Author: Simon Moe

How Promega Supports Sustainable Science

Posted on by Simon Moe

What is ACT and why does it matter?

The ACT label stands for Accountability, Consistency and Transparency. The ACT label provides information on the environmental impact of life science products to help researchers make informed choices about the products they use in their labs. ACT was developed by the non-profit organization My Green Lab, in collaboration with the International Institute for Sustainable Laboratories (I2SL).

The ACT label is one of the most comprehensive product labels for the life sciences. It measures the environmental impact of a product across four categories: manufacturing, user impact, end of life, and innovation. The criterion was developed with input from industry leaders, scientists, manufacturers, and sustainability directors. Most categories are scored on a scale from 1 to 10; 10 being the highest score. Other values are assigned a yes/no value or in some instances, a specific value per day (ex. kWh/day). The Environmental Impact Factor (EIF) is the summation of these categories. The varying energy usage and distinct reports across global markets has resulted in separate awards for different world regions. By choosing products with the ACT label, researchers can align their purchasing behaviors with any goals of reducing their environmental footprint and support sustainable practices in the life science industry.

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Rethinking Cell Proliferation Assays

Posted on by Simon Moe

In the field of cancer research, accurately measuring cell proliferation is crucial for assessing the efficacy of therapeutic agents. This is particularly difficult with CDK 4/6 inhibitors, which arrest cells in the G1 phase without stopping their growth. This continued growth can skew results from proliferation assays which rely on factors that naturally scale with cell growth. These include mitochondrial activity (ATP levels), total cell protein, or mRNA as measured through the PRISM molecular barcoding strategy. Even though these cells are not dividing, the increase in these measurements can misleadingly suggest active proliferation.

There is growing awareness among researchers of these challenges.  A recent study highlights these limitations by demonstrating the discrepancies that arise when using metabolic assays to assess cell proliferation after treatment with drugs that induce cell cycle arrest. This blog post delves into the study’s implications and demonstrates how one of Promega’s latest developments is poised to address these challenges.

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Expert Insights: A Look Forward at Multiplexing for in vivo Bioluminescence Imaging

Posted on by Simon Moe

Bioluminescent in vivo imaging tools

NanoLuc, NLuc

With advancements made over the past few decades, the future of in vivo bioluminescence imaging (BLI) continues to gain momentum. In vivo BLI provides a non-invasive way to image endogenous biological processes in whole animals. This provides an easier method to assess relevant systems and functions. Unlike fluorescent imaging, BLI relies on a combination of enzymes and substrates to produce light, greatly reducing background signal (Refaat et al., 2022). Traditional fluorescent tags are also quite large and may interfere with normal biological function. In vivo BLI research has been around for quite some time, primarily utilizing Firefly luciferase (Luc2/luciferin). A recent advancement was the creation of the small and bright NanoLuc® luciferase (NLuc). Promega offers an wide portfolio of NLuc products that provide ways to study genes, protein dynamics, and protein:protein interactions. To fully grasp the power of these tools, I interviewed several key investigators to determine their perspectives on the future of in vivo BLI. I was specifically interested in their thoughts on NLuc multiplexing potential with Firefly (FLuc), and future research areas. These two investigators are Dr. Thomas Kirkland, Sr. Scientific Investigator at Promega, and Dr. Laura Mezzanotte, Associate Professor at Erasmus MC.

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The Power of Pyruvate, A Pivotal Player in Cellular Energy Metabolism

Posted on by Simon Moe

Today’s blog written by guest author Kendra Hanslik.

In the intricate dance of cellular processes that sustain life, pyruvate emerges as a central figure. It plays a crucial role in the energy production saga. This small molecule is the linchpin between glycolysis and the citric acid cycle, linking the breakdown of glucose to the production of adenosine triphosphate (ATP). In this article, we explore pyruvate’s origins, multifaceted roles, and its association with various diseases.

Illustration of energy metablism in cell showing the mitochondria where pryruvate is metabolized.
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Monoamine Oxidase and Mental Health: From Psychedelics to Diet

Posted on by Simon Moe
Kiwi fruit are thought to contain compounds that naturally inhibit monoamine oxidase

Public awareness of mental disorders has increased over the past decade. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety and depression are both debilitating and complex to approach therapeutically. Recent research has begun exploring monoamine oxidase (MAO) enzymes as potential treatment options. MAO enzymes are responsible for the metabolism of monoamine neurotransmitters in the central nervous system, such as serotonin and dopamine (Jones & Raghanti, 2021). Abnormal levels of these neurotransmitters within the nervous system are a key characteristic of several neurological conditions. Thus, exploring MAO regulation may help our understanding of these complex clinical conditions.

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Small RNA Transfection: How Small Players Can Make a Big Impact

Posted on by Simon Moe

When looking at small aspects of living things, especially cells, it can often be difficult to fully grasp the magnitude of regulation employed within them. We first learn the central dogma in high school biology. This is the core concept that DNA makes RNA and RNA makes protein. Despite this early education, it can be lost on many the biological methods that are employed to regulate this process. This regulation is very important when one considers the disastrous things that can occur when this process goes askew, such as cancer, or dysregulated cell death. Therefor it is very important to understand how these regulatory mechanisms work and employ tools to better understand them.

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