Welcome to the American Biotechnologist Blog! This blog has been created as a place where PIs, Graduate Students, Technicians and Science Educators can network, post and view articles, videos, seminars, techniques etc of interest and generally find subject matter relevant to them. We have created the blog for YOU and we are very open to receiving feedback regarding what YOU would like to see on this page. You can comment either by clicking the email button above or sending an email to avi@americanbiotechnologist.com. Happy reading!
Bio-Rad has sponsored the development of
this site to advance the productivity of the American Biotechnology sector and the fine people who
work in it across the country. We invite readers to contribute content:
posters, tools, research and presentations, articles white papers, multimedia, music
downloads and entertainment, conference announcements, videos. Please contact info@americanbiotechnologist.comfor more information.
Download the Protein Blotting Guide
Download the Stem Cell Guide for Life Science Researchers
Understanding protein folding with thermal shift assays using a common tool that is probably already in your laboratory! If the slides are difficult to see, simply click on the full screen icon on the bottom right hand corner of the slide deck to enlarge the presentation.
We are all intimately familiar with protein blotting techniques which have been a cornerstone of the biochemicstry/biology lab for the past 30 years.
As is well known, the efficiency of protein migration is affected by various factors including the size and charge of the protein, and protocol optimization is often needed on a protein-specific basis. In fact, it can be particularly challenging to transfer large molecular weight proteins alongside small molecular weight proteins, as transfer conditions may cause small proteins to blow through the membrane.
Currently there are three popular techniques for protein transfer: the tank transfer, the semi-dry blotting method and the fast blotting “turbo” technique (for transfer within 3-10 minutes).
The cure for cancer comes down to this: video games.
In a research lab at Wake Forest University, biophysicist and computer scientist Samuel Cho uses graphics processing units (GPUs), the technology that makes video game images so realistic, to simulate the inner workings of human cells.
“If it wasn’t for gamers who kept buying these GPUs, the prices wouldn’t have dropped, and we couldn’t have used them for science,” Cho says.
Now he can see exactly how the cells live, divide and die.
In a very interesting study on Principle Investigator demographics, Dr. Sally Rockey, Director of Extramural Research at the NIH, found that over the last 32 years the average age distribution of NIH principle investigators has increased significantly. Watch the video below to see a shocking visual representation of the data. As a note to our PI population, although hearing loss is common in the elderly, your inability to hear what’s being said in this video is not a sign of aging. The video does not have any sound!