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Material Measurement Laboratory

News and Updates

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Scientists Identify Potential Bioindicators for Monitoring Plastic Pollution in the North Pacific Ocean

August 15, 2022

Key marine species can serve as bioindicators to measure how much plastic exists in different ocean regions.

An illustration of a Scrabble board, including the words "CRISPR," "EDIT," and "TEMPLATE."

Genome Editing Terminology Is Standardized in NIST-Led Effort

August 11, 2022

It’s good to be clear about your intentions, especially if you intend to edit someone’s DNA.

NIST Issues the First Standard Reference Material for the Quantitative Analysis of Glycans

August 3, 2022

NIST Standard Reference Material (SRM) 3655 helps biopharmaceutical manufacturers perform measurements of glycan molecules in their protein drug products

Picture of jars containing reference materials 8256, 8257, 8258, and 8259: Wild caught and aquacultured shrimp and salmon

Four NIST Reference Materials Help Authenticate Shrimp and Salmon

July 28, 2022

Four reference materials from NIST will help the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and Customs and Border Protection agencies assess whether imported salmon and

A gloved hand is holding up a small plastic vial labeled "RGTM plasmid."

NIST Develops Genetic Material for Validating Mpox Tests

July 27, 2022

NIST is making the new material freely available to testing laboratories and diagnostic test manufacturers worldwide.

a picture of packaging for NIST SRM 2367JC Virus DNA Quantitative Standard

A NIST Standard for More Accurate Diagnoses of JC Virus

July 19, 2022

A new NIST Standard Reference Material supports the accurate measurement of the amount of a common but potentially dangerous virus in patients. Most of us have

A close-up view of two green lizards climbing a tree branch.

Gecko Feet Are Coated in an Ultra-Thin Layer of Lipids That Help Them Stay Sticky

July 6, 2022

Scientists already understood the mechanics of gecko adhesion. Now they have a clearer picture of the molecular structures that give the animal its grip.

Replica finger bones lie on a piece of cloth.

Spotlight: Putting Our Finger on the Future of Identity Verification

July 5, 2022

Our researchers have developed ways of comparing fingerprint images captured through contact versus contactless processes.

Petri dish holds brown material with several different types of circular microbes.

Spotlight: Going With the Gut for the Future of Health

June 27, 2022

NIST researchers are developing a human gut microbiome reference material.

A man in safety goggles crouches at the back of an open air-conditioning unit, looking at a handheld tester.

Spotlight: Overhauling the Refrigeration Industry to Fight Global Warming

June 26, 2022

NIST researchers are tackling the question of alternative refrigerant fluids.

Where Once Were Black Boxes, NIST’s New LANTERN Illuminates

June 22, 2022

Researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have developed a new statistical tool that they have used to predict protein function.

Two open glass containers hold powder, one brown and one wite, with half-filled plastic scoops next to each.

NIST Tree Nut Reference Materials Support Food Allergen Testing

June 6, 2022

Researchers from NIST have developed hazelnut and almond flour reference materials that will help ensure accurate and consistent results for industry test kits.

NIST Study Gives Animal Testing Alternatives a Confidence Boost

May 17, 2022

Researchers at NIST have worked with the CPSC and Inotiv Inc. to produce a new protocol for screening skin allergens.

Your Clothes Can Have an Afterlife

May 9, 2022

Only about 15% of used clothes and other textiles in the United States get reused or recycled. The other 85% head straight to the landfill or incinerator. This

NIST Produces Complete Suite of Supports for Testing for Allergens in Food

April 25, 2022

With the addition of two new reference materials containing tree nuts, NIST now offers a complete set of aids for detecting allergens in food. As of 2022, the U

NIST Supports Accurate Food Labeling with New Standard Reference Material for Fat

April 20, 2022

NIST Standard Reference Material® 2386 Avocado Powder helps food manufacturers evaluate their methods for determining the elements, vitamins, amino acids, fatty

Illustration shows coffee cup with magnified section showing plastic particles.

NIST Study Shows Everyday Plastic Products Release Trillions of Microscopic Particles Into Water

April 20, 2022

Researchers analyzed widely used consumer products to better understand these microscopic plastics.

NIST Supports Measurements of Vitamins in Dietary Supplement Tablets

April 14, 2022

NIST Standard Reference Material ® 3289 Multivitamin Tablets will be used by testing laboratories to support the development of new analytical methods that

An open black box with foam inserts holds plastic vials labeled SRM 2917.

NIST Collaborates With EPA to Develop a Standard to Improve Fecal Pollution Measurements in Recreational Waters

April 6, 2022

As we approach summer beach season, you may occasionally encounter a "keep out" sign indicating that the area is temporarily closed. If fecal pollution is

First Complete Human Genome Poised to Strengthen Genetic Analysis, NIST Study Shows

March 31, 2022

Alongside the newly updated human genome, which fills in long-standing gaps to fully spell out the more than 3 billion letters that compose our genetic code, a

Ultraviolet Light Can Clean N95 Masks for Reuse Without Hindering Performance, NIST Study Shows

March 25, 2022

To combat COVID-19 amid supply shortages in 2020, health care facilities across the U.S. resorted to disinfecting personal protective equipment (PPE), such as

Revamped Design Could Take Powerful Biological Computers From the Test Tube to the Cell

March 23, 2022

Tiny biological computers made of DNA could revolutionize the way we diagnose and treat a slew of diseases, once the technology is fully fleshed out. However, a

Spotlight: Mimicking Our Own Senses to Detect Ovarian Cancer

March 17, 2022

Discovering diseases early can mean successful treatment for patients, but many diagnostic tests aren’t sensitive enough for early detection. That’s why NIST

120 Years of Data at NIST

March 2, 2022

In celebration of the 50 th anniversary of the founding of the Journal of Physical and Chemical Reference Data (JPCRD), two NIST scientists have published a

New Benchmark Could Improve Detection of Genetic Variants Linked to Spinal Muscular Atrophy, Other Diseases

February 7, 2022

The stretches of DNA that differ from person to person, called variants, are a major part of what makes us unique, but they can also put us at greater risk of

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