Jason Garner
I have what some might call an eclectic background. Originally a music major (yes, I wanted to be a rock star), I spent the first 17 years of my professional career as a technical advisor in the car business for Acura, BMW, Mazda and Volkswagen. Twelve years ago, my mother’s bout with cancer brought out the scientist in me. I’ve been lucky enough to earn two degrees in cell and molecular biology and have a passion for virology and immunology. I’ve also been honored to serve as senior molecular biologist for the US Department of Defense’s Global Influenza Surveillance Program from 2006 -2011 where we made great strides in flu surveillance and vaccine development. Our model was so successful, I started my own infectious disease and molecular diagnostics consulting company, Movira Sciences & Diagnostics (still trying to get it off the ground ;) ). I count many global scientists and biotech professionals as friends and colleagues with whom I’ve co-authored many journal articles, presentations and abstracts. I currently work as an Applied Testing Applications Scientist with QIAGEN, Inc. and serve as an infectious disease moderator for LabRoots.com. I play guitar and yes, I still want to be a rock star.
Articles by Jason Garner:
Pyromania: An Intro to Pyrosequencing
Anyone who is involved in DNA sequencing in one form or fashion knows there are multiple ways to skin a cat: Sanger-based, next generation (NGS) and of course the new ion torrent sequencing technology. Which technology you use is usually dependent on the questions you’re trying to answer – and how fat your wallet is.…
!BAM! !POW!: How to Become a Better Job Search Street fighter – Final Round
Up till now, we’ve discussed many different ways we can prepare and execute a new career search. In the last series, I discussed getting away from internet job boards and out into the real world. Now, I’m going to challenge you and push most of you way out of your comfort zone. So, there’s XYZ…
Kits And Reagents For Mammalian Cell Transfection
Transfection of animal cells has proven an invaluable tool in studies of gene expression, cell behavior, cell processes and molecular genetics. Essentially, transient pores are opened within the cell’s lipid bilayer, allowing insertion of nucleic acids (DNA, RNA, siRNA, RNAi), proteins, nanoparticles, and even antibodies into the cellular milieu. Transfection can be achieved using many…
The Advanced User’s Guide to Sequencing Alignment Software (Members Only Article)
Whether you’re employing sequencing gels, Sanger-based methods, or the latest in pyrosequencing or ion torrent technologies, obtaining, manipulating and analyzing your sequences has never been easier. Depending on what your goals are, you need to understand the pros and cons of the software. There is a lot of software out there, so do you your…
The Beginners Guide to DNA Sequence Alignment
Fortunately, those of us who have learned how to sequence know that aligning sequences is a lot easier and less time consuming than creating them. Whether you’re employing sequencing gels, Sanger-based methods, or the latest in pyrosequencing or ion torrent technologies, obtaining, manipulating and analyzing your sequences has never been easier. We’re going to take…