CINXE.COM

<!DOCTYPE html><html lang="en"><head><script type="text/javascript" src="/_static/js/bundle-playback.js?v=HxkREWBo" charset="utf-8"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="/_static/js/wombat.js?v=txqj7nKC" charset="utf-8"></script> <script>window.RufflePlayer=window.RufflePlayer||{};window.RufflePlayer.config={"autoplay":"on","unmuteOverlay":"hidden"};</script> <script type="text/javascript" src="/_static/js/ruffle/ruffle.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript"> __wm.init("https://web.archive.org/web"); __wm.wombat("https://www.the-scientist.com/profile/making-standards-exceptional-71506","20240116080843","https://web.archive.org/","web","/_static/", "1705392523"); </script> <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="/_static/css/banner-styles.css?v=S1zqJCYt" /> <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="/_static/css/iconochive.css?v=3PDvdIFv" />  <meta charset="utf-8"><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1, minimum-scale=1, shrink-to-fit=no"><meta http-equiv="x-ua-compatible" content="ie=edge"><title>Making Standards Exceptional | The Scientist Magazine®</title><meta name="description" content="Samantha Maragh has taken on the difficult challenge of standardizing assays, data norms, and terminology in the ever evolving genome editing field."><meta name="robots" content="max-image-preview:large"><link rel="icon shortcut" href="https://cdn.the-scientist.com/static/7.5.1/favicon.ico" type="image/x-icon"><link rel="icon" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843im_/https://cdn.the-scientist.com/static/7.5.1/favicon.png" type="image/x-icon"><link rel="preload" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843/https://cdn.the-scientist.com/static/7.5.1/css/the-scientist-website.css" as="style"><link rel="preload" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843/https://cdn.the-scientist.com/static/7.5.1/fonts/Gotham-Bold.woff2" as="font" type="font/woff2" crossorigin="anonymous"><link rel="preload" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843/https://cdn.the-scientist.com/static/7.5.1/fonts/Gotham-Book.woff2" as="font" type="font/woff2" crossorigin="anonymous"><link rel="stylesheet" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843cs_/https://cdn.the-scientist.com/static/7.5.1/css/the-scientist-website.css"><link rel="canonical" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843/https://www.the-scientist.com/profile/making-standards-exceptional-71506"><script src="https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843js_/https://securepubads.g.doubleclick.net/tag/js/gpt.js" async rel="preconnect"></script><meta property="og:title" content="Making Standards Exceptional"><meta property="og:description" content="Samantha Maragh has taken on the difficult challenge of standardizing assays, data norms, and terminology in the ever evolving genome editing field."><meta property="og:image" content="https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843im_/https://cdn.the-scientist.com/assets/articleNo/71506/aImg/51602/12-23-profile-standards-article-m.jpg"><meta property="og:site_name" content="The Scientist Magazine®"><meta property="og:url" content="https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843/https://www.the-scientist.com/profile/making-standards-exceptional-71506"><meta property="og:type" content="article"><meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image"><meta name="twitter:title" content="Making Standards Exceptional"><meta name="twitter:description" content="Samantha Maragh has taken on the difficult challenge of standardizing assays, data norms, and terminology in the ever evolving genome editing field."><meta name="twitter:image" content="https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843im_/https://cdn.the-scientist.com/assets/articleNo/71506/aImg/51602/12-23-profile-standards-article-l.jpg"><script type="application/ld+json">{ "@context": "https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843/http://schema.org", "@type": "NewsMediaOrganization", "name": "The Scientist Magazine", "alternateName": "The Scientist", "url": "https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843/https://www.the-scientist.com/", "logo": "https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843/https://www.the-scientist.com/assets/logo_plain.svg" }</script><script type="application/ld+json">{ "@context": "https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843/http://schema.org/", "@type": "Article", "headline": "Making Standards Exceptional", "datePublished": "Dec 4, 2023", "dateModified": "2023-12-21 14:03:42", "isFamilyFriendly":true, "description": "Samantha Maragh has taken on the difficult challenge of standardizing assays, data norms, and terminology in the ever evolving genome editing field.", "inLanguage": "English", "mainEntityOfPage": "https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843/https://www.the-scientist.com/profile/making-standards-exceptional-71506", "articleBody": "ABOVE: Samantha Maragh received the State of Maryland Outstanding Young Scientist Award 2019 for establishing the NIST Genome Editing Consortium. Scott Marder, Maryland Science Center p.p1 { margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: justify; line-height: 12.0px; font: 42.5px MillerText } p.p2 { margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: justify; line-height: 12.0px; font: 9.0px MillerText } p.p3 { margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.0px; line-height: 12.0px; font: 9.0px MillerText } p.p4 { margin: 6.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 12.0px; font: 10.0px Gotham } p.p5 { margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 12.0px; font: 9.0px MillerText; min-height: 10.0px } p.p6 { margin: 18.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 10.0px; font: 7.5px Gotham } p.p7 { margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 10.4px; text-indent: -10.4px; line-height: 10.0px; font: 7.0px MillerText } span.s1 { letter-spacing: 0.1px } span.s2 { letter-spacing: -0.2px } span.s3 { letter-spacing: -0.1px } span.s4 { letter-spacing: 0.2px } span.s5 { font: 4.0px Webdings; vertical-align: 1.0px } span.Apple-tab-span { white-space: pre } When Samantha Maragh, who now leads the Genome Editing Program at the National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST), was in elementary school, she loved watching the Forensic Files documentary series on television with her father. Watching scientists, especially women, perform remarkable DNA analysis experiments to solve criminal cases was her first exposure to the profession. Maragh was inspired; the show sparked an early aspiration to become a scientist as an adult. “It’s a TV show, but it was really impactful to me,” Maragh recalled. Maragh grew up in Baltimore, Maryland, as a first-generation American to immigrant parents. Her parents, having moved from Jamaica to ensure opportunities for their children, prioritized her education throughout her school years. Maragh maintained a healthy interest in biology all those years, but when she took her first genetics course in her undergraduate studies at Loyola University, she knew instantly that she had found her calling. “As, Gs, Cs, and Ts and combining things together doesn’t make any logical sense, but it completely resonated with me, like I had found my science home,” she reminisced.Despite her desire to keep learning, Maragh did not pursue a master’s degree right away following graduation. Instead, she planned to first secure a job and then ask her employers to fund her continued education. Even though her friends were skeptical, Maragh remained hopeful. As luck would have it, Maragh secured a position as a technician at the NIST in May 2006. This job shaped the course of her career path.A tryst with NISTNIST is a nonregulatory federal agency under the US Department of Commerce. Set up in 1901, the organization sets standards for measurements for just about everything from atomic clocks to electrical outlets. While the NIST organization integrated physics, chemistry, and engineering into its working groups early on, the institution formulated biology specific divisions relatively recently in the 1990s. Maragh snagged a role at the Biochemical Sciences Division but knew nothing about NIST when she applied. However, she soon realized the value of the work done at the institute.One of NIST’s projects involved standardizing the short tandem repeat (STR) DNA analysis method used in forensics for reliably identifying an individual.1 Maragh recalled the surreal feeling when she realized that her workplace was integrally connected to the forensic science that inspired her years ago—a rare full circle moment. Maragh first worked on a collaborative project between NCI and NIST to study cancer biomarkers for early detection. Researchers reported new cancer biomarkers frequently, and yet the subsequent experiments with these markers weren’t panning out for some reason. Maragh took up the task of developing positive controls to ensure consistency and efficiency of assays, specifically sequencing-based ones for identifying mitochondrial DNA mutations, used across different research groups.2“She was just learning and growing at such a rapid pace and had become a real thought leader,” recalled Laurie Locascio, who led Maragh’s division and oversaw the NCI collaboration projects at the time. Locascio is currently the director of NIST and the undersecretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology. “It was clear that she would be tremendously successful,” she added.Impressed by Maragh’s work excellence, her bosses at NIST supported her in taking night courses for continued education, and Maragh obtained her master’s degree in biotechnology from John Hopkins University in May 2008. However, Locascio and a few other NIST leaders had even bigger plans for her.Locascio felt that an advanced degree and exposure to life outside of NIST would enhance Maragh’s career options. Locascio’s boss back then, Willie May, agreed. May tapped her on the shoulder one day and said that she should pursue a PhD degree. Maragh could choose any competency for her graduate studies as long as she could apply that knowledge at NIST once she graduated.Three months after completing her master’s degree, Maragh enrolled in the human genetics PhD program at John Hopkins University, manifesting the master plan that she had