Mentors at Your Benchside

#90 — Are you confused about the banding pattern of DNA on agarose gels? DNA can take many structural forms depending on its source and how you have isolated and purified it. And those forms, including linear, nicked, closed circled, and supercoiled, all migrate at different rates on agarose gels. But how do you identify which band corresponds to which structural form? And why do some of these occ...

#89 — "Achieve more by doing less" sounds like a piece of cheap advice, but there is a lot of wisdom in it. Research is complicated. You must choose the best questions to ask, techniques, controls, organisms, and equipment, to name just a few things that make up good experiments. With so much to focus on, it becomes harder to do each of these things well. This episode explains three actionable ste...

#88 — Getting the best out of your in situ hybridizations requires choosing the correct protocol, deciding if sections or whole mount is better, using the right equipment, making fresh buffers, careful planning for all steps, optimizing your probe concentration, and taking the time to get the development step right. In other words, there are a lot of ways in situ hybridizations can go wrong! This...

#87 — Selecting the right blood collection tubes for your experiment is crucial. But do you know what tubes to use for which type of blood sample? In this episode, we cover the nuances of choosing the appropriate blood collection tubes, a choice that hinges largely on whether you're aiming to collect serum or plasma samples. Understand the vital role that different tubes play in either fostering o...

#86 — qPCR primer design is a bit of science, a bit of magic, and a little bit of luck. In this episode, we cover the science of qPCR primer design, a cornerstone in conducting successful qPCR or RT-qPCR assays for gene expression analysis. [1] Get top tips and learn why dedicating time to crafting high-quality primers can save your experiment from poor data and resource wastage. [2] We guide you...

#85 — Working with living cells is a tricky business, and tiny fluctuations in environmental conditions can affect their physiology and impact your experiments. Or worse, it can lead to their death. Game over! Passaging your cells involves removing them from their growth medium to transfer them to fresh vessels with fresh media. In this episode, learn how to passage adherent and suspension cells w...

#84 — Every experiment starts by preparing some buffer solutions. And every buffer solution starts with weighing out some compounds on an analytical balance. But these essential yet sensitive pieces of lab equipment are prone to measurement drift—meaning you could be weighing out different amounts every time you use one.   In this episode, get three easy tips to avoid measurement drift and learn s...

#83 — Chemically competent cells are a key resource in molecular biology labs. But do you really understand what is meant by chemically competent? In this episode of Mentors At Your Benchside , we explain the science behind them and share how you can make your own stocks, saving you money and avoiding nasty surprises when someone forgets to reorder stocks. Be sure to visit the original article for...

#82 — Did you know that most centrifuge accidents result from user error and improper centrifuge care? While proper balancing of samples is important, it is not the only thing you need to be aware of when using your centrifuge. In this episode of Mentors At Your Benchside, w e give you 5 tips to help ensure your centrifuge keeps spinning. Read the full article to get the formula for finding the re...

#81 — You’re probably aware of the two main types of restriction cloning (sticky-end and blunt-end cloning), but do you know the difference? And do you know how to do both? In this episode, we share what blunt-end cloning is, how it works, and give you tips and tricks for performing blunt-end cloning. Visit the original article for detailed diagrams and helpful tables, [1] brush up on how DNA liga...

#80 — Dive into the fascinating world of histology as we explore the basics of Hematoxylin and Eosin (H&E) staining, a cornerstone technique in tissue study. [1] Whether you're a budding biologist or just curious about cellular structures, this episode of Mentors At Your Benchside is your introductory guide to the history of H&E staining, its mechanism of action, and the structures it effe...

#79 — Are you struggling to keep your proteins "happy" and active for your experiments? In this episode of Mentors At Your Benchside , we dive into the five critical elements you need to design the ideal protein purification buffer: pH, the buffer system, salt concentration, reducing agents, and stabilizing additives. [1] Learn how buffers work, [2] and how to navigate the delicate balance of thes...

