In this episode, we explore the cutting-edge techniques revolutionizing fluorescence microscopy. Traditional methods are limited to detecting three to four targets due to the spectral overlap of fluorophores.

But now, scientists are breaking these barriers with fluorescence lifetime multiplexing. This innovative approach uses differences in fluorescence lifetimes to distinguish between similar dyes, allowing for more complex imaging.

Hear how researchers combined lifetime multiplexing with spectral detection to analyze multiple targets simultaneously. Discover the exciting advancements made by characterizing 18 synthetic fluorophores and developing unique self-labeling protein tags.

These breakthroughs enable the imaging of up to eight targets in four spectral channels, providing unprecedented detail in cellular studies.

Watch the full presentation here: https://microscopyfocus.com/live-cell-fluorescence-lifetime-multiplexing-using-organic-fluorophores/

Browse all episodes of the Listen In Series here: https://listen-in.bitesizebio.com/

Stress is a universal challenge, and scientists face unique pressures such as impostor syndrome, the demand for positive results, and career uncertainty. These stressors can be overwhelming and often feel beyond our control.

In this episode of Listen In, we explore the various stresses that scientists encounter in their daily lab life and discuss effective strategies to manage them. Learn how to prevent burnout, anxiety, and depression by addressing issues like perfectionism and impostor syndrome. Our expert shares personal insights and practical advice on cultivating a resilient and healthier growth mindset.

Hit play to discover that you're not alone in feeling overwhelmed and that with the right mindset, you can navigate the pressures of a scientific career more effectively.

Watch the full presentation here: https://events.bitesizebio.com/stress-in-the-lab-common-pitfalls-1/join

Browse all episodes of the Listen In Series here: https://listen-in.bitesizebio.com/

Despite the growing number of new technologies and automated instruments, routine liquid handling is still a manual process in many labs. The trend towards automation is gaining importance, not only with complex applications, such as NGS library preparation but also with simple yet repetitive liquid handling steps where automated pipetting makes sense.

A variety of automated liquid handling systems—suiting all budgets and workloads—are now available. These systems are designed to improve consistency and efficiency by eliminating both person-to-person and day-to-day variability.

But how to get started with automation? When does it make sense to automate workflows and methods, and isn't it super complicated to implement an automated liquid handler in a lab?

Get answers to these questions in this episode of Listen In!

Watch the full presentation here: https://events.bitesizebio.com/automate-your-pipetting-unleash/join

Browse all episodes of the Listen In Series here: https://listen-in.bitesizebio.com/

Expression and Purification of an Engineered, E. coli-expressed Leishmania donovani Nucleoside Hydrolase with Immunogenic Properties
Potential recombinant protein vaccine candidates must meet several criteria:

They must be expressed at sufficiently high levels in the organism of choice
They must be purified to high purity from the expression system in an immunogenic form
They must induce potent immune responses
Dr. Patrick McAtee will take you through these vaccine development steps using the nucleoside hydrolase antigen from Leishmania donovani as an example. He will demonstrate how his lab cloned and expressed the full-length, 36-dKa protein. He will discuss purification of the protein to >99% purity using anion exchange and gel filtration chromatography. He will also talk about the steps taken to ensure protein integrity and enzymatic activity using lithium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (LDS-PAGE), mass spectrometry (MS), and enzymatic assays.

Dr. McAtee will then take you through in vivo testing of the vaccine candidate including analyzing antibody levels from mice immunized with the protein alone or in a stable emulsion with glucopyranosyl lipid adjuvant (GLA-SE). He will describe characterization of the type of cellular immune response induced by the protein. Finally, he will demonstrate protective efficacy in mice challenged with Leishmania mexicana.

For more information visit: https://bitesizebio.com/webinar/development-of-a-potential-recombinant-protein-vaccine-in-e-coli/

In this webinar, you will learn how to maximize your genome editing efficiency using CRISPR/Cas9 and how to apply this technique in your research.

The main points in the webinar will include:

How to design guide RNAs using online tools specific to the genome and application of interest.
Tips and practical advice to assist you in choosing and optimizing a CRISPR/Cas9 delivery system.
How you can create precise mutations using homology-directed repair, including template design and cleavage site
An Essential Guide to CRISPR/Cas9 Editing Efficiency
While CRISPR/Cas9 editing is utilized in a wide variety of cell types, editing efficiency continues to pose a challenge to researchers. Join Dr. Allison Mayle, as she shares best practices for increasing CRISPR/Cas9 editing efficiency. Viewers will discover online tools to aid in CRISPR/Cas9 design and delivery and tips for optimizing your CRISPR/Cas9 experiments.

In this webinar, Dr. Mayle will review the factors influencing genome editing, including target sequence selection and CRISPR delivery methods. A comparison of plasmid and viral vector delivery will be provided, as well as an introduction to DNA-free CRISPR/Cas9 ribonucleoprotein reagents. Additionally, Dr. Mayle will cover best practices for CRISPR knock-in mutagenesis via homology-directed repair (HDR) and applications available from new Cas9 protein variants.

For more information visit: https://bitesizebio.com/webinar/guide-crisprcas9-delivery-maximize-editing-efficiency/

Join Dr. Karen O’Hanlon Cohrt for a practical tour of multiplex PCR technology, where you will learn the following and much more:

Principle behind multiplex PCR technology
Popular applications of this technology
How to set up this reaction
Advantages and disadvantages
Multiplex PCR Can Benefit Your Research
Dr O’Hanlon Cohrt will discuss the history of multiplex PCR, how the technique works, and how to set up a reaction. She will also provide advice for optimization of primers and how to detect your targets.