conjured up as a student.Crispier than CRISPRDuring her graduate program, Maragh studied gene function in early cardiac development in zebrafish. She routinely knocked down protein expression using morpholinos, which are oligonucleotides that bind to mRNA and obstruct translation. Since knockdowns don’t guarantee complete protein inhibition, Maragh wanted to validate her results by suppressing protein expression at a genetic level. She first attempted to use the zinc finger nuclease (ZFN) system for genome editing but found it challenging. She then tried to knock out her desired gene using transcription activator-like effector nucleases (TALEN), a new genome editing tool at the time with growing popularity.3 Using TALEN, Maragh replicated the phenotype she had observed with RNA knockdown.Around that time, she heard about a new study where researchers had leveraged clustered regularly interspaced palindromic repeats (CRISPR) and an associated nuclease, which function as a natural immunity mechanism in bacteria, to create a programmable machinery to edit cells.4 Although Maragh did not get the chance to test the CRISPR system in the lab, she realized the power the flexible technology offered right away, especially having worked with the relatively more complicated ZFN and TALEN tools. As the list of CRISPR applications grew with researchers globally adopting the technique, she also saw the risk for inconsistencies and raised questions that not many were thinking about at the time. “What in the world are we doing to the genome? And how do we know what we are doing?” she recalled wondering. “My NIST brain went ‘controls, variability.’”When Maragh returned to NIST, she had the opportunity to propose a promising topic area that wasn’t on the organization’s radar at the time. She right away thought of CRISPR. “This is a totally new world and there’s a place for NIST here,” she thought.When she pitched her idea at her division’s proposal meeting to solicit peer feedback, a colleague asked, “Is there going to be something crispier than CRISPR one day?” That got her thinking. CRISPR was a promising tool, but ZFN and TALEN remained important players in the field. And given the rapid scientific advances in CRISPR-related technologies, it seemed likely that newer tools were on the horizon. Maragh broadened her scope to genome editing, successfully convinced her colleagues about the promising outlook of this area, and eventually started the Genome Editing Program at NIST in 2016. The program aims to apply the NIST lens of standards to genome editing research to ensure that scientists use consistent methodology, controls, data formats, and terminology to minimize variability in experiments. The first task for Maragh’s program team was to engage with the genome engineering community and demonstrate that NIST’s goals aligned with their needs. Around this time, Maragh serendipitously came across a short commentary written by an academic about the need for standards in CRISPR research.5 She knew right away that she had found a potential ally: Keith Joung, a genome editing pioneer and group leader at Massachusetts General Hospital.  A consortium is bornJoung has been strategizing genome and epigenome editing technologies that could improve human health for almost 20 years. With the rapid growth in the sector at the time, Joung worried about experimental technique variability between groups. He saw a need for standardizing definitions and practices to establish a baseline for the researchers working in this emerging area. “When I heard about NIST and their mission and Samantha’s interest in having NIST take a role in doing this, I thought, yes, that would be fantastic,” he said.When I heard about NIST and their mission and Samantha's interest in having NIST take a role in doing this, I thought, yes, that would be fantastic.—Keith Joung, Massachusetts General HospitalWith Joung’s support, Maragh conducted her first workshop at the American Society of Gene and Cell Therapy Conference in 2016. Representatives from across the biotechnology sector, academia, pharmaceutical companies, and nonprofit organizations attended. Maragh sourced feedback regarding their challenges and interrogated where they needed data validation tools. “I heard a lot of positivity there. One organization was like, ‘You know, I can see their building, but I can’t go talk to them because of noncompete sort of things, and I need a mechanism that would allow us to be under the same umbrella,’” Maragh recalled. Maragh thought that a consortium would be the perfect solution. However, on soliciting further feedback, she realized that the genome editing community needed more than just a forum that convened to exchange ideas. They sought NIST’s support in making samples and executing experiments. When Maragh realized that this meant that NIST would almost function as their research arm, she worried about how she would find resources for these unconventional requirements.Determined to find a creative solution, Maragh conceptualized a new cost-sharing consortium model where every member contributed in some way. “If you are a sequencing company, maybe you can sequence. If you are a reagent maker, maybe you can provide reagents. If you are an engineering company, maybe you can support with some cell engineering, and if you are big pharma, maybe you just give money,” she explained. “It was very different for NIST. There was no such model; it took me a while. I had to create the model.”After months of grueling paperwork, Maragh officially launched the Genome Editing Consortium in October 2018 with 20 members from diverse institutions. The consortium comprised three working groups. The “specificity measurements” group worked on the reproducibility of on-target and off-target assays and related controls. The “data and metadata” group covered bioinformatics related topics such as evaluating different tools or generating high quality data sets that researchers could use as positive controls. Lastly, the “lexicon” team standardized the genome editing vocabulary. Members could join one or more groups based on their needs, and each group met monthly.Bringing together a disparate group of people who have different interests in working together is not an easy task, commended Joung. “I think she’s done a great job of that.” Locascio seconds that opinion. “I really give great credit to her for thinking about this and what was a very nascent field and building this consortium around what could be the difficulties in getting this implemented in the real world,” she said.The consortium has made big strides in several projects over the past few years. Maragh is particularly proud of completing the first version of a genome editing vocabulary standard that includes definitions of key terms used in the field. The team worked hard on curating the relevant terms, drafting the concise definitions, getting experts to review them, and finally seeking global feedback. After a regimented and rigorous review process, Maragh was thrilled when the document was finally approved by the International Standards Organization and published on their site.  For her success in building the NIST Genome Editing Consortium as a public-private partnership, Maragh received the George A. Uriano Award in 2021. Staying on target and under controlToday, the genome editing consortium has grown to more than 40 members, and all three groups are still active. Joung enjoys watching Maragh in action bringing members with diverse interests to work together. “The advances come so quickly that to some degree, you have to be nimble and adjust or expand your expectations as far as the field’s,” he said. “I’m grateful that somebody like her is willing to undertake this type of effort.”          Maragh set up the genome editing program at NIST after completing her graduate studies.NISTFor instance, within just a few years after CRISPR being adopted in labs worldwide, the genome editing community welcomed new tools such as base editors and prime editors. So, the standardized lexicon document lacks the definitions for these technologies, which didn’t exist at the time of its creation, but are now crucial to the field. Maragh hopes that her teams will add suggested definitions for some of the missing terms to the glossary at some point.In fact, there is a long wishlist of goals she would like to accomplish in the near future. In one project, her team intends to generate some physical samples of engineered cells bearing arrays of edits for consortium members to use as positive controls for complex edits. Maragh spoke of another interesting consortium project that is currently underway. This Genome in a Bottle (GIAB) project is a blind inter-lab study to assess the accuracy of capabilities that consortium members are currently using for detecting DNA variants. The NIST team sent consortium researchers a mixture of cells or DNA with varying sizes and frequencies of mutations at different loci. The researchers will use the technology of their choice and expertise, such as sequencing, genome wide DNA imaging, and fragment analysis, and report back the variant size and frequency data. On comparing data from different research groups, Maragh hopes that the NIST team can zero in on the most accurate capabilities that will serve as the gold standard for detecting DNA variants moving forward. “The goal of setting standards for how things are measured in our field remains a very, very important one. And so, I would like to see them be a bit more vocal and proactive in trying to put these standards out there and trying to get people in the field to follow them,” Joung suggested.In addition to leading the Genome Editing Program, Maragh now comanages NIST’s Cancer Biomarker and Genomic Science Group, which includes programs on genome editing, cancer biomarkers, flow cytometry, and human genome sequencing. Although she does not have a master plan for the future anymore, she wants to continue working in the regenerative medicine and precision medicine application areas.“She is clearly a scientific leader, and now she leads an external facing consortium, but I definitely see her growing into larger roles and moving up the organization,” said Locascio. “She just has very unique characteristics that make her a natural leader.” ReferencesRuitberg CM, Reeder DJ, Butler JM. STRBase: a short tandem repeat DNA database for the human identity testing community. Nucleic Acids Res. 2001;29(1):320-322.Jakupciak J, et al. Analysis of potential cancer biomarkers in mitochondrial DNA. Curr Opin Mol Ther. 2006;8(4):345-354. Accessed August 1, 2023.Joung JK, Sander JD. TALENs: a widely applicable technology for targeted genome editing. