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Bioscience

Paving the Way for Electronic Organs-on-a-Chip

November 25, 2020

It may sound like science fiction, but “organ on a chip” systems — devices capable of imitating the interaction of cells in a specific organ such as the lungs

NIST Charleston researchers Ashley Boggs-Russell (sitting) and Amanda Moors (standing) work with researchers from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the National Marine Mammal Foundation to process tissue samples during veterinary assessments of wild bottlenose dolphins in the Gulf of Mexico following the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill. No dolphins were harmed in this process.

Tracking Hormones on Land and at Sea

October 15, 2020

It’s usually pretty straightforward to explain how my work on clinical measurements is a benefit to society, but sometimes I get confused looks when I tell

graphic showing scientist in her lab interacting with computer screen and chemicals. There is a parrot on a perch to her right.

A Bird’s Eye View: Finding New Ways to Track Synthetic Chemicals in the Environment

September 23, 2020

I’m not a scientist. I’m not sure if that admission will turn the editorial overlords at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) against me

Experts Next Door: How a Public-Private Partnership Benefits the Regenerative Medicine Community

September 30, 2020

I’m a scientific program manager at the Standards Coordinating Body (SCB), a private nonprofit organization devoted to advancing standards for regenerative

The Rapid Microbial Testing Methods Consortium: Enabling Safe, Effective and Timely Advanced Therapies

August 26, 2020

Advanced therapies are poised to change the face of medicine, promising to cure diseases that have long resisted us. But there are many challenges to overcome

Seek and You Will (Probably) Find: Helping Mine COVID-19 Research Data

July 22, 2020

Think back to the last time you did an information search. Did you find what you were looking for? How easy was it to find? Search is now pervasive, and we

How Can NIST Help: Collaborating at a Distance to Defeat COVID-19

June 16, 2020

I’ve been working from home since March 13. But even though I’ve been remote, I am still really connected to my colleagues — and have even created some new

My Stay-at-Home Lab Shows How Face Coverings Can Slow the Spread of Disease

June 11, 2020

Editor’s note: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends wearing face coverings in public settings. Since COVID-19 spreads mainly from person to

Shaping the Future of the NIST Mass Spectral Library

July 7, 2020

When one thinks of mass spectral libraries — well, let’s be honest here, the very idea of mass spectral libraries will never cross most people’s minds, even

World Metrology Day: Measurements for Medicine

May 20, 2020

Today is World Metrology Day. Have you put up the decorations and baked a cake yet to celebrate?! You should! Metrology, the science of measurement, makes

Manufacturing Standards for Biopharmaceuticals: A Q&A With NIST’s Sheng Lin-Gibson and Vijay Srinivasan

January 28, 2020

Biopharmaceuticals, also known as biological drugs or biologics, are manufactured from living organisms or contain living organisms that have been genetically

image of a subway train as it rushes past, the words "mind the gap" appear on the subway platform

Mind the Gap: Bridging the ‘Valley of Death’ for U.S. Biomanufacturing

January 14, 2020

Biopharmaceutical manufacturing uses living cells to produce therapies that treat diseases like cancer, diabetes and autoimmune disorders. Manufacturing

Rewritten in Our DNA: Measurements for Genome Editing

September 24, 2019

I didn’t understand what people were asking me when I was a kid. The question would come in several different forms. Sometimes it was “What are you?” Other

Human DNA Standard: A Q&A With NIST’s Becky Steffen

July 16, 2019

How do you solve a crime using DNA? First, you have to find biological evidence — such as blood, other bodily fluids, or maybe just a few skin cells that might

National DNA Day and the Birth of Investigative Genetic Genealogy

April 25, 2019

Happy National DNA Day! Each year on April 25 we celebrate the 1953 publication of James Watson, Francis Crick, Maurice Wilkins, and Rosalind Franklin’s

Linking the World Through Chemical Measurements

April 23, 2019

Our modern world depends on global connections. For instance, how can you be sure that the nutrition labels are correct on imported food products such as that

cartoon illustration that explains how communicating science is a key part of NIST Center for Neutron Research Director Rob Dimeo's job

My Visual Crutch for Communicating Science

April 18, 2019

Genome in a Bottle: Spelling Out DNA’s ‘Dark’ Sequences

March 13, 2019

When the Human Genome Project began 20 years ago, its consortium of researchers at 20 research institutes spent more than $1 billion to sequence that first

Top NIST Images of 2018

February 6, 2019

There’s nothing quite like a captivating image to make you want to learn more. And nowhere is that more apparent than when it comes to sometimes hard-to

Blood, Sweat and Genomes: A Quest to Advance Measurement Science in Non-Model Organisms

February 12, 2019

There are currently about 5,400 different species of mammals on Earth, but this wasn’t the case until about 56 million years ago. As non-avian dinosaurs faded

The Next Big Health Care Merger: Biomedical Imaging and Artificial Intelligence

May 22, 2018

Two worlds just collided at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in Gaithersburg, Maryland. On May 16, 2018, experts from the medical

Down for the Count: How NIST is Helping Defeat Cancer

September 25, 2017

Anyone who has met me knows that I’m a proud Buffalonian. Buffalo, New York, is best known for being the birthplace of “Buffalo” chicken wings, a gateway to

NIST scientist with jars of baby food and scientific equipment

(Baby) Food for Thought: The Limits of Detecting Toxic Elements

July 27, 2017

As the seasoned mom of three grown children, I’m happy to say that they all made it through babyhood without any major health issues. While I worked as an

Finding Art in Science

October 24, 2016

I’m a graphic designer, or, in the language of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, a "Visual Information Specialist." For the past 18 years I’ve been

Indoor Air Quality Is Nothing To Sneeze At

July 18, 2016

Have you ever wondered if the things inside your house that you consider safe and harmless actually are? The perfume that you spray, the plastic food containers

If I Had a Hammer … I’d Do Impact Testing

July 8, 2016

Right now, scientists all over the world are trying to understand how we get injured when our bodies are subjected to strong, dynamic loads – a hard body-check

World Sea Turtle Day: Heroes on a Half-Shell

June 16, 2016

I love sea turtles. I love looking into their giant, ancient, gentle eyes and watching them use their long flippers, so graceful in the water, to lumber

Say Hello to Our Little Friends: Toward Microbial BiotheraPOOtics and Diagnostics

May 13, 2016

My fascination with the microbial world began when I was around 7 years old and my mother bought me a book called “ The Value of Believing in Yourself: The

Magnifying glass magnifying a part of a DNA molecule

From Fiction to Forensics: An Inspired Story for National DNA Day

April 25, 2016

Nancy Drew and Kay Scarpetta—two names that will always put a smile on my face. I spent much of my youth reading about these two strong female characters. What

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About this blog

Taking Measure is the official blog of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).

It provides a behind-the-scenes look at NIST’s research and programs, covering a broad range of science and technology areas. Through this blog, NIST’s researchers and staff share why they do what they do and how today’s research will lead to tomorrow’s innovations.

The views presented here are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views or policies of NIST.

If you have any questions about our blog or reprint requests, please contact us at takingmeasure [at] nist.gov (takingmeasure[at]nist[dot]gov).

Taking Measure