Multiplex PCR technology simultaneously detects multiple nucleic acid targets in a single reaction. This method is a straightforward and efficient solution for bypassing challenges associated with limited template material. As an added bonus, this technology is cost effective because fewer reactions are needed to detect disparate targets.

Karen will show you the real beauty of multiplex PCR— how you can use very little template or sample in each experiment. She will also share the applications of this technology, which include forensic science, pathogen identification, and genetic testing—especially in cancer.

For more information visit: https://bitesizebio.com/webinar/multiplex-pcr-technology/

The rise of open access is changing how research is communicated. In this webinar, we’ll celebrate Open Access Week 2016 by taking a closer look at how open access affects how researchers write and publish their results. Specifically, we will:

Define open access and Creative Commons licensing and dive into the numbers about open access (journals, articles, fees)
Discuss the pros and cons of open access and dispel some myths
Describe how funder and government mandates will affect the open access movement and individual researchers

For more information visit: https://bitesizebio.com/webinar/changing-landscape-open-access-publishing/

In this webinar, you will learn about color reproduction in microscopy images—and how to fix it if your color reproduction goes awry.

The main points we will cover are:

The reasons that could color reproduction go wrong in your microscopy images
How to correct your microscopy images with inappropriate color reproduction
How to be ethical with the color in your microscopy images
Advice on Color in Microscopy Images
Mark Clymer, an expert in microscopy imaging, will guide you through the complicated area of color reproduction in microscopy. He will offer advice and tips on how to get the most from your microscopy camera.

Color imaging is everywhere today and is often taken for granted. Images are instantly captured on cell phones, tablets, web cams, and microscopes. Pictures are shared with friends and colleagues even faster. We thrive on instant gratification. For some of us, our images are simply a snapshot in time—a selfie in front of a landmark, an amazing meal presentation, a pic showing viable cells in culture. But for others, images need to be masterpieces, expressing not just artistry but scientific discovery.

Regardless of your philosophy, we are at the mercy of the technology: cameras AND software. So as scientists, how do we ensure that we capture and communicate images that are worthy of our research? In this webinar, you’ll learn about how color in images goes awry, and what you can do about it. And there’s a twist at the end about an often overlooked villain in this whole scheme.

About the Presenter:
Mark Clymer is a veteran of the microscopy industry, establishing his fundamental skills in biotech and the drug discovery labs at Sanofi, and honing those skills as product manager at Olympus, managing the core microscope product line in the Americas. Along the way, Mark attended microscopy-based courses at the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole, MA, and now shares his expertise with students during the Immunohistochemistry & Microscopy course held each March at the MBL.

Mark offers consulting services to microscopy and biomedicine-based companies, and is the former Director of Marketing for the Datacolor Scientific division of Datacolor Inc., the Swiss-headquartered market leader in color management for industry and photography. He is the author of numerous articles and blogs on microscopy and color management. You may have seen some of his posts to microscopy and imaging-based groups on LinkedIn. Mark is also an independent microscopy and spectrophotometry sales specialist for Laxco Inc.

Mark invites you to look him up on LinkedIn

For more information visit: https://bitesizebio.com/webinar/color-image-quality-control-microscopy/

Incorporating New Dyes to Simplify Panel Design: Accelerating Reagent Availability

In this webinar you will learn how custom reagents can aid you in flow cytometry panel design—without long waits for generating these components.

We will cover:

How quality custom reagents in small sizes will make your panel design easier
How you can receive these reagents fast and without traditional wait times for manufacturing
How you can be confident that quality control is maintained for these custom reagents
Incorporating New Dyes to Simplify Panel Design
Dr. Jorg Ruhrer, Director of Research Reagents at BD Bioscience will take through how to overcome a major limitation in multicolor panel design for flow cytometry experiments—limited antibody-fluorochrome combinations. Join him in this webinar as he shows you how custom reagents provide increased options in your multicolor panel design.

Flow cytometry continues to be a critical tool for the analysis, characterization, and isolation of single cells from a heterogeneous cell population. The rapid introduction of dyes based on Sirigen technology has dramatically increased the total number of parameters that can be analyzed simultaneously from a single sample. Using these dyes coupled with recent advancements in flow cytometers, it is now possible to probe more than 28 different fluorescence parameters simultaneously, allowing for a much deeper biological understanding of a sample.

However, in spite of these advancements, one of the major limitations to designing optimal multicolor panels is the unavailability of many reagents and specificities in these new fluorochromes. To address this need, BD Biosciences has launched a new product line that will give scientists immediate access to hundreds and eventually thousands of new antibody/bright dye combinations. These new combinations will give the flexibility that you need to design a multicolor panel without compromising on results.

Jorg will discuss how these quality reagents will enable easier panel design, resulting in robust high content panels that will generate quality data to drive ever deeper scientific discoveries.

For more information visit: https://bitesizebio.com/webinar/incorporating-new-dyes-simplify-panel-design/

In this webinar, you will learn about the process for genotyping cells—particularly tumor cells—and practical advice for analyzing the resulting data.

The main points that we will cover are:

Practical advice and methods for sample collection and preparation for your genotyping experiments
An overview of the available data analysis methods for your genotyping results
Examples of pathway analysis methods for determining potential mechanisms within your system
Advice, tips, and applications for your genotyping experiments
Dr. Ania Wronski, a breast cancer researcher from Tufts University, will guide you through the process of investigating the genotype of tumor cells. Join her in this webinar as she takes you from sample collection to data analysis.