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol. 2013;14(1):49-55.Jinek M, et al. A programmable dual-RNA-guided DNA endonuclease in adaptive bacterial immunity. Science. 2012;337(6096):816-821.Joung J. Standards needed for gene-editing errors. Nature. 2015;523:158", "keywords": "community , CRISPR, DNA, genetics, genome editing, TALENs", "wordcount": "2649", "genre": "science", "image" : "https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843/https://cdn.the-scientist.com/assets/articleNo/71506/aImg/51602/12-23-profile-standards-article-o.jpg", "author":[{ "@type": "Person", "name": "Meenakshi Prabhune, PhD"}], "publisher": { "@type": "NewsMediaOrganization", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843/https://www.the-scientist.com/assets/ts_wordmark60.png" }, "name": "The Scientist Magazine" } } </script><script>dataLayer = [{"articleId":71506,"article_name":"Making Standards Exceptional","author":"Meenakshi Prabhune, PhD","category":"Profile","allCategories":"Profile, Magazine Issue","tags":"community , CRISPR, DNA, genetics, genome editing, TALENs","category_tags":"community , genetics","content_interests":[{"Id":9340,"Name":"community "},{"Id":1764,"Name":"genetics"}],"publishDate":"December 4, 2023","pageType":"Article","displayType":"Heading Above","contentType":"Online and Print","contentSource":"original","publishDate2":"12-04-2023","level":3,"mainCategory":"Profile","liveGA":true,"gatedContent":"no","temporarilyUngated":"no","wordCount":2649,"printIssue":"2024-01 January 2024","printIssue2":"01-16-2024"}];</script><script id="GTM">(function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start': new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843/https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;j.rel="preconnect";f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-NGL8ZT6');</script><link rel="preconnect" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843/https://dev.visualwebsiteoptimizer.com/"><script type="text/javascript" id="vwoCode">window._vwo_code || (function() { var account_id=807623, version=2.0, settings_tolerance=2000, hide_element="body", hide_element_style = "opacity:0 !important;filter:alpha(opacity=0) !important;background:none !important", //- DO NOT EDIT BELOW THIS LINE f=false,w=window,d=document,v=d.querySelector('#vwoCode'),cK='_vwo_'+account_id+'_settings',cc={};try{var c=JSON.parse(localStorage.getItem('_vwo_'+account_id+'_config'));cc=c&&typeof c==='object'?c:{}}catch(e){}var stT=cc.stT==='session'?w.sessionStorage:w.localStorage;code={use_existing_jquery:function(){return typeof use_existing_jquery!=='undefined'?use_existing_jquery:undefined},library_tolerance:function(){return typeof library_tolerance!=='undefined'?library_tolerance:undefined},settings_tolerance:function(){return cc.sT||settings_tolerance},hide_element_style:function(){return'{'+(cc.hES||hide_element_style)+'}'},hide_element:function(){return typeof cc.hE==='string'?cc.hE:hide_element},getVersion:function(){return version},finish:function(){if(!f){f=true;var e=d.getElementById('_vis_opt_path_hides');if(e)e.parentNode.removeChild(e)}},finished:function(){return f},load:function(e){var t=this.getSettings(),n=d.createElement('script'),i=this;if(t){n.textContent=t;d.getElementsByTagName('head')[0].appendChild(n);if(!w.VWO||VWO.caE){stT.removeItem(cK);i.load(e)}}else{n.fetchPriority='high';n.src=e;n.type='text/javascript';n.onerror=function(){_vwo_code.finish()};d.getElementsByTagName('head')[0].appendChild(n)}},getSettings:function(){try{var e=stT.getItem(cK);if(!e){return}e=JSON.parse(e);if(Date.now()>e.e){stT.removeItem(cK);return}return e.s}catch(e){return}},init:function(){if(d.URL.indexOf('__vwo_disable__')>-1)return;var e=this.settings_tolerance();w._vwo_settings_timer=setTimeout(function(){_vwo_code.finish();stT.removeItem(cK)},e);var t=d.currentScript,n=d.createElement('style'),i=this.hide_element(),r=t&&!t.async&&i?i+this.hide_element_style():'',c=d.getElementsByTagName('head')[0];n.setAttribute('id','_vis_opt_path_hides');v&&n.setAttribute('nonce',v.nonce);n.setAttribute('type','text/css');if(n.styleSheet)n.styleSheet.cssText=r;else n.appendChild(d.createTextNode(r));c.appendChild(n);this.load('https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843/https://dev.visualwebsiteoptimizer.com/j.php?a='+account_id+'&u='+encodeURIComponent(d.URL)+'&vn='+version)}};w._vwo_code=code;code.init();})(); </script></head><body class="preload" id="app"><noscript><iframe src="https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843if_/https://www.googletagmanager.com/ns.html?id=GTM-NGL8ZT6" height="0" width="0" style="display:none;visibility:hidden"></iframe></noscript><div id="preHeader"><section class="advertisement" data-zone="TS_WEB_ROS_DROPDOWN_SUPERLEADERBOARD_NULL_970X90" id="ts-web-ros-dropdown-superleaderboard-null-970x90"></section><small class="adverts">ADVERTISEMENT</small></div><header id="MainHeader"><div id="MainHeaderContent"><div class="main-container"><a class="deskLogo" id="brand" href="/web/20240116080843/https://www.the-scientist.com/"></a><div id="MenusMobile"><div class="SearchBar"><form class=""><input type="text" id="siteSearchInputMobile" class="search-input" name="for" value="" placeholder="Search..."/></form><button class="icon-btn close-btn text-primary" title="Open Search"><i class="far fa-times"></i></button><button class="icon-btn search-btn text-primary" title="Close Search"><i class="far fa-search"></i></button></div><a id="brand" href="/web/20240116080843/https://www.the-scientist.com/"></a><nav><div class="dropdown"><li><a class="navItem inverted" href="/web/20240116080843/https://www.the-scientist.com/subscribe">Subscribe</a></li></div></nav><div class="menu"><button class="btn menu-button" title="Open Menu"><i class="far fa-bars"></i></button><div class="menu-list"><button class="btn menu-button float-right" title="Close Menu"><i class="far fa-times"></i></button><div><div class="h1">Menu</div><ul class="menuItems"><li class="text-primary subMenuItem"><span class="link-cursor no-wrap-text" role="button"><i class="far fa-user text-primary" style="margin-right:5px"></i>Login</span></li></ul></div></div></div><script data-component="HamburgerMenu/HamburgerMenu" type="application/json">{"menus":[{"menuNo":1,"parentMenuNo":0,"label":"Main Navigation","url":"/","orderNo":1,"children":[{"menuNo":76,"parentMenuNo":1,"label":"News & Opinion","url":"/news-opinion","orderNo":0},{"menuNo":77,"parentMenuNo":1,"label":"Publications","url":"/","orderNo":1,"children":[{"label":"TS Digest","url":"/ts-digest/current-issue"},{"label":"The Scientist Magazine","url":"/magazine/current-issue"}]},{"menuNo":81,"parentMenuNo":1,"label":"Categories","url":"/page/categories","orderNo":2,"children":[{"menuNo":154,"parentMenuNo":81,"label":"Biochemistry","url":"/tag/biochemistry","orderNo":0},{"menuNo":119,"parentMenuNo":81,"label":"Cancer","url":"/tag/cancer","orderNo":1},{"menuNo":95,"parentMenuNo":81,"label":"Cell Biology","url":"/tag/cell-biology","orderNo":2},{"menuNo":144,"parentMenuNo":81,"label":"Community","url":"/tag/community","orderNo":3},{"menuNo":152,"parentMenuNo":81,"label":"Drug Development","url":"/tag/drug-development","orderNo":4},{"menuNo":121,"parentMenuNo":81,"label":"Environment","url":"/tag/environment","orderNo":5},{"menuNo":122,"parentMenuNo":81,"label":"Evolution","url":"/tag/evolution","orderNo":6},{"menuNo":143,"parentMenuNo":81,"label":"Genetics","url":"/tag/genetics","orderNo":7},{"menuNo":123,"parentMenuNo":81,"label":"Immunology","url":"/tag/immunology","orderNo":8},{"menuNo":150,"parentMenuNo":81,"label":"Microbiology","url":"/tag/microbiology","orderNo":9},{"menuNo":125,"parentMenuNo":81,"label":"Neuroscience","url":"/tag/neuroscience","orderNo":10},{"menuNo":126,"parentMenuNo":81,"label":"Physiology","url":"/tag/physiology","orderNo":11},{"menuNo":124,"parentMenuNo":81,"label":"Public Health","url":"/tag/public-health","orderNo":12},{"menuNo":151,"parentMenuNo":81,"label":"Zoology","url":"/tag/zoology","orderNo":13}]},{"menuNo":166,"parentMenuNo":1,"label":"TS University","url":"/university","orderNo":3,"children":[{"menuNo":167,"parentMenuNo":166,"label":"Scientific Services","url":"/page/scientific-services","orderNo":0},{"menuNo":168,"parentMenuNo":166,"label":"Brush Up Summaries","url":"/tag/brush-up-summaries","orderNo":1},{"menuNo":169,"parentMenuNo":166,"label":"Technique Talks","url":"/tag/technique-talks","orderNo":2},{"menuNo":175,"parentMenuNo":166,"label":"Journal Club","url":"/tag/journal-club","orderNo":3},{"menuNo":176,"parentMenuNo":166,"label":"TS SciComm","url":"/tag/ts-scicomm","orderNo":4}]},{"menuNo":78,"parentMenuNo":1,"label":"Multimedia","url":"/page/multimedia","orderNo":4,"children":[{"menuNo":133,"parentMenuNo":78,"label":"Crossword Puzzles","url":"/tag/crossword-puzzles","orderNo":0},{"menuNo":85,"parentMenuNo":78,"label":"eBooks","url":"/sponsored-ebooks","orderNo":1},{"menuNo":170,"parentMenuNo":78,"label":"Infographics","url":"/infographics","orderNo":2},{"menuNo":171,"parentMenuNo":78,"label":"Podcasts","url":"/podcasts","orderNo":3},{"menuNo":172,"parentMenuNo":78,"label":"Research Products Blog","url":"/research-products-blog","orderNo":4},{"menuNo":173,"parentMenuNo":78,"label":"Research Articles","url":"/sponsored-article","orderNo":5},{"menuNo":88,"parentMenuNo":78,"label":"Science Snapshot","url":"/tag/science-snapshot","orderNo":6},{"menuNo":174,"parentMenuNo":78,"label":"Slideshows","url":"/slideshows","orderNo":7},{"menuNo":87,"parentMenuNo":78,"label":"Videos","url":"/videos","orderNo":8},{"menuNo":165,"parentMenuNo":78,"label":"Words for Nerds","url":"/game/words-for-nerds","orderNo":9}]},{"menuNo":164,"parentMenuNo":1,"label":"Webinars","url":"/sponsored-webinars","orderNo":5}]},{"menuNo":2,"parentMenuNo":0,"label":"Facebook Pages","url":"/","orderNo":2,"children":[{"menuNo":96,"parentMenuNo":2,"label":"The Scientist","url":"https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843/https://www.facebook.com/TheScientistMagazine","orderNo":0},{"menuNo":99,"parentMenuNo":2,"label":"Cancer and Genomic Science","url":"https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843/https://www.facebook.com/CancerGenomicScience","orderNo":1},{"menuNo":103,"parentMenuNo":2,"label":"Cell and Microbial Science","url":"https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843/https://www.facebook.com/CellMicrobialScience","orderNo":2},{"menuNo":107,"parentMenuNo":2,"label":"The NeuroScientist","url":"https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843/https://www.facebook.com/TheNeuroScientist/","orderNo":3},{"menuNo":97,"parentMenuNo":2,"label":"The Scientist Careers","url":"https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843/https://www.facebook.com/TheScientistCareers","orderNo":4}]},{"menuNo":3,"parentMenuNo":0,"label":"Footer Navigation","url":"/","orderNo":3,"children":[{"menuNo":108,"parentMenuNo":3,"label":"About & Contact","url":"/about","orderNo":0},{"menuNo":156,"parentMenuNo":3,"label":"Editorial Advisory Board","url":"/editorial-advisory-board","orderNo":1},{"menuNo":158,"parentMenuNo":3,"label":"Editorial Policies","url":"https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843/https://www.the-scientist.com/editorial-policies","orderNo":2},{"menuNo":109,"parentMenuNo":3,"label":"Privacy Policy ","url":"/privacy-policy","orderNo":3},{"menuNo":111,"parentMenuNo":3,"label":"Subscribe","url":"/subscribe","orderNo":4},{"menuNo":112,"parentMenuNo":3,"label":"Advertise","url":"/advertise","orderNo":5}]}],"isSignInOn":true,"isSearchOn":true,"user":{"isLoggedIn":false}}</script></div><div id="MenusDesktop"><div class="flex flex-justify-end"><div id="SearchBar"><div class="SearchBar"><form class=""><input type="text" id="siteSearchInputDesktop" class="search-input" name="for" value="" placeholder="Search..."