For many of us the process of pipetting transitioned into a subconscious routine to which we devote little thought after only a little practice, despite quality assurance placing great emphasis on liquid handling, pipette accuracy, repair and maintenance. Nevertheless, ensuring the competence of pipette operators (lab employees) is a way-too-often often neglected activity.
Globalization is driving competitiveness in the business space at an unprecedented pace, pushing companies to constantly look for lean ways of improving their business and a clever place to start is resource allocation. When planning a new project, the first task is to evaluate its scope and allocate your talent and finances accordingly. This might sound straightforward, but it´s actually a treasure chest of overlooked opportunities for business optimization and company growth.
The method of choice for nucleic acid (DNA, RNA) quantification in all areas of molecular biology is real-time PCR or quantitative PCR (qPCR). The method´s name derives from the fact that the amplification of DNA by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is monitored in real time. It is a quantitative method in contrast to conventional PCR, meaning that it enables the determination of exact amounts (relative or absolute) of amplified DNA in samples.