The American Cancer Society predicts that 1.7 million new cancer cases will be diagnosed and almost 600,000 cancer deaths will occur this year in the United States alone. These staggering numbers prompted the creation of the National Cancer Moonshot initiative in the US and contributed to the prominent position of cancer research in the European Union’s Horizon 2020 project.

Recent evidence suggests that cells within a particular tumor are not all genetically identical. Most tumors exhibit some degree of cellular heterogeneity. While most cells within the tumor possess one or more dominant mutations, sometimes there is a subpopulation with different ones. Researchers hypothesize that these subpopulations might be responsible for resistance to therapeutic agents. Discovering the genotype of tumor cells might yield new therapeutic targets to aid in the fight against multidrug resistance of cancer.

Ania will use her own research as an example and give you a broad strokes overview of the steps necessary to interrogate the genotype of tumors. She will lead you through the collection and preparation of samples and discuss available data analysis methods. Finally, she will share examples of pathway analysis that can be used to discover potential mechanisms.

For more information visit: https://bitesizebio.com/webinar/practical-advice-genotyping-cancer-cells/

In this webinar you will learn the tips and tricks necessary for you to successfully work with miRNAs, and how you can use them to further your research. The main points we will cover are: Tips and practical advice to help you work with miRNAs, including isolation and delivery The biology and mechanism of miRNAs and why this matters to your research An example of how miRNAs are being used in disease research. The presenter will take you through the identification of certain aberrantly expressed ones in breast cancer and how they might be used as therapeutic agents. How you can identify important miRNAs in your samples—including tumor cells Practical tips, applications and advice for miRNA research Dr. Brian Adams is a researcher on the leading edge of miRNA research. Join him in this webinar as he demystifies working with miRNAs and gives you his best tips and tricks for working with them in your research. Since Drs. Andrew Fire and Craig Mello won the Nobel Prize for their work on small RNAs, the field has exploded with possibilities and has spawned several vibrant research areas. Brian’s own research examines the role of miRNAs in breast cancer, and the potential therapeutic opportunities they offer. He will discuss how he has identified several ones that are aberrantly expressed in triple-negative breast cancer, for which there is currently no targeted treatment options available, how reintroducing these particular ones can promote anti-tumorigenic phenotypes, and how they could be used to sensitize tumors to chemotherapeutic agents as well as gamma-irradiation. Using this research story as an example Brian will provide you with practical, hands-on advice that will help you get better results with miRNA isolation and delivery in your experiments. He’ll also guide you through the biology and mechanisms of action of and explain the potential therapeutic applications. Learn more about the full potential of miRNAs and find out all the inside tricks for working with them to take your research to the next level. For more information.

For more information visit: https://bitesizebio.com/webinar/all-about-mirnas-practical-tips-advice-and-applications/

Tools for Analyzing Genetic Variants froEvery individual harbors millions of genetic variants, many of which may contribute to phenotype. As the cost of sequencing has plummeted, we now have the opportunity to profile this variation across thousands of individuals. Here I will provide an overview of the workflow to analyze various types of genetic variation, starting from raw sequencing data and ending with high quality genotypes. I will first present state of the art methods for mapping raw sequences to the human reference genome and calling single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) across one or thousands of samples. I will then briefly describe tools for genotyping more complex variant types, focusing on STRs as a case study. Finally, I will give an overview of tools for visualizing sequencing data and for downstream analysis of genotypes.

For more information visit: https://bitesizebio.com/webinar/tools-for-analyzing-genetic-variants-from-sequencing-data-case-study-short-tandem-repeats/

The current state of the academic job market has come under scrutiny in recent years, largely because of the shrinking number of tenure-track jobs available. This situation has forced graduate students and postdocs to reconsider their employment options. Other scholars may realize that academia is no longer a good fit for them but are unsure of how to land a non-faculty position. This process of self-reflection and job searching can be filled with anxiety and fear. But it doesn’t have to be. The presenter, Heidi Scott Giusto, will share how she came to terms with something unexpected: after many years spent pursuing a PhD, she realized she didn’t want to be a professor or researcher. Heidi will discuss how she forged her own career path outside of academia as well as 5 steps you can begin taking NOW that will help you transition when you are ready.

For more information visit: http://bitesizebio.com/webinar/26901/5-actionable-steps-for-transitioning-smoothly-to-a-non-faculty-job/

Inspired by mutations associated with neurodevelopmental disorders, Prof. Dr. Silvia Cappello’s group at the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich aims to understand the role of extracellular mechanisms essential for the correct development of the human brain.

Their research focuses on intrinsic and extrinsic mechanisms contributing to the formation of the brain by examining mutations in genes influencing cell-cell contacts, the extracellular matrix, and the secretion of vesicles.

In this episode of Listen In, Silvia presents the latest research that makes an important contribution to our understanding of cell non-autonomous mechanisms in the development of neurodevelopmental disorders.

She also explains how imaging workflows, using the Mica Imaging Microhub alongside confocal and super-resolution systems, support the group’s research.

Watch the full presentation here: https://microscopyfocus.com/cellular-crosstalk-in-neurodevelopmental-disorders/

Browse all episodes of the Listen In Series here: https://listen-in.bitesizebio.com/

Next generation sequencing (NGS) is a powerful tool for investigating genome-wide phenomena. It has been used to study epigenetic profiles as part of the ENCODE project. It is being used to understand the genetic basis of both common and rare diseases. The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) used NGS to map hundreds of cancer genes. There is no area of modern genetic research that has not been transformed by the advent of NGS. With continued improvements of throughput and yield, the number of human genomes that will be sequenced in the next few years is staggering.