/></form><button class="icon-btn close-btn text-primary" title="Open Search"><i class="far fa-times"></i></button><button class="icon-btn search-btn text-primary" title="Close Search"><i class="far fa-search"></i></button></div><script data-component="SearchBar/SearchBar" type="application/json">{"isSearchOn":true,"isMobile":false}</script></div><div class="flex flex-align-center p-l-1"><div class="SubscriberLoginButton"><span class="link-cursor no-wrap-text" role="button"><i class="far fa-user text-primary" style="margin-right:5px"></i>Login</span><script data-component="SubscriberLogin/SubscriberLoginButton" type="application/json">{}</script></div><a class="btn-branded btn-inverted" href="/web/20240116080843/https://www.the-scientist.com/subscribe">Subscribe</a></div></div><nav><div class="dropdown"><li><a class="navItem" href="/web/20240116080843/https://www.the-scientist.com/news-opinion">News & Opinion</a></li></div><div class="dropdown"><li><span class="navItem">Publications</span></li><div class="dropdown-content magazine-issues with-mega"><div class="flex"><div class="digest flex"><div class="cover"><a href="/web/20240116080843/https://www.the-scientist.com/ts-digest/issue/alcohol-leaves-its-mark-on-immune-cells-24-1"><picture><source srcset="https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843im_/https://cdn.the-scientist.com/assets/magazineIssueNo/2034/iImg/51804/01-24-digest-cover-thumbnail-s.webp" type="image/webp"><source srcset="https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843im_/https://cdn.the-scientist.com/assets/magazineIssueNo/2034/iImg/51804/01-24-digest-cover-thumbnail-s.jpg" type="image/jpeg"><img class="image-shadow-border" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843im_/https://cdn.the-scientist.com/assets/magazineIssueNo/2034/iImg/51804/01-24-digest-cover-thumbnail-s.jpg" alt="A blue immune cell with a red halo sits in the middle of a yellow spill from a tipping beer mug to the right. Blue bacteria surround the cell." title="A blue immune cell with a red halo sits in the middle of a yellow spill from a tipping beer mug to the right. Blue bacteria surround the cell." loading="auto"></picture></a></div><div class="text flex flex-col"><div class="logo"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843im_/https://cdn.the-scientist.com/static/7.5.1/assets/icons/TS-Digest.svg"><h4 class="m-t-0">AN INTERACTIVE EXPERIENCE</h4></div><p>Current Issue</p><a class="no-padding" href="/web/20240116080843/https://www.the-scientist.com/ts-digest/issue/alcohol-leaves-its-mark-on-immune-cells-24-1"><h2 class="bold underline">January 2024</h2></a><a class="btn-branded-new btn-black" href="/web/20240116080843/https://www.the-scientist.com/ts-digest/issue/alcohol-leaves-its-mark-on-immune-cells-24-1"> <i class="fal fa-book" aria-hidden="true"></i><span>View This Issue</span></a><div class="link-box flex flex-justify-between"><a class="underline" href="/web/20240116080843/https://www.the-scientist.com/ts-digest">Archives</a><a class="underline" href="/web/20240116080843/https://www.the-scientist.com/features">Features</a></div></div></div><div class="magazine flex"><div class="cover"><a href="/web/20240116080843/https://www.the-scientist.com/magazine/issue/ephemeral-life-37-4"><picture><source srcset="https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843im_/https://cdn.the-scientist.com/assets/magazineIssueNo/2035/iImg/51678/12-23-cover-s.webp" type="image/webp"><source srcset="https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843im_/https://cdn.the-scientist.com/assets/magazineIssueNo/2035/iImg/51678/12-23-cover-s.jpg" type="image/jpeg"><img class="image-shadow-border" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843im_/https://cdn.the-scientist.com/assets/magazineIssueNo/2035/iImg/51678/12-23-cover-s.jpg" alt="December 2023 issue cover" title="December 2023 issue cover" loading="auto"></picture></a></div><div class="text flex flex-col"><div class="logo"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843im_/https://cdn.the-scientist.com/static/7.5.1/assets/icons/logo_ts_notagline.svg"><h4>Quarterly Magazine</h4></div><p>Current Issue</p><a class="no-padding" href="/web/20240116080843/https://www.the-scientist.com/magazine/issue/ephemeral-life-37-4"><h2 class="bold underline">Winter 2023</h2></a><a class="btn-branded-new btn-black" href="/web/20240116080843/https://www.the-scientist.com/magazine/issue/ephemeral-life-37-4"> <i class="fal fa-book" aria-hidden="true"></i><span>View This Issue</span></a><div class="link-box flex flex-justify-between"><a class="underline" href="/web/20240116080843/https://www.the-scientist.com/magazine">Archives</a><a class="underline" href="/web/20240116080843/https://www.the-scientist.com/features">Features</a></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="dropdown"><li><a class="navItem" href="/web/20240116080843/https://www.the-scientist.com/page/categories">Categories</a></li><div class="dropdown-content col-2"><li><a class="subNavItem" href="/web/20240116080843/https://www.the-scientist.com/tag/biochemistry">Biochemistry</a></li><li><a class="subNavItem" href="/web/20240116080843/https://www.the-scientist.com/tag/cancer">Cancer</a></li><li><a class="subNavItem" href="/web/20240116080843/https://www.the-scientist.com/tag/cell-biology">Cell Biology</a></li><li><a class="subNavItem" href="/web/20240116080843/https://www.the-scientist.com/tag/community">Community</a></li><li><a class="subNavItem" href="/web/20240116080843/https://www.the-scientist.com/tag/drug-development">Drug Development</a></li><li><a class="subNavItem" href="/web/20240116080843/https://www.the-scientist.com/tag/environment">Environment</a></li><li><a class="subNavItem" href="/web/20240116080843/https://www.the-scientist.com/tag/evolution">Evolution</a></li><li><a class="subNavItem" href="/web/20240116080843/https://www.the-scientist.com/tag/genetics">Genetics</a></li><li><a class="subNavItem" href="/web/20240116080843/https://www.the-scientist.com/tag/immunology">Immunology</a></li><li><a class="subNavItem" href="/web/20240116080843/https://www.the-scientist.com/tag/microbiology">Microbiology</a></li><li><a class="subNavItem" href="/web/20240116080843/https://www.the-scientist.com/tag/neuroscience">Neuroscience</a></li><li><a class="subNavItem" href="/web/20240116080843/https://www.the-scientist.com/tag/physiology">Physiology</a></li><li><a class="subNavItem" href="/web/20240116080843/https://www.the-scientist.com/tag/public-health">Public Health</a></li><li><a class="subNavItem" href="/web/20240116080843/https://www.the-scientist.com/tag/zoology">Zoology</a></li></div></div><div class="dropdown"><li><a class="navItem" href="/web/20240116080843/https://www.the-scientist.com/university">TS University</a></li><div class="dropdown-content col-1"><li><a class="subNavItem" href="/web/20240116080843/https://www.the-scientist.com/page/scientific-services">Scientific Services</a></li><li><a class="subNavItem" href="/web/20240116080843/https://www.the-scientist.com/tag/brush-up-summaries">Brush Up Summaries</a></li><li><a class="subNavItem" href="/web/20240116080843/https://www.the-scientist.com/tag/technique-talks">Technique Talks</a></li><li><a class="subNavItem" href="/web/20240116080843/https://www.the-scientist.com/tag/journal-club">Journal Club</a></li><li><a class="subNavItem" href="/web/20240116080843/https://www.the-scientist.com/tag/ts-scicomm">TS SciComm</a></li></div></div><div class="dropdown"><li><a class="navItem" href="/web/20240116080843/https://www.the-scientist.com/page/multimedia">Multimedia</a></li><div class="dropdown-content col-2"><li><a class="subNavItem" href="/web/20240116080843/https://www.the-scientist.com/tag/crossword-puzzles">Crossword Puzzles</a></li><li><a class="subNavItem" href="/web/20240116080843/https://www.the-scientist.com/sponsored-ebooks">eBooks</a></li><li><a class="subNavItem" href="/web/20240116080843/https://www.the-scientist.com/infographics">Infographics</a></li><li><a class="subNavItem" href="/web/20240116080843/https://www.the-scientist.com/podcasts">Podcasts</a></li><li><a class="subNavItem" href="/web/20240116080843/https://www.the-scientist.com/research-products-blog">Research Products Blog</a></li><li><a class="subNavItem" href="/web/20240116080843/https://www.the-scientist.com/sponsored-article">Research Articles</a></li><li><a class="subNavItem" href="/web/20240116080843/https://www.the-scientist.com/tag/science-snapshot">Science Snapshot</a></li><li><a class="subNavItem" href="/web/20240116080843/https://www.the-scientist.com/slideshows">Slideshows</a></li><li><a class="subNavItem" href="/web/20240116080843/https://www.the-scientist.com/videos">Videos</a></li><li><a class="subNavItem" href="/web/20240116080843/https://www.the-scientist.com/game/words-for-nerds">Words for Nerds</a></li></div></div><div class="dropdown"><li><a class="navItem" href="/web/20240116080843/https://www.the-scientist.com/sponsored-webinars">Webinars</a></li></div></nav></div></div></div></header><div class="noPaddingTop" id="MainContainer"><section class="advertisement" data-zone="TS_WEB_ROS_LEADERBOARD_NULL_728X90" id="ts-web-ros-leaderboard-null-728x90"></section><small class="adverts">ADVERTISEMENT</small><div class="ArticlePageView" data-articleno="71506" data-pdfcardcontent="{"cardType":"pdf","cardImage":{"sourceTagData":[{"srcset":"https://cdn.the-scientist.com/assets/articleNo/71506/aImg/51602/12-23-profile-standards-article-t.webp","type":"image/webp"},{"srcset":"https://cdn.the-scientist.com/assets/articleNo/71506/aImg/51602/12-23-profile-standards-article-t.jpg","type":"image/jpeg"}],"imageTagData":{"class":"image-shadow-border","src":"https://cdn.the-scientist.com/assets/articleNo/71506/aImg/51602/12-23-profile-standards-article-t.jpg","alt":"Samantha Maragh speaks on stage after receiving the State of Maryland Outstanding Young Scientist Award 2019.","title":"Samantha Maragh speaks on stage after receiving the State of Maryland Outstanding Young Scientist Award 2019."