Future Science Group

In this episode, we roam the world of recombinant proteins and their production, discussing the challenges of their production, and recent evolutions in protein engineering that have brought the field into a golden era of innovation. I'm joined by recombinant protein engineering expert Yuning Chen, R&D Manager at Sino Biological, who discusses the key applications of recombinant proteins, the aspects of certain products that make them difficult to produce and how these difficulties can be overcome.  Yuning also reveals how the manipulation of antibodies has been essential to multiple aspects of our response to the COVID-19 pandemic. After a review of the recent evolutions in protein engineering, from cell-free systems to automation, Yuning describes his vision for the future of the field and reveals his support for the Terminator-style uprising that he believes could revolutionize it. ContentsThe production of recombinant proteins: 00:48-02:11 The key applications of recombinant proteins: 02:1

Analysis of nitrosamine impurities: an interview with Javier Jimenez-Villarin by Future Science Group

PCR has evolved rapidly over the last few years, an evolution that has been dramatically accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic. New technologies and approaches have been brought to the fore and the full range of applications for which this technique can be applied have been highlighted, from diagnostics to basic disease research and immunology. This episode explores this evolution, looking at how challenges presented by the pandemic forced the hand of researchers to think outside the box and build on lesser-known PCR technologies. Here, Eddy van Collenburg, Market Development Specialist at Bio-Rad, provides his insight into how ddPCR rose to prevalence during this time and explains how the technology is being used to enable trade, detect new variants and is being used outside of the pandemic. Discover the key role that ddPCR can play in gene therapy research, liquid biopsies, cancer research, single-cell studies and more, in this fascinating overview of the development of PCR and where the technique ca

Data Completeness: a podcast with Dan Drozd by Future Science Group

Love it or hate it, western blotting forms the bedrock of countless studies across numerous disciplines. Explore its history, development and applications in this episode all about the marmite of life science techniques. Guiding me through the hand wringing, hair follicle destroying history and process of western blotting, and hopefully explaining the beauty and potential of the technique - is Kenneth Oh, Senior Project Manager at Bio-Rad Laboratories. Kenneth reveals some of the latest developments in western blotting. Revealing how researchers are now able to validate the success of each stage of a western blot and work with smaller samples, Kenneth provides key tips for ensuring each of your western blots is a triumph. Contents: Intro: 00:00-01:15 History of western blotting: 01:15-3:50 What makes western blotting so tricky? 03:50-05:30 Stepwise optimization: 05:30-06:50 Stain-free western blotting: 06:50-08:50 The different variants of western blotting: 08:50-10:20 The right blot for the right applic

Immunoassay applications: a podcast with John Chappell by Future Science Group

Uncover the history of molecular therapeutics, the staggering current applications and developments of these therapeutics and what their future could hold, in this episode of Talking Techniques. To explore the field of molecular therapeutics and provide an insight into their production, is Aaron Clauson, Product Manager at Zymo research. First, we cover the ins and outs of targeting the therapies and how to select the correct type of molecular therapeutic to begin developing a drug for a specific disease, before looking at some of the setbacks and safety errors that have occurred during the development of molecular therapeutics and how researchers have learned from these tragic events. Aaron also highlights the vital role of plasmids in almost all molecular therapeutic development, detailing the importance of keeping plasmid solutions and transfections free of endotoxins, revealing key solutions for avoiding these contaminants. Listen today to get all you need to know about molecular therapeutics, from th

This episode centers on the critical role that high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) plays in the production of adeno-associated viral (AAV) therapies, the latest advances in AAV design and the next steps in their development. Filling me in on all things HPLC and AAVs is Bella Neufeld, Director of R&D at Teknova. Bella reveals the essential validation and quality control steps required for the production of successful and safe AAV therapies and the role that both HPLC and liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LCMS) play in these steps. We also explore the latest development targets for these therapies, looking at how AAVs can be targeted to specific sites and tissues before descending into the treacherous topic of reproducibility in the field. Listen today to find out the latest tips for best practice when working with HPLC, LCMS the advantages of LCMS over other analytical techniques to assess empty and full capsids and the key principles of AAV production! ContentsIntro: 00:00-01:25Explain

As the transition from 2D to 3D cell cultures, or organoids, as the gold standard for modeling basic biology and disease continues, these models are being utilized in ever more intricate and impactful ways. This episode covers the rise of organoids and their advantages over 2D cell cultures, before exploring just how representative these models are becoming and their new applications in drug discovery. To find out all this and more, I speak to Oksana Sirenko, Senior Scientist at Molecular Devices, who works extensively with the company's organoid model development programs.  Oksana reveals the potential of these models in cancer therapeutics, driven forward by new patient-derived organoids, and notes the challenges presented by imaging these thicker, 3D models. We also explore the potential discoveries that can be unlocked by combining organoids with organ-on-a-chip models. Contents: What are organoids? 02:10-03:20Functions replicated by organoids? 3:20-04:00What are the advantages of 3D over 2D cell

Automation of ADME: a podcast with Prakash Bhosale by Future Science Group

In this podcast interview, Jason Evans (Scientist at Q² Solutions; NY, USA) discusses the importance of automation and key advantages of taking an assay from the bench to an automated platform. He also explains the increase in throughput when his lab transitioned to automated assays and the hurdles he faced when automating assays.