For all the widespread uses of NGS, there are a variety of ways to end up at your destination, along with some unique challenges along the way. To determine the path, it is best to begin with the end in mind.

For more information visit: http://bitesizebio.com/webinar/26429/next-generation-sequencing-overview-step-by-step-guide-to-ngs-workflow/

Whether it’s equipment costing hundreds of thousands of dollars and requiring millions of dollars in R&D investments or standardized kits that relieve you of tedious grunt work day in and day out, you rely on the support of companies like our sponsors to provide you with the equipment and supplies you need. But beyond the things they sell, these companies know a thing or two about your work-a-day world. In this webinar we will discuss how we get them to “give it up” and freely share the wisdom they have accumulated in their experience, making your work more productive, more reliable and less stressful.

For more information visit: https://bitesizebio.com/webinar/how-bitesize-bio-gets-progressive-companies-to-help-you-the-working-scientist/

All mRNA molecules recruit specific proteins to form ribonucleoprotein complexes (mRNPs). Composition and localization of many mRNPs change dynamically from translation to decay. Microscopic techniques with high spatial and temporal resolution are invaluable for studying mRNP biogenesis.

We have developed new tools based on fluorogenic forced intercalation (FIT) probes for RNA detection, quantification and interference in biological samples. The probes contain a thiazole orange (TO) dye introduced at a position normally occupied by a nucleobase. Upon binding to target nucleic acids, the TO dye increases its quantum yield and brightness substantially (greater than10 fold). These probes detect mRNA in a rapid, wash-free FISH setup using conventional wide-field microscopy. It is an ideal tool for RNA localization screens.

Nuclease resistant FIT probes containing a locked nucleic acid adjacent to the TO dye are bright and contrasted enough for use in live imaging. These probes can also be designed to target functional elements of RNAs to test the role of those in RNP biogenesis.

Absorption and emission spectra of TO are sufficiently different from EGFP to enable high sensitivity and specificity RNA-protein co-localization analysis, even with super-resolution, to study the RNA interactome. LNA modified FIT probes are excellent subjects for STED microscopy as duplex formation greatly increases their fluorescence lifetime.

For more information visit: http://bitesizebio.com/webinar/25961/deciphering-steps-of-mrnp-assembly-in-developing-oocytes-using-super-resolution-microscopy/

We know that cellular heterogeneity in the tumor microenvironment complicates the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. Tumors are complex, dynamic systems composed of diverse cell types in various functional states, including cancer cells and infiltrating immune cells. Resolving this cellular heterogeneity requires a single-cell approach, as analyses on bulk cell preparations mask the heterogeneity of the biological system and may lead researchers down the wrong path.

Cutting-edge single-cell analysis tools for exploring the genomic, transcriptomic and proteomic states of both tumor and related immune cells are enabling researchers to understand system heterogeneity, identify cells with previously unrecognized phenotypes and elucidate important therapeutic mechanisms.

Jonathan Irish will present his work on human solid tumor cytomics, which is revealing novel melanoma and immune cell subsets. He will highlight high-content single-cell approaches developed by his lab for systems immunology and cancer biology studies of human solid tumors, including melanoma and brain cancer. Dr. Irish will also discuss technical and biological quality controls, computational analysis and the strengths of combining single-cell approaches, such as mass cytometry, phospho-flow, imaging, transcript profiling and sequencing. These cytomic approaches are especially powerful for dissecting cellular mechanisms of treatment response, monitoring key biomarkers and precise targeting of clinically relevant cell subsets.

Manisha Ray will guide you through the newest Fluidigm technologies for single-cell analysis at the genomic, proteomic and transcriptomic levels.

For more information visit: http://bitesizebio.com/webinar/26112/know-the-players-combinatorial-single-cell-approaches-to-explore-the-complexity-of-biologic-systems/

Biobanks, or biorepositories, store biological samples that are critical for research in the biomedical fields. Samples from biobanks have been used for genomics research, investigations into the development of personalized medicine, and treatment of diseases.

After obtaining precious specimens, it is important to not only store them for easy retrieval, but is also vital to treat the samples so there are no complications for downstream uses. Tissues, blood, and cells all have unique requirements for maintaining specimen integrity.

For more information visit: http://bitesizebio.com/webinar/25530/critical-success-factors-for-sample-collection-storage-and-retrieval/

Leica Microsystems Laser Microdissection systems are the method of choice for laser-based microscopic sample dissection and collection. Laser Microdissection (LMD) is a microscopic technique for isolating homogeneous, specific and pure targets from heterogeneous samples for downstream analysis (DNA, RNA & proteins). In addition, the Leica Microsystems LMD systems can be used with live cell cultures (LCC, e.g. cloning) and as a manipulation tool (e.g. for live cell/organism manipulation, NanoSIMS or CLEM preparation).

Leica Microsystems recently launched new versions of their LMD systems, the Leica Microsystems LMD6 and LMD7. The new stands offer a bigger field of view at the camera ports, plus the choice between Halogen and LED transmitted light. Combined with a fresh new design, the newest Leica Microsystems LMD systems are an exciting choice for high performance and uncompromised quality.

Learn about the advantages of using Leica Microsystems LMD techniques for precise, contamination-free isolation of specific cell types. Using brain or plant tissue sections as an example, this webinar will provide an overview of the scientific and practical considerations for obtaining highly pure material for further molecular analysis in the field of Parkinson’s disease and plants.