}},"cardText":{"gateCardTitle":"<p>We will email a PDF version of this article to the email address on file</p>","modalLeftColumn":"<p>To receive a PDF copy of</p><span class=\"h2 pdf-title\">Making Standards Exceptional<span> (PDF)</span></span>"},"cardArticle":{"articleNo":71506,"articleTitle":"Making Standards Exceptional"}}"><div class="MainContent main-container"><div class="Content" width="1032"><div class="ArticleView Heading Above"><div class="articleWrapper"><ol class="breadcrumbs"><li><a class="capitalize" href="/web/20240116080843/https://www.the-scientist.com/">Home</a></li><li><a class="capitalize" href="/web/20240116080843/https://www.the-scientist.com/magazine">Archive</a></li><li><a class="capitalize" href="/web/20240116080843/https://www.the-scientist.com/magazine/issue/ephemeral-life-37-4">Winter 2023</a></li><li><a class="capitalize" href="/web/20240116080843/https://www.the-scientist.com/profile">Profile</a></li></ol><header><h1>Making Standards Exceptional</h1><h2>Samantha Maragh has taken on the difficult challenge of standardizing assays, data norms, and terminology in the ever evolving genome editing field.</h2></header></div><div class="articleImg"><picture><source media="(max-width: 399px)" srcset="https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843im_/https://cdn.the-scientist.com/assets/articleNo/71506/aImg/51602/12-23-profile-standards-article-s.webp" type="image/webp"><source media="(max-width: 399px)" srcset="https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843im_/https://cdn.the-scientist.com/assets/articleNo/71506/aImg/51602/12-23-profile-standards-article-s.jpg" type="image/jpeg"><source media="(max-width: 799px)" srcset="https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843im_/https://cdn.the-scientist.com/assets/articleNo/71506/aImg/51602/12-23-profile-standards-article-m.webp" type="image/webp"><source media="(max-width: 799px)" srcset="https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843im_/https://cdn.the-scientist.com/assets/articleNo/71506/aImg/51602/12-23-profile-standards-article-m.jpg" type="image/jpeg"><source media="(min-width: 800px)" srcset="https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843im_/https://cdn.the-scientist.com/assets/articleNo/71506/aImg/51602/12-23-profile-standards-article-l.webp" type="image/webp"><source media="(min-width: 800px)" srcset="https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843im_/https://cdn.the-scientist.com/assets/articleNo/71506/aImg/51602/12-23-profile-standards-article-l.jpg" type="image/jpeg"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843im_/https://cdn.the-scientist.com/assets/articleNo/71506/aImg/51602/12-23-profile-standards-article-s.jpg" alt="Samantha Maragh speaks on stage after receiving the State of Maryland Outstanding Young Scientist Award 2019." title="Samantha Maragh speaks on stage after receiving the State of Maryland Outstanding Young Scientist Award 2019." loading="auto" width="975" height="682"></picture></div><main class="articleWrapper"><div class="extras"><div class="extra-section flex-align-center"><picture><source srcset="https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843im_/https://cdn.the-scientist.com/assets/authorNo/5325/iImg/50155/minu-circle-800x800-s.webp" type="image/webp"><source srcset="https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843im_/https://cdn.the-scientist.com/assets/authorNo/5325/iImg/50155/minu-circle-800x800-s.png" type="image/png"><img class="avatar" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843im_/https://cdn.the-scientist.com/assets/authorNo/5325/iImg/50155/minu-circle-800x800-s.png" alt="Meenakshi Prabhune headshot" title="Meenakshi Prabhune, PhD" loading="auto"></picture><div class="text"><div class="author-group"><div class="authorTooltip"><span class="author-name with-link">Meenakshi Prabhune, PhD</span><div class="tooltip-card"><div class="tooltip-top"><div class="tooltip-top-left"><picture><source srcset="https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843im_/https://cdn.the-scientist.com/assets/authorNo/5325/iImg/50155/minu-circle-800x800-s.webp" type="image/webp"><source srcset="https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843im_/https://cdn.the-scientist.com/assets/authorNo/5325/iImg/50155/minu-circle-800x800-s.png" type="image/png"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843im_/https://cdn.the-scientist.com/assets/authorNo/5325/iImg/50155/minu-circle-800x800-s.png" alt="Meenakshi Prabhune headshot" title="Meenakshi Prabhune headshot" loading="auto"></picture></div><div class="tooltip-top-right"><a class="bold underline" href="/web/20240116080843/https://www.the-scientist.com/author/meenakshi-prabhune-5325" target="_blank">Meenakshi Prabhune, PhD</a><div class="socialMedia"><a class="socialMediaIcon" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843/mailto:mprabhune@the-scientist.com"><svg aria-hidden="true" data-prefix="fas" data-icon="envelope-square" class="svg-inline--fa fa-envelope-square fa-w-16" role="img" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewbox="0 0 512 512"> <path fill="#222222" d="M400 32H48C21.49 32 0 53.49 0 80v352c0 26.51 21.49 48 48 48h352c26.51 0 48-21.49 48-48V80c0-26.51-21.49-48-48-48zM178.117 262.104C87.429 196.287 88.353 196.121 64 177.167V152c0-13.255 10.745-24 24-24h272c13.255 0 24 10.745 24 24v25.167c-24.371 18.969-23.434 19.124-114.117 84.938-10.5 7.655-31.392 26.12-45.883 25.894-14.503.218-35.367-18.227-45.883-25.895zM384 217.775V360c0 13.255-10.745 24-24 24H88c-13.255 0-24-10.745-24-24V217.775c13.958 10.794 33.329 25.236 95.303 70.214 14.162 10.341 37.975 32.145 64.694 32.01 26.887.134 51.037-22.041 64.72-32.025 61.958-44.965 81.325-59.406 95.283-70.199z"></path> </svg></a><a class="socialMediaIcon" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843/https://twitter.com/minu_pr" alt="Follow author at Twitter" title="Twitter" target="_blank"><svg aria-hidden="true" data-prefix="fas" data-icon="twitter-square" class="svg-inline--fa fa-twitter-square fa-w-16 icon-btn" role="img" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewbox="0 0 512 512"> <path fill="#222222" d="M400 32H48C21.5 32 0 53.5 0 80v352c0 26.5 21.5 48 48 48h352c26.5 0 48-21.5 48-48V80c0-26.5-21.5-48-48-48zm-48.9 158.8c.2 2.8.2 5.7.2 8.5 0 86.7-66 186.6-186.6 186.6-37.2 0-71.7-10.8-100.7-29.4 5.3.6 10.4.8 15.8.8 30.7 0 58.9-10.4 81.4-28-28.8-.6-53-19.5-61.3-45.5 10.1 1.5 19.2 1.5 29.6-1.2-30-6.1-52.5-32.5-52.5-64.4v-.8c8.7 4.9 18.9 7.9 29.6 8.3a65.447 65.447 0 0 1-29.2-54.6c0-12.2 3.2-23.4 8.9-33.1 32.3 39.8 80.8 65.8 135.2 68.6-9.3-44.5 24-80.6 64-80.6 18.9 0 35.9 7.9 47.9 20.7 14.8-2.8 29-8.3 41.6-15.8-4.9 15.2-15.2 28-28.8 36.1 13.2-1.4 26-5.1 37.8-10.2-8.9 13.1-20.1 24.7-32.9 34z"></path> </svg></a><a class="socialMediaIcon" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843/https://www.linkedin.com/in/meenakshi-prabhune-phd-a71a2520/" alt="Follow author at LinkedIn" title="LinkedIn" target="_blank"><svg aria-hidden="true" data-prefix="fas" data-icon="linkedin" class="svg-inline--fa fa-linkedin fa-w-16 icon-btn" role="img" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewbox="0 0 512 512"> <path fill="#222222" d="M416 32H31.9C14.3 32 0 46.5 0 64.3v383.4C0 465.5 14.3 480 31.9 480H416c17.6 0 32-14.5 32-32.3V64.3c0-17.8-14.4-32.3-32-32.3zM135.4 416H69V202.2h66.5V416zm-33.2-243c-21.3 0-38.5-17.3-38.5-38.5S80.9 96 102.2 96c21.2 0 38.5 17.3 38.5 38.5 0 21.3-17.2 38.5-38.5 38.5zm282.1 243h-66.4V312c0-24.8-.5-56.7-34.5-56.7-34.6 0-39.9 27-39.9 54.9V416h-66.4V202.2h63.7v29.2h.9c8.9-16.8 30.6-34.5 62.9-34.5 67.2 0 79.7 44.3 79.7 101.9V416z"></path> </svg></a></div></div></div><div class="tooltip-bottom"><p>Meenakshi is the Editor-in-Chief at The Scientist. Her diverse science communication experience includes journalism, podcasting, and corporate content strategy. Meenakshi earned her PhD in biophysics from the University of Goettingen, Germany.</p><p>View <a href="/web/20240116080843/https://www.the-scientist.com/author/meenakshi-prabhune-5325" target="_blank">full profile.</a></p><hr/><p>Learn about our <a href="/web/20240116080843/https://www.the-scientist.com/editorial-policies" target="_black">editorial policies.</a></p></div></div></div><span class="author-connect"></span></div><time><span class="h6 italic text-placeholder">Dec 4, 2023 </span><span class="h6 italic text-placeholder"> | 9 min read</span></time></div><div class="button-group"><div class="SubscriberLoginButton"><button class="btn-branded round-corner btn-inverted" data-attribute="get-pdf-version" id="pdf-button"><i class="far fa-file-pdf" data-attribute="get-pdf-version" aria-hidden="true"></i><span data-attribute="get-pdf-version">PDF VERSION</span></button><script data-component="SubscriberLogin/SubscriberLoginButton" type="application/json">{"gatedCard":{"cardType":"pdf","cardImage":{"sourceTagData":[{"srcset":"https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843/https://cdn.the-scientist.com/assets/articleNo/71506/aImg/51602/12-23-profile-standards-article-t.webp","type":"image/webp"},{"srcset":"https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843/https://cdn.the-scientist.com/assets/articleNo/71506/aImg/51602/12-23-profile-standards-article-t.jpg","type":"image/jpeg"}],"imageTagData":{"class":"image-shadow-border","src":"https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843/https://cdn.the-scientist.com/assets/articleNo/71506/aImg/51602/12-23-profile-standards-article-t.jpg","alt":"Samantha Maragh speaks on stage after receiving the State of Maryland Outstanding Young Scientist Award 2019.","title":"Samantha Maragh speaks on stage after receiving the State of Maryland Outstanding Young Scientist Award 2019."