Laura Tran, PhD

Laura Tran, PhD

Associate Editor, Content & Newsletters at The Scientist

Laura Tran is an Associate Editor, Content & Newsletters at The Scientist. She has a background in microbiology. Laura earned her PhD in integrated biomedical sciences from Rush University, studying how circadian rhythms and alcohol impact the gut. While completing her studies, she wrote for the Chicago Council on Science and Technology and participated in ComSciCon Chicago in 2022. In 2023, Laura became a science communication fellow with OMSI, continuing her passion for accessible science storytelling.

Articles by Laura Tran, PhD

Two dogs stand next to each other. The dog on the left has its tail up, while the dog on the right has its tail lowered.

Why Do Dogs Wag Their Tails?

By Laura Tran, PhD | | 2 min read

Image of blood in a test tube with the four base pairs of DNA in the background.

A Novel Polymerase Reduces Stutter in Forensic DNA Analysis

By Laura Tran, PhD | | 4 min read

Researchers found human antibody candidates that neutralize the toxin of European black widow venom.

Antibody Potion Against Black Widow's Bite

By Laura Tran, PhD | | 2 min read

Image of the monocled cobra, a venomous cobra species.

pH-Engineered Venom-Fighting Antibodies

By Laura Tran, PhD | | 4 min read

Image of carpet squares drying in the sun.

In Search of Microbes That Weave Colors into Moroccan Carpets

By Laura Tran, PhD | | 5 min read

Image of female scientist crouching as she collects samples in a cave.

Spelunking for Microbes

By Laura Tran, PhD | | 2 min read

Image of the small intestines and colon within a person with three circular callouts, highlighting different microbes.

Unlocking the Human Microbiome Mysteries: From Cancer to COVID-19

By Laura Tran, PhD | | 4 min read

Image of Lasker laureate Zhijian “James” Chen. He wears glasses and a light blue shirt under a dark blue sweater. He smiles at the camera.

DNA-Sensing Enzyme Wins the 2024 Lasker Award

By Laura Tran, PhD | | 7 min read

Researchers at the University of Arizona developed a pH-responsive probe that activated in the basic environment (purple) of the larval midgut and bound to gut proteins.

Gut-Powered Mosquito Probes

By Laura Tran, PhD | | 2 min read

A computer monitor shows a video of two people sitting side by side singing and playing a guitar together.

The Soundtrack of Science

By Laura Tran, PhD | | 2 min read

Illustration showing high-resolution ion channel recordings using the patch clamp technique

Patch Clamp: Unlocking the Secrets of Ion Channels in Electrophysiology

By Laura Tran, PhD | | 10+ min read

(Left to right) The first panel is an image of an uneven scale, with the blue male symbol weighing heavier than the red female symbol. The second panel features a mouse with a callout depicting various red and blue lines to represent the estrous cycle. In the third panel, there are images of a mouse, marmoset, and cell culture dish. In the final panel, there is an image of therapeutic pills and gears, representing cognitive function, above a balanced scale. Now the male and female symbols are even.

Infographic: Bridging the Sex Bias Gap

By Laura Tran, PhD | | 3 min read

Page 16 of 21 - 241 Total Items

The Scientist Digest cover September 2026

September 2026

Multiplex Microscopy Becomes Easier with Encoded Antibodies

A new system that enables researchers to uniquely tag monoclonal antibodies for use in microscopy could help simplify complex imaging studies.

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Rethinking ALS Biomarkers: From Discovery to Clinical Impact

Rethinking ALS Biomarkers: From Discovery to Clinical Impact

Explore how emerging biomarker research and ultrasensitive multiplex proteomics are revealing molecular signatures associated with neurodegeneration, inflammation, and disease progression in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

Best Practices for qPCR Assay Design and Optimization

Best Practices for qPCR Assay Design and Optimization

Explore practical strategies for designing, optimizing, and validating qPCR assays to improve specificity, reproducibility, and confidence across routine and high-throughput gene expression studies.

Beyond the Basics: Strategies for Single-Cell and Spatial Transcriptomics Analysis

Beyond the Basics: Strategies for Single-Cell and Spatial Transcriptomics Analysis

Explore strategies for navigating critical analytical decisions in single-cell RNA sequencing and spatial transcriptomics, from quality control and data integration to clustering, marker selection, and cell-type annotation.

Scientist reviewing cellular and molecular data on a computer in a laboratory.

Building Translation-Ready Biomarkers with Connected Workflows

Identify sources of variability and approaches for improving consistency across biomarker development.

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Closeup image of a multi channel pipette dispensing pink liquid into a 96-well plate.

The ASSIST PLUS pipetting robot for affordable workflow automation

Automation can help to increase efficiency and reproducibility, but often comes at a significant cost. The ASSIST PLUS pipetting robot streamlines workflows at an affordable price, offering accessible automation with minimal programming requirements.

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Corning® Cell Strainers are sterile, easy-to-use devices for rapidly isolating primary cells to consistently obtain a uniform single-cell suspension from tissues. Applications include stem cells and primary cells.

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CellBrite® Steady Membrane Stain: Cell surface staining built for real-time imaging

Real time imaging shouldn't outlast your cell surface stain. CellBrite® Steady: cell surface staining kits with fluorescent membrane dye plus enhancer for imaging live cell surface for several hours to days.

Monod Bio Licenses AI-designed Protein Technologies to SignalChem Biotech for Custom Discovery Assays

Partnership brings Monod Bio’s LuxSit luciferase and NovoBodies to SignalChem Biotech’s custom assay services