Erin Bank
I spent years as a lab rat as a grad student studying malaria and as a postdoc studying nuclear proteins. I discovered my passion lay not with conducting experiments but with talking and writing about science with both my colleagues and non-scientist friends and family. This led me to transition away from the bench and into the world of science communication. I am passionate about serving as a liaison between the world of science and the world at large and making science accessible.
Articles by Erin Bank
Ever wake up especially groggy in the morning, finding it takes a few minutes and a few eye rubs to be able to decipher the numbers on your alarm clock? Our eyes have the ability to resolve an image, so that you can observe separate objects and details. Similarly, microscopes have a parameter of resolution:…
Fluorescent-based microscopy techniques are some of the most common ways to visualize biological structures. Almost any protein- or nucleic acid-based molecule can be tagged with a fluorescent marker or dye and subsequently detected by a light microscope. This fluorescence is seen as a bright object against a black background, allowing for intense and clear images. …
Don’t be left in the dark! Navigating through the sea of parameters that can aid or abet successful microscopy can perhaps seem daunting. It may be tempting to assume you can just sit down at a microscope, look at your sample, and obtain beautiful images simply by hoping for the best. However, even a basic…