}},"cardText":{"gateCardTitle":"<p>We will email a PDF version of this article to the email address on file</p>","modalLeftColumn":"<p>To receive a PDF copy of</p><span class=\"h2 pdf-title\">Making Standards Exceptional<span> (PDF)</span></span>"},"cardArticle":{"articleNo":71506,"articleTitle":"Making Standards Exceptional"}},"buttonText":"PDF VERSION","glyph":"far fa-file-pdf","classes":"btn-branded round-corner btn-inverted","autoPopup":false,"showSignUp":true,"closeBtn":true,"showToaster":false}</script></div><div class="share-widget"><span>Share:</span><div class="a2a_kit a2a_kit_size_24 a2a_default_style" data-a2a-url="https://www.the-scientist.com/profile/making-standards-exceptional-71506" data-a2a-title="Making Standards Exceptional"><a class="a2a_button_facebook"></a><a class="a2a_button_twitter"></a><a class="a2a_button_linkedin"></a><a class="a2a_button_email"></a><a class="a2a_dd" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843/https://www.addtoany.com/share"></a></div><script src="https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843js_/https://static.addtoany.com/menu/page.js" async="async"></script><script defer="defer">var a2a_config = a2a_config || {}; a2a_config.templates = a2a_config.templates || {}; a2a_config.icon_color = "#222"; a2a_config.thanks = { postShare: false, ad: false }; a2a_config.templates.email = { subject: "Check out this article from The Scientist: Making Standards Exceptional", body: "I thought you might be interested in this article: \nhttps://www.the-scientist.com/profile/making-standards-exceptional-71506", };</script></div></div></div></div><article data-fullslug="/profile/making-standards-exceptional-71506" data-title="Making Standards Exceptional" data-articleno="71506" data-metadata="[{"property":"og:title","content":"Making Standards Exceptional"},{"property":"og:description","content":"Samantha Maragh has taken on the difficult challenge of standardizing assays, data norms, and terminology in the ever evolving genome editing field."},{"property":"og:image","content":"https://cdn.the-scientist.com/assets/articleNo/71506/aImg/51602/12-23-profile-standards-article-m.jpg"},{"property":"og:site_name","content":"The Scientist Magazine®"},{"property":"og:url","content":"https://www.the-scientist.com/profile/making-standards-exceptional-71506"},{"property":"og:type","content":"article"},{"name":"twitter:card","content":"summary_large_image"},{"name":"twitter:title","content":"Making Standards Exceptional"},{"name":"twitter:description","content":"Samantha Maragh has taken on the difficult challenge of standardizing assays, data norms, and terminology in the ever evolving genome editing field."},{"name":"twitter:image","content":"https://cdn.the-scientist.com/assets/articleNo/71506/aImg/51602/12-23-profile-standards-article-l.jpg"}]"><main class="ArticleBody font-secondary fr-view" id="audio-content"><div class="non-paywall"><p class="fr-hero-header-caption fr-caption fr-right fr-quarter"><span>ABOVE:</span><span class="fr-caption"> Samantha Maragh received the State of Maryland Outstanding Young Scientist Award 2019 for establishing the NIST Genome Editing Consortium. </span><span class="fr-reference"> Scott Marder, Maryland Science Center </span></p><style type="text/css"> p.p1 { margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: justify; line-height: 12.0px; font: 42.5px MillerText } p.p2 { margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: justify; line-height: 12.0px; font: 9.0px MillerText } p.p3 { margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.0px; line-height: 12.0px; font: 9.0px MillerText } p.p4 { margin: 6.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 12.0px; font: 10.0px Gotham } p.p5 { margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 12.0px; font: 9.0px MillerText; min-height: 10.0px } p.p6 { margin: 18.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 10.0px; font: 7.5px Gotham } p.p7 { margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 10.4px; text-indent: -10.4px; line-height: 10.0px; font: 7.0px MillerText } span.s1 { letter-spacing: 0.1px } span.s2 { letter-spacing: -0.2px } span.s3 { letter-spacing: -0.1px } span.s4 { letter-spacing: 0.2px } span.s5 { font: 4.0px Webdings; vertical-align: 1.0px } span.Apple-tab-span { white-space: pre } </style><p><span class="dropcap">W</span>hen Samantha Maragh, who now leads the Genome Editing Program at the National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST), was in elementary school, she loved watching the Forensic Files documentary series on television with her father. Watching scientists, especially women, perform remarkable DNA analysis experiments to solve criminal cases was her first exposure to the profession. Maragh was inspired; the show sparked an early aspiration to become a scientist as an adult. “It’s a TV show, but it was really impactful to me,” Maragh recalled. </p><p>Maragh grew up in Baltimore, Maryland, as a first-generation American to immigrant parents. Her parents, having moved from Jamaica to ensure opportunities for their children, prioritized her education throughout her school years. Maragh maintained a healthy interest in biology all those years, but when she took her first genetics course in her undergraduate studies at Loyola University, she knew instantly that she had found her calling. “As, Gs, Cs, and Ts and combining things together doesn’t make any logical sense, but it completely resonated with me, like I had found my science home,” she reminisced.</p><p>Despite her desire to keep learning, Maragh did not pursue a master’s degree right away following graduation. Instead, she planned to first secure a job and then ask her employers to fund her continued education. Even though her friends were skeptical, Maragh remained hopeful. As luck would have it, Maragh secured a position as a technician at the NIST in May 2006. This job shaped the course of her career path.</p><div class="mobile-ad-marker"></div><h2>A tryst with NIST</h2><p>NIST is a nonregulatory federal agency under the US Department of Commerce. Set up in 1901, the organization sets standards for measurements for just about everything from atomic clocks to electrical outlets. While the NIST organization integrated physics, chemistry, and engineering into its working groups early on, the institution formulated biology specific divisions relatively recently in the 1990s. </p><p>Maragh snagged a role at the Biochemical Sciences Division but knew nothing about NIST when she applied. However, she soon realized the value of the work done at the institute.</p><p>One of NIST’s projects involved <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843/https://academic.oup.com/nar/article/29/1/320/1115981?searchresult=1" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">standardizing the short tandem repeat</a> (STR) DNA analysis method used in forensics for reliably identifying an individual.<sup>1</sup> Maragh recalled the surreal feeling when she realized that her workplace was integrally connected to the forensic science that inspired her years ago—a rare full circle moment. </p><div class="mobile-ad-marker"></div><p>Maragh first worked on a collaborative project between NCI and NIST to study cancer biomarkers for early detection. Researchers reported new cancer biomarkers frequently, and yet the subsequent experiments with these markers weren’t panning out for some reason. Maragh took up the task of developing positive controls to ensure consistency and efficiency of assays, specifically sequencing-based ones for <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843/https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17243485/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">identifying mitochondrial DNA mutations</a>, used across different research groups.<sup>2</sup></p><p>“She was just learning and growing at such a rapid pace and had become a real thought leader,” recalled <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843/https://www.commerce.gov/about/leadership/laurie-e-locascio" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Laurie Locascio</a>, who led Maragh’s division and oversaw the NCI collaboration projects at the time. Locascio is currently the director of NIST and the undersecretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology. “It was clear that she would be tremendously successful,” she added.</p><p>Impressed by Maragh’s work excellence, her bosses at NIST supported her in taking night courses for continued education, and Maragh obtained her master’s degree in biotechnology from John Hopkins University in May 2008. However, Locascio and a few other NIST leaders had even bigger plans for her.</p><div class="mobile-ad-marker"></div><p>Locascio felt that an advanced degree and exposure to life outside of NIST would enhance Maragh’s career options. Locascio’s boss back then, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843/https://www.nist.gov/people/willie-may" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Willie May</a>, agreed. May tapped her on the shoulder one day and said that she should pursue a PhD degree. Maragh could choose any competency for her graduate studies as long as she could apply that knowledge at NIST once she graduated.</p><p>Three months after completing her master’s degree, Maragh enrolled in the human genetics PhD program at John Hopkins University, manifesting the master plan that she had conjured up as a student.</p><h2>Crispier than CRISPR</h2><p>During her graduate program, Maragh studied gene function in early cardiac development in zebrafish. She routinely knocked down protein expression using <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843/https://www.the-scientist.com/technology/stop-making-sense-56311" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">morpholinos</a>, which are oligonucleotides that bind to mRNA and obstruct translation. Since knockdowns don’t guarantee complete protein inhibition, Maragh wanted to validate her results by suppressing protein expression at a genetic level. </p><div class="mobile-ad-marker"></div><p>She first attempted to use the zinc finger nuclease (ZFN) system for genome editing but found it challenging. She then tried to knock out her desired gene using <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843/https://www.nature.com/articles/nrm3486" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">transcription activator-like effector nucleases (TALEN)</a>, a new genome editing tool at the time with growing popularity.