Computers Make Gains In Enhancing Electrophoresis

With the use of computers for primary data capture, display, and analysis becoming more and more pervasive, it is common now for there to be no photographic negative or laboratory notebook backing up published images and data interpretations of gel electrophoresis experiments. The degree of enhancement exercised with a given image, then, becomes difficult to review for possible misrepresentation, whether intentional or accidental.

| 8 min read

Register for free to listen to this article
Listen with Speechify
0:00
8:00
Share

Scientists say that, while no incidents of deception through digital image alteration have been reported, steps may have to be taken to protect data integrity. The Food and Drug Administration, reliant on electrophoresis studies as an aspect of its pharmaceutical regulatory work, for instance, may be called upon to develop procedures to protect original data from over-enhancement. Software manufacturers, too, may be asked to provide tamper-proof original data files that can later be consulted by reviewers, colleagues, and even the courts. Already, some have begun to incorporate these concerns into their designs.

"We provide in our analysis software no tools by which researchers can modify the original raw data image," says Molecular Dynamics' James Nelson.

"The only tool we provide them is [the ability to] delete."

In this way, the underlying data file remains "sacrosanct" and available for later scrutiny, according to Nelson. He calls that file "the equivalent of ...

Interested in reading more?

Become a Member of

The Scientist Logo
Receive full access to digital editions of The Scientist, as well as TS Digest, feature stories, more than 35 years of archives, and much more!
Already a member? Login Here

Meet the Author

  • Franklin Hoke

    This person does not yet have a bio.

Published In

Share
May digest 2025 cover
May 2025, Issue 1

Study Confirms Safety of Genetically Modified T Cells

A long-term study of nearly 800 patients demonstrated a strong safety profile for T cells engineered with viral vectors.

View this Issue
iStock

TaqMan Probe & Assays: Unveil What's Possible Together

Thermo Fisher Logo
Meet Aunty and Tackle Protein Stability Questions in Research and Development

Meet Aunty and Tackle Protein Stability Questions in Research and Development

Unchained Labs
Detecting Residual Cell Line-Derived DNA with Droplet Digital PCR

Detecting Residual Cell Line-Derived DNA with Droplet Digital PCR

Bio-Rad
How technology makes PCR instruments easier to use.

Making Real-Time PCR More Straightforward

Thermo Fisher Logo

Products

fujirebio-square-logo

Fujirebio Receives Marketing Clearance for Lumipulse® G pTau 217/ β-Amyloid 1-42 Plasma Ratio In-Vitro Diagnostic Test

The Scientist Placeholder Image

Biotium Launches New Phalloidin Conjugates with Extended F-actin Staining Stability for Greater Imaging Flexibility

Leica Microsystems Logo

Latest AI software simplifies image analysis and speeds up insights for scientists

BioSkryb Genomics Logo

BioSkryb Genomics and Tecan introduce a single-cell multiomics workflow for sequencing-ready libraries in under ten hours