Synopses & Reviews
Review
Barker has wisely identified many aspects of laboratory work not usually covered by "conventional" manuals, making her book one of the rarest sources for vital information required for any successful scientist. Overall, the volume is superbly written, and reading is made pleasurable by multiple hilarious remarks from the author. It is highly recommended for anyone working in research -- from undergraduate students to primary investigators, either in academy or industry. In my opinion, this is a "must have" volume for any laboratory.
- The Quarterly Review of Biology
Synopsis
At the Bench is the unique and hugely successful handbook for living and working in the laboratory, an essential aid to understanding basic lab techniques and how research groups work at a human level. In this newly revised edition, chapters have been rewritten to accommodate the impact of
computer technology and the Internet, not only on the acquisition and analysis of data, but also on its organization and presentation. Alternatives to the use of radiation have been expanded, and figures and illustrations have been redrawn to reflect changes in laboratory equipment and procedures.
Synopsis
"At the Bench," the unique and hugely successful handbook for living and working in the laboratory, has been updated to reflect the increasing use of digital technology in the laboratory.
About the Author
Kathy Barker received her B.A. in Biology and English, and her M.A. and Ph.D. in Microbiology, from various branches of the University of Massachusetts. She did her postdoctoral work in the laboratory of Viral Oncology at Rockefeller University and was an Assistant Professor in the Laboratory of Cell Physiology and Immunology at Rockefeller University. She is now based in Seattle, where she writes and gives workshops on various aspects of running a lab.
Table of Contents
SECTION 1. Getting Oriented
Chapter 1: General Lab Organization and Procedures
Chapter 2: Laboratory Setup and Equipment
Chapter 3: Getting Started and Staying Organized
SECTION 2. Plotting a Course
Chapter 4: How to Set Up an Experiment
Chapter 5: Laboratory Notebooks
Chapter 6: Presenting Yourself and Your Data
SECTION 3. Navigating
Chapter 7: Making Reagents and Buffers
Chapter 8: Storage and Disposal
Chapter 9: Working without Contamination
Chapter 10: Eukaryotic Cell Culture
Chapter 11: Bacteria
Chapter 12: DNA, RNA, and Protein
Chapter 13: Radioactivity
Chapter 14: Centrifugation
Chapter 15: Electrophoresis
Chapter 16: Microscopy