Welcome to part 2 of this two-part episode on whole-genome sequencing (WGS) in rare disease research and treatment. In part one we discussed the impacts the technology has had on both improving the clinical diagnosis and management of rare diseases and on drug development and basic research studies.  This episode goes beyond the technology's capabilities and into the debates surrounding how, when and why they should be used. What needs to change for the technique to be applied equitably? And how does reality stack up against science fiction in terms of people's perceptions of ubiquitous WGS. To do this I speak with David Dimmock, Senior Medical Director of the Rady Children's Institute for Genomic Medicine (CA, USA); Christine Stanley, Chief Director of Clinical Genomics, Variantyx (MA, USA); and Take Ogawa, Vice President of Sales & Marketing at Psomagen (MD, USA). Each of these speakers provides their opinions on the impacts of race, religion and way of life on the application of WGSand how much

Love it or hate it, western blotting forms the bedrock of countless studies across numerous disciplines. Explore its history, development and applications in this episode all about the marmite of life science techniques. Guiding me through the hand wringing, hair follicle destroying history and process of western blotting, and hopefully explaining the beauty and potential of the technique - is Kenneth Oh, Senior Project Manager at Bio-Rad Laboratories. Kenneth reveals some of the latest developments in western blotting. Revealing how researchers are now able to validate the success of each stage of a western blot and work with smaller samples, Kenneth provides key tips for ensuring each of your western blots is a triumph. Contents: Intro: 00:00-01:15 History of western blotting: 01:15-3:50 What makes western blotting so tricky? 03:50-05:30 Stepwise optimization: 05:30-06:50 Stain-free western blotting: 06:50-08:50 The different variants of western blotting: 08:50-10:20 The right blot for the right applic

In this episode, we take a look at one of the key steps of infectious disease research, sample collection; exploring the challenges associated with the step and the solutions available to improve infectious disease research around the globe. Exploring the trials and tribulations of infectious disease sample collection with me is Stanislav Forman, Product Developer at Zymo Research (CA, USA). Stan explains the extreme environments in which sample collection often occurs; revealing the difficult transit and storage requirements – often involving cold chain logistics – that can derail infectious disease studies early on. Find out how key solutions to these problems have been successfully workshopped with the US military and have even been used in work with NASA to conduct safe sample collection in space. And discover just how successful these solutions can be when faced with the blazing wreckage of a transit vehicle… Contents Introductions: 00:00-01:20Key challenges of sample collection for infectio

Explore the realm of epigenetics and gene expression, discovering the different omic ‘lenses’ used to examine these processes and the power of single-cell studies to reveal provide a comprehensive multiomic view of cells and their biology.   This episode features the ever-buoyant Will Greenleaf, Associate Professor of Genetics at Stanford University School of Medicine (CA, USA) and head of the Greenleaf Lab. Will takes us through his lab’s work, detailing his attempts to understand the compacting of DNA into cell nuclei and how this impacts gene expression and epigenetic regulation. Discover the emerging new research focus that Will has coined the “Regulome” – the collection of physical molecular components that control gene expression through factors such as chromatin accessibility. To explore these new frontiers Will often encounters questions with no technologies available to ask them. So what does he do? Invent the technologies he needs! Find out how his lab came to develop the, now widely u

Cryopreservation of advanced therapy medicinal products: an interview with Brian Hawkins by Future Science Group

This episode, supported by Bethyl, delves into the realm of the tumor microenvironment (TME), exploring the cells that reside there and how they interact to promote tumor growth and metastasis. Discover how immune cells are attracted and manipulated by tumor cells enabling the cancer to invade neurons where they can then travel throughout the body. Providing an expert's insight into this topic is Moran Amit, Assistant Professor at the MD Anderson Cancer Center (TX, USA). Moran exposes the nebulous interactions in the TME and describes the techniques that he uses to interrogate it, in the hope that by further understanding these interactions we will be able to design more successful, targeted therapies for neurotropic cancers. Contents: ·      Introductions: 00:00-01:20 ·      The key cells of the TME:  01:20-02:50 ·      How cells of the TME  support the tumor: 02:50-05:45 ·      

Rare diseases present a series of challenges on numerous fronts. From simply deciphering what a patient is affected by to considering how best to manage a rare condition with limited pre-existing medications available for a rare disease, each new development or breakthrough brings clinicians to a new question. While these conditions are, in isolation, rare; in total rare diseases impact 25-30million people in the USA alone. Supported by Psomagen and featuring four fascinating guests from across the spectrum of topics and focuses in the rare disease space, this episode explores the updates to whole-genome sequencing technology that have improved the "Diagnostic Oddysey" experienced by some patients, enabled more accurate drug development and provides insight into the diagnosis and characterization of undefined rare diseases, before exploring the clinical impact whole-genome sequencing can have on clinical outcomes. This episode features insight from four field-leading experts in rare disease research,

In the Zone: phosphorylated biomarkers by Future Science Group

In this episode, we explore the often overlooked technique of environmental sequencing for infectious diseases and how it is being applied to the response to COVID-19. Taking the state of California and a case study of this application, I speak to Micheal Lisek, Project Manager Environmental Microbiomics at Zymo Research Corp. Micheal outlines the basis of environmental sequencing, predominantly the screening of wastewater for signs of viral RNA, the key techniques involved in the process and challenges associated with it. Micheal also explains the key pieces of information that can be obtained by environmental sequencing and the benefits of the approach vs exclusively using clinical testing. Micheal highlights the value of environmental sequencing for monitoring variants, understanding transmission patterns and identifying outbreaks, providing examples of the information provided to the public health officials in California that were used to successfully manage rising infections and limit the impact of a s