Modifications
A quick start guide to methods of assessing protein post-translational modifications
Read MorePreparing Metaphase Spreads: The Breakdown on Broken-Down Cells
A quick look at the first steps of metaphase spreads – the break down on breaking down your cells and the factors to keep in mind.
Read MoreA-Z of Post-Translational Modifications
You might know the most common post-translational modifications, but there are many more than just phosphorylation and ubiquitination – come and test your knowledge!
Read MoreSynthetic Peptides and Their Uses: Part 1
Are you studying a small peptide or protein? Learn whether using synthetic peptides can save you hours of transfection, protein expression, and purification.
Read MoreAn Experimental Toolkit for Measuring Autophagic Flux
How good is your cell at recycling? In this guide, we explain what autophagic flux is, why you need to study it, and methods to get you started.
Read MoreChick Embryo: A Model System for Studying Angiogenesis
Are you studying angiogenesis? Is cell culture not cutting it but you’re not ready for an in vivo model? Check out the CAM assay.
Read MoreChemically Induced Mouse Models – Where Consistency Matters
Tips and tricks to get the most optimum and consistent results in a DSS-induced colitis model
Read MoreTop 5 Things to Keep in Mind When Detecting Non-Histone Lysine Acetylation
Lysine acetylation isn’t just for histones. Read on to find out how to determine whether your favorite protein is lysine acetylated.
Read MoreRecombinant Protein Expression: How to Choose the Right Affinity Tag
Using the right affinity tag can make protein purification a breeze. Read more to find out which tag is right for you.
Read MoreSize Analysis of High-Molecular-Weight DNA for Long-Read Sequencing
Discover how to check DNA quality for long-read sequencing using electrophoresis and why pipetting carefully is so important.
Read MoreStructured Illumination Microscopy (SIM) – An Introduction
Discover how structured illumination microscopy works can help you see things in greater detail.
Read MoreMaking the Perfect Blood Smear
Stop wasting time throwing out slide after slide trying to create a readable blood smear. Read our how-to guide for creating the perfect blood smear slide.
Read MoreWhat Can Electron Microscopy Do for You?
The electron microscope (EM) – where electrons, rather than photons, make the image – fell out of fashion for a while, but it has come back refreshed. Modern electron microscopes cost less, use less electricity, and are generally easier to maintain than the older models, so it is likely that you can get your hands on one. Read on to learn more about this technique, and how to implement it into your research.
Read MorePop Quiz!: Do You Know How a Coulter Counter Works?
Are you an immunologist or lab personnel dealing with counting tons of cells? Then you must have come across the elusive Coulter Counter! Read on to know a little history ofthe instrument’s technology and its working principle.
Read MoreFeeder Cells – the What, Why and How
Feeder cells – your solution to difficult-to-grow cell problems. Find out what they are, why to use them, and how.
Read MoreAdvice on Working With Mice in the Lab
Working with mice doesn’t have to be intimidating. Read these tips to help keep your mouse-based experiments running smoothly.
Read MoreYour Checklist to Working With an Emerging Model Organism
Are you struggling to answer your research question using established models? Consider going rogue and switching to a non-model organism!
Read MoreInfecting Eukaryotic Cells With Bacteria (On Purpose!)
Yes, you can infect your eukaryotic cells with bacteria on purpose! Find out why and how in this article that lists steps for successful and productive infections.
Read MoreSelection Pressures: Alternatives to Antibiotics in Molecular Cloning
Want to reduce the use of antibiotics in the lab? Start with switching to alternative cloning methods that use alternative selection pressures.
Read MoreMicroscope Disinfection: A Quick Guide
Shared microscopes have the potential to get dirty and spread nasties between samples and users. Check out our quick guide on how to clean and disinfect your microscope.
Read MoreWhat Does “N” Mean When Using Cell Lines?
If you’re confused about what N numbers mean for cell lines, you’re not alone. We explain it all and give you a guide on best practice.
Read MoreTake a Stab at It! A Guide to Microinjection in Zebrafish
When microinjecting zebrafish, time is of the essence. Read these tips and tricks on how to prepare ahead of time and ensure a successful microinjection.
Read MoreLevel Up Your Drug Screening With CRISPR
Discover how CRISPR can be scaled up for drug screening applications.
Read MoreThe Do’s and Don’ts of HPTLC
This followup article on HPTLC gives a list of dos and don’ts while performing HPTLC to achieve precise and error-free results, and avoid false positives.
Read MoreHPTLC: Basics and Instrumentation
Get robotic with HPTLC! This automated version of TLC can separate and quantify compounds – find out how!
Read MoreFive Ways to Modify Your siRNA for Improved RNAi
Want to increase siRNA stability and efficiency? Read on to learn five chemical modifications that will help.
Read MoreWhere To Get Your Perfect Cell Line
There’s no need to shop till you drop. Our guide to where to get your next cell line from takes the stress out of cell line shopping.
Read MoreWhy You Should Consider Adding CRISPRa and CRISPRi to Your Toolbox
Find out how CRISPR-mediated gene activation (CRISPRa) and repression (CRISPRi) work and why you should consider using them in addition to your CRISPR knockouts.
Read MoreHow CRISPR Can Be Used to Detect Emerging Viral Pathogens
Discover two CRISPR-based viral diagnostic strategies, DETECTR and SHERLOCK.
Read MoreA Guide to Gradient Gels: The Why’s and How’s
Fret no more over fuzzy bands! We uncover how gradient gels can give you better results, and maximize your precious samples when performing SDS-PAGE
Read MoreA CRISPR Approach to Immuno-Oncology
T cells can be tricky to engineer with CRISPR. Find out the key considerations when editing these cells and how you can overcome any associated challenges.
Read MoreHow to Understand CRISPR Formats and Their Applications
Find out how modified variants of CRISPR nucleases provide gene editing with reduced off-target effects and can even control gene expression without altering the DNA sequence.
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