<sup>3</sup> Using TALEN, Maragh replicated the phenotype she had observed with RNA knockdown.</p><p>Around that time, she heard about a new study where researchers had leveraged clustered regularly interspaced palindromic repeats <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843/https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.1225829" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">(CRISPR)</a> and an associated nuclease, which function as a natural immunity mechanism in bacteria, to create a programmable machinery to edit cells.<sup>4</sup> Although Maragh did not get the chance to test the CRISPR system in the lab, she realized the power the flexible technology offered right away, especially having worked with the relatively more complicated ZFN and TALEN tools. As the list of CRISPR applications grew with researchers globally adopting the technique, she also saw the risk for inconsistencies and raised questions that not many were thinking about at the time. </p><p>“What in the world are we doing to the genome? And how do we know what we are doing?” she recalled wondering. “My NIST brain went ‘controls, variability.’”</p><p>When Maragh returned to NIST, she had the opportunity to propose a promising topic area that wasn’t on the organization’s radar at the time. She right away thought of CRISPR. “This is a totally new world and there’s a place for NIST here,” she thought.</p><p>When she pitched her idea at her division’s proposal meeting to solicit peer feedback, a colleague asked, “Is there going to be something crispier than CRISPR one day?” That got her thinking. CRISPR was a promising tool, but ZFN and TALEN remained important players in the field. And given the rapid scientific advances in CRISPR-related technologies, it seemed likely that newer tools were on the horizon. </p><p>Maragh broadened her scope to genome editing, successfully convinced her colleagues about the promising outlook of this area, and eventually started the Genome Editing Program at NIST in 2016. The program aims to apply the NIST lens of standards to genome editing research to ensure that scientists use consistent methodology, controls, data formats, and terminology to minimize variability in experiments. </p><p>The first task for Maragh’s program team was to engage with the genome engineering community and demonstrate that NIST’s goals aligned with their needs. Around this time, Maragh serendipitously <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843/https://www.nature.com/articles/523158a" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">came across a short commentary</a> written by an academic about the need for standards in CRISPR research.<sup>5</sup> She knew right away that she had found a potential ally: <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843/https://www.jounglab.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Keith Joung</a>, a genome editing pioneer and group leader at Massachusetts General Hospital.  </p><h2>A consortium is born</h2><p>Joung has been strategizing genome and epigenome editing technologies that could improve human health for almost 20 years. With the rapid growth in the sector at the time, Joung worried about experimental technique variability between groups. He saw a need for standardizing definitions and practices to establish a baseline for the researchers working in this emerging area. “When I heard about NIST and their mission and Samantha’s interest in having NIST take a role in doing this, I thought, yes, that would be fantastic,” he said.</p><blockquote><p>When I heard about NIST and their mission and Samantha's interest in having NIST take a role in doing this, I thought, yes, that would be fantastic.</p><div class="reference"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">—Keith Joung, Massachusetts General Hospital</span></div></blockquote><p>With Joung’s support, Maragh conducted her first workshop at the American Society of Gene and Cell Therapy Conference in 2016. Representatives from across the biotechnology sector, academia, pharmaceutical companies, and nonprofit organizations attended. Maragh sourced feedback regarding their challenges and interrogated where they needed data validation tools. </p><p>“I heard a lot of positivity there. One organization was like, ‘You know, I can see their building, but I can’t go talk to them because of noncompete sort of things, and I need a mechanism that would allow us to be under the same umbrella,’” Maragh recalled. </p><p>Maragh thought that a consortium would be the perfect solution. However, on soliciting further feedback, she realized that the genome editing community needed more than just a forum that convened to exchange ideas. They sought NIST’s support in making samples and executing experiments. </p><p>When Maragh realized that this meant that NIST would almost function as their research arm, she worried about how she would find resources for these unconventional requirements.</p><p>Determined to find a creative solution, Maragh conceptualized a new cost-sharing consortium model where every member contributed in some way. “If you are a sequencing company, maybe you can sequence. If you are a reagent maker, maybe you can provide reagents. If you are an engineering company, maybe you can support with some cell engineering, and if you are big pharma, maybe you just give money,” she explained. “It was very different for NIST. There was no such model; it took me a while. I had to create the model.”</p><p>After months of grueling paperwork, Maragh officially launched the <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843/https://www.nist.gov/programs-projects/nist-genome-editing-consortium" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Genome Editing Consortium</a> in October 2018 with 20 members from diverse institutions. The consortium comprised three working groups. The “specificity measurements” group worked on the reproducibility of on-target and off-target assays and related controls. The “data and metadata” group covered bioinformatics related topics such as evaluating different tools or generating high quality data sets that researchers could use as positive controls. Lastly, the “lexicon” team standardized the genome editing vocabulary. Members could join one or more groups based on their needs, and each group met monthly.</p><p>Bringing together a disparate group of people who have different interests in working together is not an easy task, commended Joung. “I think she’s done a great job of that.” </p><p>Locascio seconds that opinion. “I really give great credit to her for thinking about this and what was a very nascent field and building this consortium around what could be the difficulties in getting this implemented in the real world,” she said.</p><p>The consortium has made big strides in several projects over the past few years. Maragh is particularly proud of completing the first version of a <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843/https://www.iso.org/obp/ui/#iso:std:iso:5058:-1:ed-1:v1:en" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">genome editing vocabulary standard</a> that includes definitions of key terms used in the field. The team worked hard on curating the relevant terms, drafting the concise definitions, getting experts to review them, and finally seeking global feedback. After a regimented and rigorous review process, Maragh was thrilled when the document was finally approved by the International Standards Organization and published on their site.  </p><p>For her success in building the NIST Genome Editing Consortium as a public-private partnership, Maragh received the George A. Uriano Award in 2021. </p><h2>Staying on target and under control</h2><p>Today, the genome editing consortium has grown to more than 40 members, and all three groups are still active. Joung enjoys watching Maragh in action bringing members with diverse interests to work together. “The advances come so quickly that to some degree, you have to be nimble and adjust or expand your expectations as far as the field’s,” he said. “I’m grateful that somebody like her is willing to undertake this type of effort.”</p><div class="fr-image-container no-background fr-third fr-right" data-reactroot=""><div class="fr-image"><picture><source media="(min-width: 1000px)" srcset="https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843im_/https://cdn.the-scientist.com/assets/articleNo/71506/iImg/51603/12-23-profile-standards-inline-l.webp" type="image/webp">  <source media="(min-width: 1000px)" srcset="https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843im_/https://cdn.the-scientist.com/assets/articleNo/71506/iImg/51603/12-23-profile-standards-inline-l.jpg" type="image/jpeg">  <source media="(min-width: 567px)" srcset="https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843im_/https://cdn.the-scientist.com/assets/articleNo/71506/iImg/51603/12-23-profile-standards-inline-m.webp" type="image/webp">  <source media="(min-width: 567px)" srcset="https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843im_/https://cdn.the-scientist.com/assets/articleNo/71506/iImg/51603/12-23-profile-standards-inline-m.jpg" type="image/jpeg">  <source media="(max-width: 567px)" srcset="https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843im_/https://cdn.the-scientist.com/assets/articleNo/71506/iImg/51603/12-23-profile-standards-inline-s.webp" type="image/webp">  <source media="(max-width: 567px)" srcset="https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843im_/https://cdn.the-scientist.com/assets/articleNo/71506/iImg/51603/12-23-profile-standards-inline-s.jpg" type="image/jpeg"><img class="inline-image fr-fic fr-dib" data-id="51603" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843im_/https://cdn.the-scientist.com/assets/articleNo/71506/iImg/51603/12-23-profile-standards-inline-l.jpg" alt="Samantha Maragh is wearing a white lab coat and holding a pipette in the lab." title="Samantha Maragh is wearing a white lab coat and holding a pipette in the lab." loading="lazy"></picture></div><figcaption class="fr-figcaption"><div class="fr-caption">Maragh set up the genome editing program at NIST after completing her graduate studies.