For more information visit: http://bitesizebio.com/webinar/25633/leica-microsystems-laser-microdissection-dissection-perfection/

Enjoying your work should be one of life’s top priorities not only because you spend much of your time working, but also because if you enjoy your work you’ll inevitably do a better job.

Having worked in an uptight academic lab, a very laid-back Danish biotech company, a typically British biotech lab and been my own working-from-home boss for a number of years I have tried many different approaches and structures for my day, work and life.

Although it is still a work in progress, the result is that I have some concrete guidelines that I know make my work more enjoyable and productive. In this webinar I’d like to share them with you so you can try them out to see if they work for you too.

For more information visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3pEQqpyXIE&list=PLvFacfba2Wcdcl2efK31e47LXxqnMh-CG

Seeing and believing that the dress is yellow may not be that important for the casual wedding image, but in microscopy imaging seeing and believing is critical. Microscopy images that contain color, such as images from histology­-stained specimens, must be compared and analyzed. If the color reproduction is poor, then there’s a chance that important information will be overlooked, not seen, and not believed.

For more information visit: http://bitesizebio.com/webinar/25629/getting-correct-color-from-your-camera/

Living cells and organisms often suffer from the high light intensities that are used in conventional imaging. Light sheet microscopy reduces phototoxic effects and bleaching, by only illuminating a specimen in a single plane at a time whilst the signal is detected in a perpendicular direction. In combination with high-speed cameras for image acquisition, light sheet microscopy is a very gentle method to observe fast biological processes in sensitive organisms over an extended time period. By moving the sample along this plane, specimens are optically sectioned and imaged in 3D. These exciting possibilities led Nature Methods to cite light sheet imaging as their Method of the Year for 2014.

For more information visit: http://bitesizebio.com/webinar/24339/the-best-of-both-worlds-combining-light-sheet-and-confocal-microscopy/

In this webinar, you’ll get:

Practical advice for sample preparation, qPCR setup and result analyses Guidance on choosing the correct fluorescent labeling system for your qPCR Tips to troubleshoot the most commonly encountered issues in qPCR Join Dr. Karen O’Hanlon Cohrt for a practical tour of the process, applications and practice of qPCR, from start to finish. Beginning with an overview of how qPCR works, the webinar will give practical advice on choosing the right setup for a given experiment. You’ll also get essential advice for carrying out your experiment, including tips for sample preparation, PCR setup and analyses. Dr. O’Hanlon Cohrt will also suggest what you can do if things go wrong!

The webinar will also cover the main applications:

Identifying genes with altered expression in disease states, such as cancer Detecting disease-related gene expression and identifying microbes Viral genotyping and viral load determination Understanding biochemical and signaling pathways and other fundamental research Register now! Don’t miss this opportunity to brush up on your qPCR.

For more information visit: https://bitesizebio.com/webinar/qpcr-tips-workflow-applications-and-troubleshooting/

In this episode of Listen In, master your PCR set-up for unparalleled results.

Check out this enlightening discussion of the crucial factors that influence the outcome of PCR experiments and discover the parameters you can optimize for better and more consistent PCR results.

You will get reliable advice directly from PCR experts at Eppendorf on key topics, including the core features of thermal cyclers and the importance of good pipetting techniques to minimize evaporation.

This episode also features helpful insights into ideal reaction set-up, primer design, template DNA selection, and PCR optimization.

Watch the full presentation here: https://events.bitesizebio.com/end-point-pcr-set-up-and/join

Browse all episodes of the Listen In Series here: https://listen-in.bitesizebio.com/

Recently, there has been a push to develop alternative methods to traditional invasive techniques, such as solid tissue biopsies, for disease diagnosis and disease progression, as well as therapeutic response. Liquid biopsy is a new, minimally invasive technology for detecting circulating biomarkers without the need for costly or invasive procedures. Liquid biopsy enables users to sensitively, specifically and rapidly analyze circulating free nucleic acids (cfDNA), circulating tumor cells (CTCs) or exosomes from a blood sample.

For more information visit: http://bitesizebio.com/webinar/25528/liquid-biopsy-sample-handling/

The Fast Module for ZEISS LSM 880 with Airyscan: Confocal Superresolution Imaging with Four Times the Speed and Improved Signal-to-Noise Ratio

First introduced in August 2014, the Airyscan detector from ZEISS represents a new detector concept for laser scanning microscopy (LSM) that enables a simultaneous resolution and signal-to-noise (SNR) increase over traditional LSM imaging. The Airyscan detector design substitutes the conventional LSM detector and pinhole scheme for an array of 32 sensitive GaAsP detector elements, arranged in a compound eye fashion that resides in the pinhole-plane while still generating an optical section. The new detection geometry allows for the collection of the spatial distribution of light originating from every point of a microscopic fluorescent object at the pinhole allowing access to higher frequency information and while additionally collecting more light for ultra-efficient imaging. Based on the Airyscan detection concept, the next innovation from ZEISS has been developed with the introduction of the Fast mode for Airyscan. The Fast mode concept utilizes the Airyscan detector technology in combination with an illumination shaping approach to enhance acquisition speeds by four times while simultaneously increasing SNR and resolution overcoming the traditional compromises of confocal imaging.

