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Image of Christmas tree made up of beakers
The Christmas Mix-up
In a rush to wrap up an experiment before the holidays, a slip of the hand almost ruined the festive mood for Cleo Parisi.
The Christmas Mix-up
The Christmas Mix-up

In a rush to wrap up an experiment before the holidays, a slip of the hand almost ruined the festive mood for Cleo Parisi.

In a rush to wrap up an experiment before the holidays, a slip of the hand almost ruined the festive mood for Cleo Parisi.

PCR

Henry Erlich 
A Not-So-Simple Idea
Niki Spahich, PhD | Jun 1, 2023 | 5 min read
A moonlit drive inspired the theory behind PCR. What did it take to make that wild idea reality?
Karyotype with most chromosomes in blue, one in red and green. 
Researchers Fuse Mouse Chromosomes in Scientific First
Natalia Mesa, PhD | Aug 25, 2022 | 4 min read
The findings will likely help elucidate the effects of chromosome fusions, which can cause disease but have also contributed to evolution.
A scientist loads a 96-well plate containing qPCR reactions into a thermal cycler for DNA amplification and detection.
Insights into qPCR: Protocol, Detection Methods, and Analysis
Tanuka Biswas, PhD | 6 min read
Learn about quantitative PCR (qPCR), including its fundamentals, common applications, modes of detection, and key quantification methods.
A bright, illuminated, yellow cluster of spheres, representing a mutated base pair, stands out from a double helix of deep red base pairs joined by blue hydrogen bonds
Study: Sickle Cell Mutation Driven by Pressure, Not Random Chance
Dan Robitzski | Mar 17, 2022 | 6 min read
New research finds that the appearance of the HbS mutation, which protects against malaria but leads to sickle cell disease when present in two copies, was more common in sperm samples from men in Ghana, where malaria risk is high, than Europeans.
Illustration of man receiving a COVID test.
Opinion: What COVID-19 Has Taught Us About the Importance of Testing
Mark Kessel | Feb 1, 2022 | 5 min read
The pandemic has yielded many lessons. One is that adequate and well-distributed diagnostics are key to battling disease outbreaks.
PCR tubes placed into the 96-well loading chamber of a PCR thermocycler instrument.
Directing Superior Reagents for Better PCR Results
The Scientist and MilliporeSigma | 3 min read
Directed evolution approaches are creating new reagents to help a tried-and-true technique reach new heights.
Man in black suit looking at camera
Pioneering Geneticist C. Thomas Caskey Dies at 83
Natalia Mesa, PhD | Jan 28, 2022 | 3 min read
Caskey’s contributions to the field were instrumental to modern genetics.
two women wearing plastic gloves hold up hand-sized air-capture devices in a wooded area.
Scientists ID Dozens of Plants, Animals from Free-Floating DNA
Dan Robitzski | Jan 6, 2022 | 8 min read
In a trio of studies, researchers report capturing and analyzing airborne environmental DNA from a wide variety of plants and animals, suggesting a new way of monitoring which terrestrial species are present in an area.
PCR setup thumbnail
Important Players for a Successful PCR
The Scientist and MilliporeSigma | 1 min read
Learn about other PCR components—beyond the polymerase—that are essential for optimal results.
800x560-misherlock-0916
A New COVID-19 Spit Test Is as Easy as 1-2-3
Roni Dengler, PhD | Aug 16, 2021 | 4 min read
A device smaller than two stacked decks of cards can reliably detect and discriminate between SARS-CoV-2 variants in spit in less than an hour with results that glow.
The Researchers Who Pivoted to COVID-19: One Year On
Shawna Williams | Jul 1, 2021 | 7 min read
The Scientist checks in on scientists who switched gears to combat the pandemic.
The BRAND Liquid Handling Station
Relieving the Pipetting Toll for Better Results
The Scientist and BRANDTECH Scientific | 3 min read
Scientists use an automated liquid handling station to ensure consistency across a range of experiments.
Special report
a hand in a blue glove holds a clear plastic multiwell plate in a laboratory with foil-wrapped plates on a metal shelf in the background
Labs Worldwide Still Struggling Amid Broken Supply Chains
Katarina Zimmer | May 21, 2021 | 8 min read
Countries outside the US and Europe that are already used to long wait times for laboratory supplies are facing greater research disruptions than ever during the pandemic.
a person in a white lab coat with a blue glove inserting a clear pcr tube into a which thermocycler while holding an orange box
Coronavirus Mutations Could Muddle COVID-19 PCR Tests
Jack J. Lee | May 17, 2021 | 4 min read
Researchers find that SARS-CoV-2 variants can evade primer-probe sets and recommend that diagnostic assays include multiple targets for reliability.
Scientist working in a biosafety cabinet
Cell Culture Conquests: Finding and Defeating the Invisible Enemy
The Scientist and MilliporeSigma | 3 min read
Cutting-edge reagents, kits, and techniques provide a robust solution to cell culture mycoplasma contamination.
liquid-containing tube labeled Laboratory Test Wastewater Sample SARS-CoV-2
Sewage Sampling Robots Speed SARS-CoV-2 Detection
Ruth Williams | May 1, 2021 | 3 min read
An automated wastewater monitoring technique could enable researchers to predict outbreaks of the virus up to a week in advance.
Infographic: How to Ferret Out SARS-CoV-2 in Sewage
Ruth Williams | May 1, 2021 | 1 min read
Researchers use magnetic nanoparticles and liquid-handling robots in an effort to detect COVID-19 outbreaks early.
stock photo
Cooking up the Perfect PCR Reaction
MilliporeSigma | 1 min read
Discover how to obtain optimal PCR results by selecting the right DNA polymerase and optimizing the reaction buffer.
Dr. Brock standing in nature, holding a walking stick and wearing binoculars around his neck.
Microbiologist Thomas Brock Dies at 94
Lisa Winter | Apr 23, 2021 | 2 min read
Brock’s discovery of a thermophile bacteria at Yellowstone National Park in 1966 eventually enabled the development of PCR.
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