|
|
WEEKLY UPDATE /
17 Jan 2025
|
|
|
|
|
Hello!
As a postdoc, Lloyd Smith invented the first automated DNA sequencer – used for sequencing the human genome. Later, he founded a company, Third Wave Technologies, which successfully commercialized molecular diagnostic products. More recently, Smith coined the word "proteoform," which has been wholeheartedly embraced by the proteomics community. So you could say he knows a thing or two about innovation...
And that’s why I’m delighted that Smith has shared his “innovation lessons learned” in an article published this week. In brief, embrace youthful confidence, send out tendrils, and don’t shoot your balloons too early.
“I often tell my students to think of each idea as a ‘balloon.’ If you have a creative mind, you’ll have many of them floating in the air. That’s the creative phase. Once you’ve got plenty of balloons in the air, you do need an analytical phase where you start shooting some of them down.”
Read the full article here.
Until next time,
James Strachan, Editor
|
|
|
|
|
| WEEKLY SPOTLIGHT |
|
The Innovators are Back!
|
Our 2024 Innovators are industry leaders in analytical science – AB SCIEX, ACD Labs, Avantes, and TOSOH – showcasing their latest instruments, technologies, and software solutions. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Essential Reading
Interdisciplinary Avenues: Part 2
Our 2024 Power List Planet Protectors tell us about important problems that could – and should – be tackled through interdisciplinary work.
“A very important problem right now that can be tackled by interdisciplinary work is the detection, remediation, substitution, and assessment of toxicity of PFAS. This is a wicked problem that will not be solved in the near future, unless scientists from many disciplines work together.” – Diana Aga
“An important problem that is impacting the environment globally, is the expansion of harmful algal blooms across a range of locations, from cyanobacteria on the Great Lakes to blooms off the coast of China with high nutrient runoff to emerging patches of sargassum in the Atlantic. In fact, harmful algal blooms have been observed in all 50 US states.” – Andrew Ault
Read more!
The End of Chromatography?
Chromatography-free techniques can speed up analysis time from minutes to seconds while also eliminating 95 percent of organic waste (in the right applications), argues Jeffrey Zonderman. The big question is: will anyone be doing chromatography in a decade’s time?
“If you’re dealing with high-throughput triple quad quantitative assays that focus on discrete panels, like drugs of abuse or therapeutic drug monitoring, then you can remove the chromatography. You can do the analysis quantitatively, reduce the process from minutes to seconds, and eliminate most of the organic waste.”
Read more! |
|
|
|
|
|
|
In the News
Single-Molecule Diagnosis? A new nanopore-based sensor improves the sensitivity of single-molecule detection, providing insights into ionic dynamics and molecular translocation – opening the door to more precise molecular identification in diagnostics.
The Search for Cleopatra’s Sister Continues. A skull discovered in the Octagon tomb in Ephesos, Turkey, in 1929 did not belong to Arsinoë IV, Cleopatra’s half-sister, an interdisciplinary research team has conclusively found. A combination of micro-computed tomography (micro-CT), radiocarbon dating, and genetic analysis, revealed that the remains are those of an 11- to 14-year-old boy who had significant developmental disorders.
AI-Enabled Precision Drying. A new food drying system integrates hyperspectral and fluorescence imaging with machine learning to enhance the precision and efficiency of drying processes. This non-destructive approach offers real-time insights into key parameters, such as moisture content and drying rates, addressing challenges in maintaining food quality and nutritional value during processing. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
More from The Analytical Scientist
The XCMS-METLIN Story
How Gary Siuzdak’s team mastered the art of distinguishing signal from noise, uncovering molecular identities hidden in the clutter of raw data.
Read the article
Reexamining Our Driving Force
It is time to stop, think, and go back to chemistry to explore our methodologies at a deeper level.
Read the article
The Planet Protector: Damià Barceló Cullerès
Microplastics, chemically complex vectors for a range of harmful substances, continue to intrigue and concern Damià Barceló Cullerès.
Read the article |
|
|
|
| SPECIAL PROMOTION |
| Accelerating Discoveries with Lab Automation Technology |
VYVID™ superparamagnetic silica helps you deliver efficient and effective diagnostic results with quick magnetic response, increased binding capacity and minimal iron leaching. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