For more information visit: https://bitesizebio.com/webinar/zeiss-lsm-800-with-airyscan-your-compact-confocal-power-pack/

Chromatin Immunoprecipitation (ChIP) is a powerful technique for evaluating the interactions of proteins with specific regions of genomic DNA, helping to better understand the mechanisms such as, gene regulation, DNA replication, repair and recombination, and epigenetic silencing. The use of ChIP in conjunction with NGS (ChIP-Seq) has enabled wide scale application of this technique to ascertain genome wide DNA binding sites. However, sample preparation for ChIP and ChIP-seq has multiple steps which are critical to the success of the experiments and affect the reproducibility, bias, and sensitivity of the technique.

Successful ChIP experiments demand chromatin that is sheared to manageable fragments sizes while retaining the integrity of the DNA, preserving protein epitopes and the formaldehyde cross-links attaching the proteins of interest to the DNA to deliver sensitive and reproducible results. Current methods for shearing chromatin to the desired size for immunoprecipitation in ChIP experiments are a source of significant imprecision, adversely affecting the reproducibility of ChIP experiments. In this webinar, scientist from Covaris will discuss how to better optimize your sample preparation to improve the reproducibility of your results and present data demonstrating how Covaris’ AFA Technology is ideally suited to provide the highest quality sheared chromatin. Shearing chromatin with AFA preserves precious epitopes, maintains DNA quality, protects from shearing biases, and provides highly reproducible results which are the reasons AFA is quickly becoming the standard chromatin shearing solution in leading epigenetic labs.

For more information visit: https://bitesizebio.com/webinar/optimizing-chip-for-reproducibility/

Improving open science and research reproducibility is both a technical and a social challenge.

But how do we do it?

One way is to design, conduct, and report research that can maximize the impact of our individual and collective investment in research.

Plus, changing the research culture to prioritize 'getting it right' over 'getting it published' promotes transparency and reproducibility without losing the engine of innovation and discovery that drives scientific inquiry.

In this episode of Listen In, get an overview of the fundamental challenges that reduce the credibility and reproducibility of research, how open science practices address these challenges, how you can incorporate them into your research, and how you can help promote a change in the research culture.

Watch the full presentation here: https://events.bitesizebio.com/approaches-for-more-transparent/join

Browse all episodes of the Listen In Series here: https://listen-in.bitesizebio.com/

For many researchers, modern science has become about getting results rather than asking questions. Results mean publications, and publications mean more funding.

However, results are not the objective of the scientific method, which involves proposing an answer to a question, designing experiments to determine whether the proposed answer is true or false, and objectively interpreting the results.

This episode of Listen In explores the definition of the scientific method and how to apply it to your research.

Get a handle on the scientific method with a clear definition, and learn how to apply it to your research using real-life examples of the scientific method in action.

You will come away from this tutorial with increased confidence in the rigor of your research and the fundamental knowledge to design scientifically sound experiments.

Watch the full presentation here: https://events.bitesizebio.com/confirmation-bias-and-the-1/join

Browse all episodes of the Listen In Series here: https://listen-in.bitesizebio.com/

For many researchers, modern science has become about getting results rather than asking questions. Results mean publications, and publications mean more funding.

However, results are not the objective of the scientific method, which involves proposing an answer to a question, designing experiments to determine whether the proposed answer is true or false, and objectively interpreting the results.

Nonetheless, the results-focused attitude to doing science is widespread, and it comes with a huge drawback—it encourages confirmation bias—making us prone to searching for evidence and interpreting findings to support proposed answers we believe to be true.

This episode of Listen In explores what confirmation bias is and how to avoid it.

Learn why confirmation bias is so common, how it creeps into our thinking, and how it degrades the quality of our experimental designs and findings.

You will come away from this tutorial with the tools needed to defend against confirmation bias, challenge what you believe, and reorient yourself from a results-focused outlook to a method-focused one.

Watch the full presentation here: https://events.bitesizebio.com/confirmation-bias-and-the/

Browse all episodes of the Listen In Series here: https://listen-in.bitesizebio.com/

Volume electron microscopy or volume EM (vEM) was named one of Nature's Technologies to Watch in 2023. The new Thermo Scientific Hydra Bio PFIB integrates advanced cryo-TEM lamella preparation to volume EM workflows.

In this episode of Listen In, see how the new Thermo Scientific Hydra Bio Plasma-Focused Ion Beam (PFIB) extends cryo technology to volume EM and enables the acquisition of high-resolution 3D data through automated serial milling and imaging of frozen-hydrated specimens.

Cryo Auto Slice & View enables the acquisition of high-resolution 3D data through automated serial milling and imaging for striking new insights into a range of frozen-hydrated specimens prepared by high-pressure freezing or plunge freezing.

The choice of four different plasma ion species offers advantages for imaging cryo- and resin-embedded samples. The Hydra Bio also features the Spin Mill Bio Method, an exclusive technique for large-area planar milling that yields similar-sized imaging areas as microtome slicing. Plus, see how Hydra Bio PFIB combines field-proven and new techniques to enable cryo and room temperature applications.

Watch the full presentation here: https://events.bitesizebio.com/cryo-tomography-to-volume-em/room

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In this episode of Listen In, see how emerging and global challenges of conducting ethical animal research have led to the 12Rs Framework to guide humane experimental techniques in animal studies and other research areas.

The Principles of Humane Experimental Technique, the 3Rs (Replacement, Refinement, and Reduction), have been the mainstay of humane research involving animals for over fifty years.

However, it is becoming increasingly apparent that to enable high-quality ethical and humane science involving animals, other ethical constructs and issues, for example, research culture, reproducibility, reliability, and responsibility, must also be considered.

The 12Rs Framework brings these different constructs together in a single visual framework. Furthermore, it applies to all areas of scientific research, not just research involving animals.

