Addgene’s New Way to Help You Share Science

When I got the job of Outreach Scientist at Addgene, my first thought was “I get to talk to scientists from around the world making breakthrough discoveries!” I knew right then I had found my dream job, because one thing I learned in grad school was that scientists have amazing stories to share.

I spend a lot of time telling scientists about Addgene’s repository, and explaining how to deposit and request plasmids, but I also spend a lot of time listening. I’ve had hundreds of conversations with PIs, lab managers, and grad students. We’ve talked about their hot-off-the-presses papers, the awesome new technology they’re utilizing, and the tricks they’ve used at their lab benches.

It’s these exchanges with leading scientists (and our growing collection of 25,000+ plasmids from 1,600+ labs around the world!) that have kept Addgene at the forefront of life sciences research for the past decade. We’ve also learned along the way that a connected and collaborative community makes not just for a better day at the office but for stronger science as well. This blog is our way of continuing the conversation.

Check-in with “A Better Way to Share Science” for:

• The inside scoop from scientists who have deposited plasmids at Addgene.  Learn how discoveries were made and get practical tips on how to use the plasmids in your own lab.

• Summaries of the latest technologies and breakthrough research.

• Insights about how to navigate through all stages of your career, whether you’re a graduate student, post-doctoral fellow, lab manager, research technician, or Principal Investigator.

• How-to guides for troubleshooting your experiments and getting better results at the bench, with a special focus on cloning and plasmid-based technologies.
  
  
• Commentary about scientific sharing and the open-access movement.

At Addgene, we believe that science gets better when everyone gets involved. So join the conversation! Do you have a question about culturing iPS cells? Confused by which system to use for genome editing? Know a professor with a great story to tell? Let us know by emailing us at blog@addgene.org or tell us on Twitter and Facebook. We’ll track down the story, get the inside scoop, and keep you informed.