It’s hard to overstate the importance of amplification technology in molecular biology. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) amplifies sections of messenger RNA so they can be quantified – we’d have a much dimmer view of the transcriptome without it. Whole-genome amplification helps us analyze genes in single or limited cells, opening up a whole new… Read article →
When we think of drug overdoses, we typically think of controlled substances – e.g., illegal drugs or prescription drug abuse. It might come as a surprise, then, to hear that overdose of acetaminophen (APAP), the common over-the-counter analgesic used for headaches, fevers, and other minor ailments, is also a serious public health concern. Data from… Read article →
These days, everyone’s excited about the potential of circulating microRNAs to be biomarkers for disease, and justifiably so. They’re stable, they’re measurable, and they’re showing a lot of promise for a wide range of diseases. Beyond their potential as biomarkers, they’re also powerful regulators of normal and disease processes via gene regulation, and therefore a hot… Read article →
The mammalian immune system is a complex, lethal collection of cells and molecules that controls and eliminates threats to the body. The innate branch launches a quick response from phagocytes and natural killer cells, while the adaptive branch generates memory cells to create long-lasting defense against a second exposure. However, the immune system isn’t foolproof…. Read article →
Accuracy, reliable controls and reproducibility. These are the foundations on which a healthy scientific literature is based. When we read papers, we check the methods section to see how the authors controlled for certain variables, whether the technologies used were appropriate for the question, and how many times the experiments were replicated. Everyone wants to find the… Read article →
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