Watch the full presentation here: https://events.bitesizebio.com/the-12rs-framework-enabling/join

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In this episode of Listen In, learn more about how the convergence of AI technology and scientific discovery can revolutionize our understanding of biology and disease.

Generating insights into tissue microenvironments is crucial to our understanding of normal and abnormal tissue development, such as during cancer progression.

Spatial biology methods using microscopy and multiplexing techniques have allowed researchers to bring together protein expression profiles and spatial information to dive into the complex biology needed for these insights. However, image analysis of these datasets, especially with high numbers of protein markers and/or large numbers of cells, remains a challenge.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) image analysis has significantly progressed through innovations in deep learning, segmentation, and detection, making it a powerful tool for researchers.

Hear about the latest release of Aivia image analysis software, including AI tools, to help you tackle this challenge in your large 2D multiplexed image datasets.

Watch the full presentation here: https://microscopyfocus.com/elevate-your-research-with-spatial-insights/

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Glycosylation is a prevalent modification of proteins known to play diverse roles across a wide range of biological processes.

While glycoproteins are widely recognized as key molecular features involved in human health and disease, the analysis of protein glycosylation has historically been hampered by a lack of efficient and simple methods to characterize the analytically challenging glycan structures. Examples include structures exhibiting extensive heterogeneity and subtle isomeric features such as linkage and topological differences.

In this episode of Listen In, Dr. Thaysen-Andersen discusses opportunities and challenges in the burgeoning field of analytical glycoscience.

See the current landscape of glycobiology, learn about innovative analytical methods for N- and O-linked glycosylation profiling from biological specimens, and explore how advances in glycoanalytics enable new insights into human glycobiology.

MilliporeSigma is the U.S. and Canada Life Science business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany.

Watch the full presentation here: https://events.bitesizebio.com/unleash-new-biological-insights/join

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Understanding molecular interactions in living cells is one of the key elements to deciphering the molecular mechanisms underpinning most cellular functions.

Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) is the gold standard for studying protein-protein interactions.

Fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM) allows for a straightforward quantification of FRET based on the behavior of donor-only fluorescence.

Join Dr. Padilla-Parra in this episode of Listen In to learn about some of the limitations of classical FRET approaches, how much information you can harness from FRET, and how lifetime-based non-fitting approaches such as minimal fraction of interacting donors (mFD) can provide a direct readout of protein-protein interactions in the cellular environment over time.

Watch the full presentation here: https://microscopyfocus.com/visualizing-protein-protein-interactions-by-non-fitting-and-easy-fret-flim-approaches/

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Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) is a crucial technique in many life sciences, including proteomics, metabolomics, pharmaceutical analysis, clinical diagnosis, and forensic science.

In this episode of Listen In, elevate your analysis and liquid chromatography. Learn what consumables, materials, and reagents can harm your LC-MS data for more accurate quantification using perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) as an example.

See how contamination from consumables, equipment, reagents, and non-specific binding of samples to syringe filters can make LC-MS quantification inaccurate.

Plus, explore the environmental impact of PFAS and how to choose syringe filters and other consumables for accurate quantification results.

Watch the full presentation here: https://events.bitesizebio.com/contamination-and-recovery-of-pfas/join

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Holotomography has emerged as a helpful tool for imaging live specimens without additional pre-treatment, such as fixation, fluorescence labeling, and excitation.

It can achieve long-term three-dimensional observations of live specimens for weeks without cellular damage caused by photoactivation. The high resolution (under 150 nm lateral) achieved through synthetic numerical aperture provides sufficient spatial information to distinguish various subcellular compartments such as nuclei, nucleoli, mitochondria, and lipid droplets.

Furthermore, analysis of the measured individual cell data can elucidate the temporal 3D volumetric dynamics with the dry mass information.

This episode presents the latest development of a low-coherence holotomography imaging system, HT-X1, and its numerous applications to different types of biological specimens, ranging from unicellular organisms to multicellular specimens.

Plus, learn how to combine holotomography with downstream molecular analysis, such as cell biology, immunology, microbiology, material science, and in vitro diagnosis.

Watch the full presentation here: https://events.bitesizebio.com/label-free-3d-live-cell-imaging-and/join

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Buffers are critical to nearly all our experiments. Poorly prepared buffers lead to failed Western blots, poor protein yields, flat binding curves—and wasted time.

Understanding why you need buffers, knowing how to choose the right one, and troubleshooting buffer issues are fundamental skills you can apply to make all your experiments work better—and you only need to learn how to prepare them correctly once.

In this episode, dive deep into the world of chemical buffers. Explore how to select the best buffer for your experiments, share practical tips on preparing buffer solutions, and troubleshoot any hiccups that might come your way. Plus, we'll demystify key concepts like pH and pKa.

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You have written a research paper. What now? Your research can only have an impact if someone reads it. So, you must submit your article to a journal for publication.

In this episode of Listen In, learn the nuts and bolts of scientific publication with a step-by-step tour of the whole process. Explore how to select the right journal and what tools are available to help make that decision. Plus, get advice on how to make the journal submission process go smoothly and how to take critical reviews and turn them into positives in your re-submission.

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This is part four of our How To Write a Research Paper series:

I: Telling Your Story
II: The Anatomy
III: Common Problems And How To Overcome Them
IV: Understanding The Publication Process

The best way to solve a problem is to avoid it in the first place. While journals can and do reject articles for scientific reasons, they also reject articles for structural issues. By taking a few simple steps, you can learn how to circumvent these difficulties for a smooth publication process.

