Good Cell Culture Practice

Practical Tips to Keep Cell Lines Real

A mini-review titled, "Keepin’ it real: Authenticated cell lines in biomedical research," has been released from the SelectScience website on 27 January 2015. Here, Principal Investigator Gail Seigel of the University at Buffalo, The State University of New York (Buffalo, NY, US) has looked at the importance of cell line authentication, steps to ensure cell line identity, and new publication requirements for cell line studies. Practical tips to prevent contamination of cell lines have also been provided.

To access the mini-review, click here. To access Dr Seigel’s recent book on life in academic research, which includes a discussion of the establishment of a continuously growing retinal cell line in Dr Seigel's laboratory, click here (Australian Amazon site) or here (US Amazon site).

Cell-based Research

NSW and ACT Cell and Developmental Biology Meeting

The New South Wales (NSW) and Australian Capital Territory (ACT) arms of the Australia and New Zealand Society for Cell and Developmental Biology (ANZSCDB) will hold the NSW and ACT Cell and Developmental Biology Meeting on 16 March 2015, at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research (Garvan Institute; Darlinghurst, NSW, AU). Three plenary speakers have been confirmed;

- Professor Olivier Pourquie: Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Harvard University (Boston, MA, US)

- Professor Daisuke Sugiyama: Kyushu University (Fukuoka, JP)

- Professor Nadia Rosenthal: Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash University (ARMI; Clayton, VIC, AU).

A member of the meeting’s organizing committee, Dr Annemiek Beverdam, told me that this is a free, low threshold meeting, for all young NSW and ACT-based researchers in the fields of cell and developmental biology and beyond. Dr Beverdam said that "it gives early career researchers an excellent opportunity to mingle with international giants in these fields, and to hear about cutting edge research happening on the world stage. But they will also hear what research is happening nearby, so they know who to contact for help with their own research projects, or possibly to start new collaborations. So this meeting offers a fantastic networking opportunity in a very easy-going non-intimidating atmosphere.”

The closing date for free registration and abstract submission is Friday, 27 February 2015. To register and/or to submit an abstract, click here.