Join Us
Sign up for our feature-packed newsletter today to ensure you get the latest expert help and advice to level up your lab work.
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.
Want to reduce the use of antibiotics in the lab? Start with switching to alternative cloning methods that use alternative selection pressures.
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.
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.
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.
Discover how CRISPR can be scaled up for drug screening applications.
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.
Get robotic with HPTLC! This automated version of TLC can separate and quantify compounds – find out how!
Want to increase siRNA stability and efficiency? Read on to learn five chemical modifications that will help.
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.
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.
Discover two CRISPR-based viral diagnostic strategies, DETECTR and SHERLOCK.
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
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.
Discover how to validate your CRISPR gene editing, from the successful delivery of CRISPR reagents to the confirmation of desired genetic and phenotype changes.
Discover how to get started with CRISPR gene editing in your experiments with our key considerations.
3′ mRNA-seq is a NGS method to profile gene expression that is sensitive and straightforward but won’t blow your budget.
We are all familiar with bacterial cell lines as a means for protein expression and purification. But can you do the same with eukaryotic cell lines? Read on to learn some helpful tips and considerations when needing to get your hands on some eukaryotic protein.
While DNA and RNA extraction is a pretty common technique, it isn’t always the easiest. Read on to learn some top tips on how to successfully extract nucleic acids from even the toughest samples, like Arabidopsis seeds.
Mitochondrial DNA isolation can be time-consuming and laborious. Find out how to minimise the time needed for its extraction, while ensuring fantastic results.
There is an overwhelming selection of cell lines available, make sure you pick the right one for your work using our tips.
When it comes to profiling miRNAs there are lots of platforms available. We discuss the pros and cons of various miRNA profiling methods to help you choose the right one for your needs.
Are your cell membranes more of a hindrance than a help? Struggling to sneak your DNA inside? Why not break out and take your expression or metabolism studies cell-free. Find out the what, how and why of cell-free systems.
Bioinformatics isn’t just for genomics geeks – there’s something for everyone!
Now that you’ve chosen your perfect primary Schwann cell line, it’s time to culture! Read on to learn how to do so with ease.
Bioinformatics and NGS go together like peanut butter and jelly. But if you’re just starting out with these techniques it can be daunting.
Does the term “ultracentrifuge” make your heart begin to race? Fear not! This article will provide you with tried and true tips on how to handle this piece of machinery like a boss.
T4 DNA ligase is the swiss army knife of ligases, but it can’t always do it all. Find out what it’s good at and the alternatives available for the things it struggles with.
Have you been itching to branch into working with Schwann cells for your next experiment, but aren’t quite sure where to begin? This article will help you decide which primary Schwann cell line is best for your needs.
Don’t be daunted by imaging and analyzing your wound healing assay; our top tips will get it looking perfect.
During my first year of graduate school, I learned how to isolate bone marrow. I remember watching my mentor in awe, wondering how would I be able to do such a difficult technique. Flash forward to a few weeks later and I was confidently undertaking bone marrow isolation. Learning a new technique is always daunting,…
The efficiency of whole genome sequencing (WGS) workflows has skyrocketed since its inception. Major leaps and minor tweaks in the WGS workflow have compounded over time resulting in radical reductions in processing time and the cost of sequencing whole genomes over the past decades. The complete sequencing of the first human genome, named the Human…
Macrophages are a type of white blood cell derived from monocytes that are most widely known for the ability to phagocytose cell debris, pathogens, and even cancer cells. However, it is becoming clear that the role of macrophages goes beyond eliminating cellular waste. Macrophages are often used in conjunction with T cells to measure immune…
What is one of the first steps of the flow cytometer start-up routine? To check if the cytometer is in good shape, of course! Everyone wants to run on a reliable instrument, and assessing the daily performance of the instrument show us its behaviour over time and allows us to react fast in case of…
The success of whole genome sequencing (WGS) is shown in the quick and efficient scientific response to the 2011 outbreak of E. coli in Germany and France.1 German and French strains of E. coli were indistinguishable using standard tests. However, WGS analysis showed 2 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the German strains and 9 SNPs…
Confused about CRISPR nucleases? Read this guide to discover the various CRISPR nucleases available and what they are best suited for.
An oft-repeated maxim in biological bench science is that any experiment is only as good as its control. A control is an unchanging standard of comparison in an experiment, and an internal control is typically a standard reaction run together with the test reaction in the same reaction mixture. The purpose of an internal control…
What Is Explant Culture and Why Should I Use It? Explant culture is the culture of small pieces of tissue surgically removed from animal tissue or organ. It is a useful method for several reasons. The maintenance of the histotypic architecture and biochemical properties of the cells means it more closely resembles the tissue in…
Although multiplex CRISPR gene editing can be accomplished by simply introducing more than one gRNA to your target cells, there are many alternative — and more efficient — ways of achieving this goal. This article discusses these alternative CRISPR multiplexing strategies and highlights their potential caveats. Not sure whether multiplex CRISPR gene editing is right…
You might have seen one of the many anti-drug ads the 80s had to offer (including this delightful message from Robocop) and rightfully steered clear of drugs. But when it comes to biology, we use in vitro drug treatment for many experimental purposes, including testing anti-cancer treatments or synchronizing the cell cycle. If you are facing your first in vitro…
The eBook with top tips from our Researcher community.