In this episode of Listen In, we'll go through some of the structural reasons that scientific journals reject articles, how to solve common structural issues, and additional steps you can take to help your journal reviewers.

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This is part three of our How To Write a Research Paper series:

I: Telling Your Story
II: The Anatomy
III: Common Problems And How To Overcome Them
IV: Understanding The Publication Process

All research papers have certain elements in common: Introduction, Methods, Results, and Conclusion. How can you structure your introduction to best frame the research question for your readers? Must the methods section read like a laundry list of reagents? Can you be dramatic in the results without losing objectivity? Is there any room in the concluding section to pose new conflicts?

In this episode of Listen In, we will delve deeper into each of these sections to show you how to tailor them to your audience.

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This is part two of our How To Write a Research Paper series:

I: Telling Your Story
II: The Anatomy
III: Common Problems And How To Overcome Them
IV: Understanding The Publication Process

Rarely do we consider writing a scientific paper as a creative exercise. But what if that could change? The best way to communicate anything is through stories. The scientific process has all the elements inherent in storytelling: a rich background, a problem or conflict to solve, and a resolution.

In this episode of Listen In, we will reframe the writing process to help you clearly and concisely communicate your research with great impact.

Watch the full presentation here: https://events.bitesizebio.com/how-to-write-a-research-paper-i-1/join

Browse all episodes of the Listen In Series here: https://listen-in.bitesizebio.com/

This is part one of our How To Write a Research Paper series:

I: Telling Your Story
II: The Anatomy
III: Common Problems And How To Overcome Them
IV: Understanding The Publication Process

Transgenic mouse models are important tools for testing therapeutic strategies. In this episode of Listen In, discover the benefits and essential considerations when characterizing and using transgenic mouse models to test therapeutic approaches to treat neurodegenerative diseases.

Plus, explore a knock-in mouse model of frontotemporal dementia that harbors a common mutation in the progranulin gene to test an antisense oligonucleotide (ASO)-based therapeutic strategy.

Watch the full presentation here: https://events.bitesizebio.com/using-antisense-to-characterize/join

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Explore how the latest electron microscopy techniques and volume imaging can capture fast, dynamic membrane and vesicle remodeling events during synaptic transmission at the ultrastructural level.

Neurons communicate at specialized junctions, or synapses, via chemical messengers called neurotransmitters. Within a millisecond of neuronal stimulation, synaptic vesicles packed with neurotransmitters fuse with the presynaptic plasma membrane and release their contents. These neurotransmitters then bind and activate receptors on the postsynaptic membrane, resulting in cell-to-cell signal transmission. Then, to sustain this neurotransmission, new vesicles are recruited to the release sites.

In this episode of Listen In, we dive into the powerful new technology to spatially and temporally investigate these dynamics.

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Experience the transformative power of unbiased, data-driven cell analysis with access to over 25 image-derived label-free parameters, empowering you to easily assess sample quality, optimize gating strategies, and validate rare events.

In this episode, learn how automated image analysis combined with flow cytometry can help improve data accuracy and precision, optimize and verify gating strategies, and discover novel biology, such as cell–cell interactions.

Join a panel of experts as they discuss the features, benefits, and applications of a paradigm-shifting technology in flow cytometry with the Invitrogen™ Attune™ CytPix™ Flow Cytometer.

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Single cell sequencing samples must be prepared to the highest possible standard.

Discover reliable techniques to prepare and validate nuclei samples for single cell sequencing.

In this episode, learn how to perform essential quality control checks, including a quick and reliable method for quantifying nuclei, measuring extraction efficiency, and visualizing debris in a sample.

You will also get tips to optimize your existing nuclei extraction protocols from an experienced Application Scientist.

Watch the full presentation here: https://events.bitesizebio.com/optimizing-nuclei-extraction/join

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Organoids are three-dimensional in vitro cultures derived directly from patient tissues or induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) and embryonic stem cells. They self-organize to generate structures that resemble the tissue of origin and recapitulate the key physiological functions of the parental organ.

In this episode of Listen In, explore the benefits of organoids as infectious disease models and drug screening vehicles, learn how to start organoid culture in your laboratory, and discover a portfolio of organoids for your research applications.

Watch the full presentation here: https://events.bitesizebio.com/jump-into-3d-organoids-basic/join

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As a scientific researcher, you must present your work in an unbiased, original, and representative way. Without due care and attention, it is easy to drift over the boundary of what is acceptable and slip into habits that are unacceptable within the scientific community. 

This episode of Listen In with Cristy Gelling explores image manipulation. Many common types of image manipulation are classified by journals as scientific misconduct, even if you had no intent to deceive anyone.

Learn what practices are considered fraud or misconduct, how image formats and manipulations affect your data, and ways to process images that ensure your science is sound and your results are publishable.

Watch the full presentation here: https://events.bitesizebio.com/ethical-research-practice-3-image/join

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As a scientific researcher, you must present your work in an unbiased, original, and representative way. Without due care and attention, it is easy to drift over the boundary of what is acceptable and slip into habits that are unacceptable within the scientific community. 

This episode of Listen In with Karen O'Hanlon Cohrt explores publishing negative results and what is acceptable. Get answers to key questions, such as what is a negative result, and when should we report such results? What is the difference between a negative result and an unexpected result? What is an outlier? Plus, learn when it is okay to exclude an outlier and when you should include outliers to report the variation in your experiment.

Watch the full presentation here: https://events.bitesizebio.com/ethical-research-practice-ii-1/join

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