An Introduction to Lyophilization: Process, Benefits & Possibilities

Amber glass bottle filled with lyophilized beads sitting on a lab bench.

Lyophilization is a process designed to remove water from a sample or product through a controlled freezing and vacuum application. The method leverages the triple point of water, where solid, liquid, and gas phases coexist under specific temperature and pressure conditions. The result is a room temperature stable product that is much lighter than the original sample or product.

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Shining a Bright Light on Deep Questions in Biology with Bioluminescence

artists view inside a cell

Search the PubMed database for “dual-luciferase” and citations abound. The Dual-Luciferase® Reporter Assay is a powerful tool that allows researchers to ask a multitude of questions about gene control and expression in a system that itself could be normalized and internally controlled. For more than 15 years, firefly and Renilla luciferases  have formed the basis of a range of powerful assays and research tools for scientists who are asking questions about the deep and complex genetic and cellular story associated with cancer. Here we talk a bit of about bioluminescent chemistries, some of the newest bioluminescent tools available, and how some of these tools can be used to probe the deeper questions of cell biology, including cancer biology.

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