Mentors at Your Benchside

Oct 15 2024 113 ep. 8 mins 133

Mentors at Your Benchside Podcast artwork

A good mentor can be the difference between success and failure. But what to do if you don't have help on hand? Mentors At Your Benchside provides curated help and advice from experienced researchers on various topics, from lab skills and techniques to career progression. Each short episode is bursting with easy-to-access help and advice that can improve your results and help you get the most out of your time in the lab. https://bitesizebio.com/mentors-at-your-benchside

Copy RSS

Subscribe on Podcast Addict

Personal Advice on How to Respond to Criticism of Your Grant Proposal Reviews

Oct 15 2024 13 mins

#113 — Learning how to respond to criticism is an unavoidable aspect of grant applications. Follow all instructions from funding agencies to avoid immediate rejection.This episode of Mentors At Your Benchside gives you some simple strategies to ensure you respond to criticism in a constructive and proportionate way.For example, identifying reviewers can help you tailor your respo

Isoelectric Focusing: A Simple Way to Enhance Your Protein Separation

Aug 20 2024 9 mins

#112 — Isoelectric focusing (IEF) is a powerful technique distinct from the more familiar SDS-PAGE, [1,2] tailored for separating proteins or peptides based on their isoelectric points (pI). [3]This method capitalizes on the migration of charged molecules through a stable pH gradient until they reach a zone where their net charge is zero, halting their movement.Essential to setti

Top 10 Uses of Microbes in Biotechnology

Aug 06 2024 9 mins

#111 — In this episode, we dive deep into the fascinating world of microbes and their revolutionary applications in biotechnology. From environmental solutions to breakthroughs in health and medicine, microbes hold the key to some of the most advanced scientific developments.Discover how these microscopic organisms are transforming industries and pushing the boundaries of what's

Let’s Talk About Stats: Methods for Comparing Two Sets of Data

Jul 23 2024 4 mins

#110 — Comparing two sets of data is a fundamental process in statistical analysis, crucial for drawing meaningful conclusions across various fields. Whether it's for determining the success of an intervention, understanding market trends, or validating scientific research, the need for comparison arises.This episode delves into the essence of data comparison, focusing on two pre

Personal Advice on Building Your Professional Network. It Takes a Village

Jul 09 2024 10 mins

#109 — How do you build a scientific network that gives you the best chance of getting your research funded? How can you identify who to include in your network, and how should you contact them?This episode explains how to build a scientific network that works for you. We discuss the answers to these questions and provide some examples of collaborations that ended well—and some

4 Fixatives for Histology and Cytometry: Perfect Your Preservation

Jun 25 2024 6 mins

#108 — What should you use to fix your cells? Alcohols or aldehydes? Gluteraldehyde or formaldehyde? And how long will your cells stay fixed?This episode explains the four main fixatives for histology and cytometry and when to use them. It also provides some practical tips to ensure your fixation works and explains the benefits of combining fixatives. Check out the corresponding

Microscope Disinfection: A Quick Guide

Jun 11 2024 6 mins

#107 — Need to give your microscope a quick clean to get rid of some grime but unsure what cleaning agent to use? Have you had a nasty sample on there recently and need to disinfect it for the next user?This episode gives you a quick guide to disinfecting your microscopes, including what solvents are safe to use and the parts you should tackle first.Check out the corresponding ar

Tissue Processing For Histology: What Exactly Happens?

May 28 2024 6 mins

#106 — Transforming a tissue sample into a slide ready for microscopic exploration involves a series of critical steps. Among these, tissue processing is a fundamental phase bridging tissue fixation and the embedding/sectioning of paraffin blocks.In this episode, discover what exactly happens in this vital in-between stage, and learn about the six steps that ensure your samples a

Multiple Fragment Ligation: The Why and How

May 14 2024 7 mins

#105 — You may be familiar with standard single fragment ligations: insert, vector, ligase—done! But what if you have a complex cloning project with a massive region of DNA to clone? You can’t PCR the whole thing, and you can’t cut the entire thing out from somewhere else. What do you do?In this episode, we explain the answer: multiple fragment ligation.Check out the corres

Funding Opportunities and the Flow of Money in Science

Apr 30 2024 9 mins

#104 — What funding stream is right for you? Industry or government? Non-profits or crowdfunding? It depends on what you're researching, but also where you want to take your career. In this episode, Joel Berry, Founder, and Chief Scientist at Astound Research, breaks down the different funding streams and flow of money in bioscience research. Discover the scope and requirements o