Though they say this winter on the east coast was NOT the longest or snowiest on record, I’m hard pressed to believe it. The stubborn patch of snow I’m looking at outside my office window indicates otherwise and shows absolutely no sign of melting...

A voluntary program to change lab practices saves money while promoting sustainability

How digital systems can save money, eliminate safety risks, and increase productivity

As a manager in a lab environment, have you ever thought about changing jobs? Have you ever wanted a better opportunity? Have you ever wanted more satisfaction from the work you do every day?

Nongjian Tao, PhD, director of the Center for Bioelectronics and Biosensors at Arizona State University’s Biodesign Institute and professor in the School of Electrical, Computer, and Energy Engineering, talks to contributing editor Tanuja Koppal, PhD, about a new technique called plasmonic-based electrochemical microscopy (P-ECM) developed in his lab for imaging localized chemical reactions from single nanoparticles. He talks about the advantages of this technique when compared to conventional optical microscopy and scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM) and its potential uses in diverse areas.

Recommended procedures for donning and doffing PPE for cleanrooms and containment labs

The use of warning signs to designate particular hazards is not just a good idea. It’s the law.

The pros and cons of high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) compared with ultra-high performance LC (UHPLC) are by now the stuff of legend.

Because baths and chillers are such a basic piece of laboratory equipment, it’s easy to put them in a corner and forget about them. But, as with other instruments, maintaining your bath or chiller is extremely important.

Problem: Rotary vane, or oil-based, vacuum pumps, are a common piece of equipment found in most
labs. A vacuum pump is an accessory used with equipment such as freeze dryers, vacuum concentrators, glove boxes, and vacuum ovens. Just as in your car, the oil in a rotary vane pump needs to be changed periodically in order to run at its optimum. The ramifications of not doing regular oil changes is poor vacuum and seizing up the pump’s internal components, which can destroy an expensive pump.

Negotiating skills can make the difference between disappointment and great joy in dealing with others to get what you need….and what you want.