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Search below to delve into the Bitesize Bio archive. Here, you’ll find over two decades of the best articles, live events, podcasts, and resources, created by real experts and passionate mentors, to help you improve as a bioscientist. Whether you’re looking to learn something new or dig deep into a topic, you’ll find trustworthy, human-crafted content that’s ready to inspire and guide you.
Thinking of doing a PhD? Here are some essential considerations from a PhD graduate to help you decide whether or not getting a PhD is worth it.
It’s necessary to check pipette calibration every few months to ensure accuracy by dispensing the right volumes. This article explains how to perform pipette calibration yourself so you can ensure they are accurate and avoid the wait for their next service.
Do you hate it when you get into the lab ready to get stuff done and then find yourself spending the first 45 minutes of the day hunting for what you need? We do too. So read these 10 tips to organize your lab space for better productivity and spend less time hunting for stuff and more time doing research.
Working alone in the lab outside of regular hours poses unique challenges and risks. Our guide offers practical advice to ensure your safety and productivity during these solo sessions, emphasizing the importance of preparation, communication, and adherence to safety protocols.
A successful career in science is as much about the people as it is about the results. In this article, get tips from a successful scientist on what constitutes a healthy professional network and learn how to build one. From befriending writers to avoiding expertise mismatches, start working towards your career goals by reading this advice.
Keep your lab’s freeze dryer running smoothly with our expert tips on care and maintenance, including oil changes and vacuum leak fixes.
Gain insights into the flow of funding for scientific research. This article breaks down the funding landscape and explains the differences between government, industry, and foundation funding. Learn how navigating these sources can shape your career and accelerate your research endeavors.
Become an expert at getting your life science research funded with insights from a seasoned biomedical engineering researcher. Learn how to develop essential skills, such as confidence, independent thinking, consistent reading, effective writing, and embracing criticism in this essential guide.
Having trouble writing the discussion section for your scientific paper? Help is at hand. Read our do’s and don’ts to help you have your paper polished up in no time.
How do you measure how good you are as a scientist? One way is the h-index. Discover what this is, and learn about the pros and cons of using it to assess your scientific career.
By removing the word ‘because’ from your vocabulary, you can gain a newfound sense of freedom, creativity, and authority in your decisions. Learn to make choices without justifications and experience the world with a fresh set of eyes.
Learn about what reagents are usable past their chemical expiry date, how can you check if they are still okay, and which ones you should throw out.
Don’t let centrifugation scare you. Learn how to balance properly, when to use the brake, and what the difference is between RCF and RPM!
The phenomenon of measurement drift can occur and adversely affect analytical balances when weighing compounds. Read on for our guide on how to prevent this!
The more expensive your lab centrifuge, the more sensitive and the easier it is to break. What can we do to give these pricey monsters a long, successful tenure in the lab? Read our 5 easy tips.
Want to know how to use a fume hood? Keep your head out of it for starters. Here are 10 extra tips to keep you safe when using one!
We all have patterns for tasks. While good patterns are helpful, bad ones can sabotage your career. Learn to identify and destroy harmful patterns.
Safety Data Sheets tell us how to handle and dispose of every chemical we use. This article explains what they are and how to decipher them.
It’s crucial that we stay safe in the lab. To prevent accidents, we should risk assess our work. So here’s how to conduct a risk assessment in 6 steps.
We all know acids are dangerous chemicals, and you should handle them carefully. But how should we handle bases? Read on for top tips for handling bases safely in the lab.
Laboratories brim with nasty chemicals and bugs. PPE protects you from them, but only if you don’t commit any of these PPE sins!
Gloves protect your skin from the numerous hazards lurking in labs. To help you stay safe, we’ll review the many lab glove types, then give you some handy tips on double-gloving, working with liquid nitrogen, coping with latex allergies, and how to best follow glove etiquette.
To help you keep safe and sound, we’ll review the most common types of PPE for the face and eyes, and give you some pointers on when (and when not!) to use them.
Do you fully understand why enzymes have the best catalytic activity within a specific temperature ranges? Find out in our handy guide.
We show you how to read a scientific paper efficiently to make the most of your reading time.
Journal Club. So much more than reading a paper aloud. So many ways to mess it up. Got to present one? Then read our journal club toolkit.
Getting involved in the post-publication review of scientific papers can seriously improve your critical analysis skills. Here’s how.
Working with chemicals is dangerous and can lead to injury, or worse. Follow these ten broadly applicable golden rules to help keep you and your colleagues working safely in the lab.
Here’s an easy guide on how to maintain your lab balance. Following these tips will ensure your balance remains clean and perhaps most importantly, accurate.
Contamination in your pipette can mean contamination in your experiments, making cleaning pipettes regularly critical. Here’s an easy guide on how to do it.
Kits for DNA gel extraction are a great way to save time in the lab, but they are costly and produce much plastic waste. Discover three easy kit-free DNA gel extraction methods that can save you money and reduce waste in the lab.
Let’s be honest—we scientists don’t always present our science in ways that are accessible to everyone. Nor is lab-based science always accessible. Explore what accessibility in science is and how we can all make science more accessible and inclusive.
Acids are common and essential chemicals in any research laboratory. In this article, you’ll get advice on how to handle strong acids safely to give you the confidence to routinely prepare, handle, and dispose of them in the lab.
I’d bet that your trusty pipette is probably one the the most often used tools in the lab. But do you have any idea how to check the accuracy of your pipette? We’ll take you though how to do this in just 7 easy steps.
Are you having problems amplifying GC-rich regions in your PCR reactions? Read this article for 5 easy tips to address these issues!
Get a short introduction to AI including key terminology, example applications of artificial intelligence in biology, and resources to help you get started.
It pays dividends to think creatively about your research. Here are 8 tips to supercharge creativity in science and ensure a great environment to help your imagination flourish.
Discover how embracing simplicity in science can make you a more effective researcher while reducing your workload.
Are you looking to improve your lab work, publication record, and grant success rate? Then read our guide to feedback—what it is, where it should come from, and how to give it to others.
It’s a tough reality, but research can be damaging to the environment. Discover our simple tips and do more sustainable research.
The eBook with top tips from our Researcher community.
