CRISPR/Cas9, originally discovered in 1987 by a team of Japanese scientists and later refined by Jennifer Doudna in 2012, is a gene-editing tool that can cut and paste any genomic sequence, either in vitro or in vivo. It’s a system that relies on clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) to recognize foreign DNA and is mainly used in bacteria to fight off viral infection. This tool has garnered a lot of attention recently as researchers have tailored CRISPR/Cas9 to edit animal genomes in ways that were previously impossible or inefficient, revolutionizing genetic and biomedical research. CRISPR/Cas9 has become a crucial resource for labs who require stable cell lines or mice with knockouts, knock-ins, or gene mutations, able to drive constitutive gene activation or to edit micro-RNA and long-noncoding RNA.
As the complexity of pre-clinical and clinical testing has increased over the last decade, labs have been challenged with collecting, processing, and storing more and more samples on a daily basis. To minimize errors and keep lab efficiency strong, labs depend on robust identification solutions, consisting of high-quality barcode labels, tags, and tapes. The laboratory environment has been characterized by ongoing rapid and dramatic innovation, including the implementation of high-throughput techniques that often require the labeling of large amounts of small sample tubes, such as cryo vials, microtubes, and PCR tubes.
In our previous post we introduced the basics of how Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) works. We also briefly touched upon the way it might help researchers in the lab. Here we will go more in depth over the many uses for this novel technology in the research environment.
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If you've read our previous blogs, you already know about printing and barcode technologies and the key role they play in improving identification, traceability and productivity. But did you know that there's another power technology that businesses and laboratories are using to accomplish even more? Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) is an established technology dating back to its earliest prototypes in 1973, when engineer Mario Cardullo first patented a device that could emit a coded signal in response to remote radio frequencies. Today it exists as a powerful identification tool used in a wide array of industries. It can keep record of medications in hospitals, allow authorized personnel in secure areas, and provides invaluable support to inventory and supply chain tracking. It’s likely that you’ve encountered this technology in your day-to day life, whether speeding through checkouts with your tap-to-pay chip, stepping through scanners on your way out of the store, or scanning your toll pass on the way to work.
Previously, we established that thermal printers are ideal for printing barcodes. The use of barcodes has multiple advantages, including improved data management and lower costs. With a wide range of uses, barcodes can be used everywhere from retail stores, to hospitals, and industrial work sites. However, barcode labels are not one size fits all, with different types of 1D and 2D barcodes each having their specific uses. Here we’ll give a brief overview of the different options available, to help you chose the barcode that will best suit your needs.
When choosing the print-on-demand labeling solution that’s right for your application, it is important to take into consideration what printing method you will be using. The choice of a printer can greatly affect the durability of your labels, as well as the type of applications they can be used in. There are several options available to choose from, each with their own benefits and drawbacks.
We’re all familiar with the devastating consequences that can occur when critical information is mishandled in a labor the clinic: the patient or sample ID is incorrect and the wrong lab result is reported in the clinic, resulting in a patient receiving improper healthcare. This can be compounded by the fact that in clinical studies, a patient’s information and samples are often collected, tested, and analyzed off-site, and sometimes pass through the hands of numerous lab personnel in multiple locations, making it even harder to maintain a corroboration between patient and sample. In rare cases, evidence tampering leads to a wrongful conviction, or sample labeling errors lead to a disastrous mix-up at a fertility clinic!
The Design of a Label
While at first choosing the right label might sound simple, the reality is, labels have evolved over the years to become complex in terms of their material, physical properties and applications. As such, what was once a straight-forward exercise has become quite daunting due to the large variety of options available. To ensure you pick the best label for the job, there are few things to consider, including the cost. Before deciding on which type of label is right for your unique needs, let’s review the basic anatomy of a label.