At the Forefront of a New Scientific Frontier—Interview with Dr. Kathy Latham

With a Ph.D. in molecular biology but a waning interest in laboratory work, Dr. Kathy Latham eventually left the bench and found her way to Ambion...
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Experimental Variability and Replicates in siRNA Experiments

This article describes different sources of variation in siRNA experiments, as well as how to determine the ideal number of replicates.
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Tips from the Bench: The Optimal Thickness of FFPE Sections for miRNA Isolation

Applied Biosystems scientists examined the effect of section thickness on microRNA (miRNA) isolation from formaldehyde- or paraformaldehyde-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissues.
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Gene Expression Profiling and miRNA Discovery in a Carcinoma Model

Here we describe a step-by-step strategy for parallel analysis of mRNA and miRNA expression using the Applied Biosystems/Ambion tool set. A recent study about transcriptional and post-transcriptional gene regulation in a thyroid cancer model illustrates the type of data that can be acquired from such studies.
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Understanding Calculations for siRNA Data: % Remaining Gene Expression and % Knockdown

This article describes how to determine the percent remaining gene expression and percent knockdown of gene expression when assessing the effects of siRNAs with real-time RT-PCR.
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Tips from the Bench: Stability of miRNA at Sub-Zero Temperatures

This article explores whether chemical instability or RNA adherence to tube surfaces skews representational levels of individual miRNA species during the first few days after RNA isolation using the mirVana™ miRNA Isolation Kit.
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Top Ten Tips for Successful Transcription

The most common uses of in vitro transcribed RNA are for probe synthesis, in vivo expression studies, and RNA transcript structural analysis. Here are some tips for successful transcription experiments.
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Top Ten Challenges for RNA Isolation

#1: Act fast! Successful RNA isolation requires fast processing and careful handling of the tissue or cells prior to isolation. Endogenous RNases are released from cellular compartments immediately after harvesting tissue. It is essential to inactivate these RNases as soon as possible to prevent RNA degradation...
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