#78 — Want to visualize if your proteins interact in live cells? FRET is the answer. In this Mentors at Your Benchside episode, we explain how FRET works, why it's great for studying protein–protein interactions, and why it is not actually named Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer. Visit the original article to see helpful diagrams, [1] brush up on how fluorescent molecules work, [2] and read u...

#77  — Have you ever thought about accessibility in science? We don’t always present our science in ways that are accessible to everyone. Nor is lab-based science always accessible. In this episode of Mentors At Your Benchside , we explore what accessibility is and highlight how we can all make science more accessible and inclusive. Visit the original article for helpful resources and to revisit t...

#76 — Do you know how the first cells were identified? Or who discovered them? What about why they are called cells? Discover the fascinating history in this enlightening Mentors At Your Benchside episode . Visit the original article for a timeline of cell biology, [1] discover the most commonly used cell lines, [2] and find out why HeLa cells are surrounded by controversy. [3]   Resources: 1. His...

#75 — Counting your cultured cells is vital to seeding the right density for your experiments, harvesting an appropriate amount of downstream experiments, preparing cells for flow cytometry, and more. Luckily it's pretty easy with a hemocytometer. In this episode of Mentors At Your Benchside , we talk you through the four steps of counting cells using a hemocytometer, including best practices so y...

#74 — Understanding how a technique works make it simpler to troubleshoot when things go wrong in your experiments. Learn how alkaline lysis works in this short and simple step-by-step run-through of the process. Check out the original article for links to helpful resources, [1] discover five ways to clean up a DNA sample, [2] and get tips on preparing your vectors for gene cloning. [3] Resources:...

#73 — PCR is a fundamental technique all biologists rely on, and, for qPCR, we can construct a standard curve that tells us how good or bad our primers are. In this episode, learn all about qPCR standard curves, what they tell you about your primers, and what to try if something doesn't look correct on your standard curve. Check out the corresponding online article for an example qPCR curve. [1] F...

#72 — Research requires imagination and strategy, and helpful distractions can give us the mental rest we need to recharge. Fun hobbies for scientists can provide inspiration, creativity, fitness, articulacy, and a much-needed break. Discover our top 10 hobbies for scientists, and find a new hobby that could also benefit your research. Visit the original article for links to related resources [1]...

#71 — A good histology slide can give you beautiful, revealing microscope images of your precious tissue samples. But what goes into preparing slides for histology? Whether you're new to the game, have only ever sent your samples off for slide preparation, or need a refresher, this episode explains how histology slides are prepared. Check out the corresponding article for links to related histolog...

#70 — Sterilization is a critical technique in the biology lab. It keeps your cell lines free from contamination, allows safe disposal of used items, and prevents breakouts of phage! In this episode, we discuss six sterilization techniques and explain how they work. Read the original article for additional resources on basic lab techniques. [1] If you're curious about how UV light damages DNA, rea...

#69 — Figures are a fundamental way to communicate science and are essential components of journal articles. In this episode, learn the differences between vector and raster image types, hear the pros and cons of various common file types, and get the lowdown on common parameters such as color models and DPI. Check out the original article for an easy table that summarizes the key differences betw...

#68 — Controls are fundamental to getting meaningful data. Especially in long, drawn-out experiments like immunofluorescence imaging. In this episode, we explain 5 types of immunofluorescence control, what they tell you, and why they are critical for your experiments. Check out the original article for links to loads of related resources [1] , and you can access all this information as a beautiful...

#67 — What are those mysterious extra water molecules at the end of some chemical names? Do they matter to your experiments? And what should you do when they aren't water but are something more intrusive like HCl? In this episode, we answer all those questions and tell you everything you need to know about water of crystallization. Check out the original article for handy figures that illustrate w...

#66 — Are your plasmid yields low? Not sure what is considered a good yield? Need help boosting the amount of plasmid you get from your preps? In this episode, we discuss what is a good and bad yield, why your plasmid preps might be sub-optimal, and how you get better yields. Read the original article for an easy protocol for growing unsaturated cultures. [1] Discover the differences between DNA p...