</div><div class="fr-reference">NIST</div></figcaption></div><p>For instance, within just a few years after CRISPR being adopted in labs worldwide, the genome editing community welcomed new tools such as base editors and prime editors. So, the standardized lexicon document lacks the definitions for these technologies, which didn’t exist at the time of its creation, but are now crucial to the field. Maragh hopes that her teams will add suggested definitions for some of the missing terms to the glossary at some point.</p><p>In fact, there is a long wishlist of goals she would like to accomplish in the near future. In one project, her team intends to generate some physical samples of engineered cells bearing arrays of edits for consortium members to use as positive controls for complex edits. </p><p>Maragh spoke of another interesting consortium project that is currently underway. This Genome in a Bottle (GIAB) project is a blind inter-lab study to assess the accuracy of capabilities that consortium members are currently using for detecting DNA variants. The NIST team sent consortium researchers a mixture of cells or DNA with varying sizes and frequencies of mutations at different loci. The researchers will use the technology of their choice and expertise, such as sequencing, genome wide DNA imaging, and fragment analysis, and report back the variant size and frequency data. On comparing data from different research groups, Maragh hopes that the NIST team can zero in on the most accurate capabilities that will serve as the gold standard for detecting DNA variants moving forward. </p><p>“The goal of setting standards for how things are measured in our field remains a very, very important one. And so, I would like to see them be a bit more vocal and proactive in trying to put these standards out there and trying to get people in the field to follow them,” Joung suggested.</p><p>In addition to leading the Genome Editing Program, Maragh now comanages NIST’s Cancer Biomarker and Genomic Science Group, which includes programs on genome editing, cancer biomarkers, flow cytometry, and human genome sequencing. Although she does not have a master plan for the future anymore, she wants to continue working in the regenerative medicine and precision medicine application areas.</p><p>“She is clearly a scientific leader, and now she leads an external facing consortium, but I definitely see her growing into larger roles and moving up the organization,” said Locascio. “She just has very unique characteristics that make her a natural leader.” </p><p><strong><span style="font-size: 12px;">References</span></strong></p><ol><li style="font-size: 12px;">Ruitberg CM, Reeder DJ, Butler JM. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843/https://academic.oup.com/nar/article/29/1/320/1115981" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">STRBase: a short tandem repeat DNA database for the human identity testing community.</a> <em>Nucleic Acids Res</em>. 2001;29(1):320-322.</li><li style="font-size: 12px;">Jakupciak J, et al. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843/https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17243485/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Analysis of potential cancer biomarkers in mitochondrial DNA.</a> <em>Curr Opin Mol Ther</em>. 2006;8(4):345-354. Accessed August 1, 2023.</li><li style="font-size: 12px;">Joung JK, Sander JD. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843/https://www.nature.com/articles/nrm3486" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">TALENs: a widely applicable technology for targeted genome editing. </a><em>Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol</em>. 2013;14(1):49-55.</li><li style="font-size: 12px;">Jinek M, et al. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843/https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.1225829" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">A programmable dual-RNA-guided DNA endonuclease in adaptive bacterial immunity.</a> <em>Science</em>. 2012;337(6096):816-821.</li><li style="font-size: 12px;">Joung J. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843/https://www.nature.com/articles/523158a#citeas" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Standards needed for gene-editing errors</a>. <em>Nature</em>. 2015;523:158</li></ol></div></main></article><footer><div class="share-widget"><span>Share:</span><div class="a2a_kit a2a_kit_size_24 a2a_default_style" data-a2a-url="https://www.the-scientist.com/profile/making-standards-exceptional-71506" data-a2a-title="Making Standards Exceptional"><a class="a2a_button_facebook"></a><a class="a2a_button_twitter"></a><a class="a2a_button_linkedin"></a><a class="a2a_button_email"></a><a class="a2a_dd" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843/https://www.addtoany.com/share"></a></div><script src="https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843js_/https://static.addtoany.com/menu/page.js" async="async"></script><script defer="defer">var a2a_config = a2a_config || {}; a2a_config.templates = a2a_config.templates || {}; a2a_config.icon_color = "#222"; a2a_config.thanks = { postShare: false, ad: false }; a2a_config.templates.email = { subject: "Check out this article from The Scientist: Making Standards Exceptional", body: "I thought you might be interested in this article: \nhttps://www.the-scientist.com/profile/making-standards-exceptional-71506", };</script></div><div class="CategoriesAndTags"><h3>Keywords</h3><hr/><div class="TagList listed-items"><a href="/web/20240116080843/https://www.the-scientist.com/tag/community"><h5 class="inline-block text-primary bold">community </h5></a><a href="/web/20240116080843/https://www.the-scientist.com/tag/crispr"><h5 class="inline-block text-primary">CRISPR</h5></a><a href="/web/20240116080843/https://www.the-scientist.com/tag/dna"><h5 class="inline-block text-primary">DNA</h5></a><a href="/web/20240116080843/https://www.the-scientist.com/tag/genetics"><h5 class="inline-block text-primary bold">genetics</h5></a><a href="/web/20240116080843/https://www.the-scientist.com/tag/genome-editing"><h5 class="inline-block text-primary">genome editing</h5></a><a href="/web/20240116080843/https://www.the-scientist.com/tag/talens"><h5 class="inline-block text-primary">TALENs</h5></a></div></div><h3>Meet the Author</h3><hr/><div class="author-list"><div class="author-info"><div class="author-image"><picture><source srcset="https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843im_/https://cdn.the-scientist.com/assets/authorNo/5325/iImg/50155/minu-circle-800x800-s.webp" type="image/webp"><source srcset="https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843im_/https://cdn.the-scientist.com/assets/authorNo/5325/iImg/50155/minu-circle-800x800-s.png" type="image/png"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843im_/https://cdn.the-scientist.com/assets/authorNo/5325/iImg/50155/minu-circle-800x800-s.png" alt="Meenakshi Prabhune headshot" title="Meenakshi Prabhune, PhD" loading="auto"></picture></div><div class="author-name"><h3>Meenakshi Prabhune, PhD</h3><p>Meenakshi is the Editor-in-Chief at The Scientist. Her diverse science communication experience includes journalism, podcasting, and corporate content strategy. Meenakshi earned her PhD in biophysics from the University of Goettingen, Germany.</p><p>View <a class="bold underline" href="/web/20240116080843/https://www.the-scientist.com/author/meenakshi-prabhune-5325" target="_blank">full profile.</a></p></div></div></div></footer></main><div class="relatedCSD full-width three"><div class="innerContainer"><div class="text"><h2 class="text-shadow inline-block">Related <ul class="inline-list"><li> <span>community </span></li><li> <span>genetics</span></li></ul> Research Resources</h2></div><div class="cardList"><div class="ArticleSummaryVertical not-featured"><div class="thumbnail-wrapper"><a class="article-link" href="/web/20240116080843/https://www.the-scientist.com/university/an-overview-of-high-throughput-screening-71561"><picture><source media="(max-width: 399px)" srcset="https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843im_/https://cdn.the-scientist.com/assets/articleNo/71561/aImg/51834/istock-91213667-s.webp" type="image/webp"><source media="(max-width: 399px)" srcset="https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843im_/https://cdn.the-scientist.com/assets/articleNo/71561/aImg/51834/istock-91213667-s.jpg" type="image/jpeg"><source media="(min-width: 400px)" srcset="https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843im_/https://cdn.the-scientist.com/assets/articleNo/71561/aImg/51834/istock-91213667-m.webp" type="image/webp"><source media="(min-width: 400px)" srcset="https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843im_/https://cdn.the-scientist.com/assets/articleNo/71561/aImg/51834/istock-91213667-m.jpg" type="image/jpeg"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843im_/https://cdn.the-scientist.com/assets/articleNo/71561/aImg/51834/istock-91213667-s.jpg" alt="An Overview of High Throughput Screening" title="An Overview of High Throughput Screening" loading="auto" width="800" height="560"></picture></a></div><div class="text"><span class="h6"></span><a href="/web/20240116080843/https://www.the-scientist.com/university/an-overview-of-high-throughput-screening-71561"><h3 class="max-2-lines">An Overview of High Throughput Screening</h3></a><div class="flex flex-justify-between flex-align-center"> <div class="h3">The Scientist University</div></div></div></div><div class="ArticleSummaryVertical not-featured"><div class="thumbnail-wrapper"><a class="article-link" href="/web/20240116080843/https://www.the-scientist.com/podcasts/hijacking-viruses-optimizing-lentivirus-based-cell-engineering-71560"><picture><source media="(max-width: 399px)" srcset="https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843im_/https://cdn.the-scientist.com/assets/articleNo/71560/aImg/51808/800x560-s.webp" type="image/webp"><source media="(max-width: 399px)" srcset="https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843im_/https://cdn.the-scientist.com/assets/articleNo/71560/aImg/51808/800x560-s.jpg" type="image/jpeg"><source media="(min-width: 400px)" srcset="https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843im_/https://cdn.the-scientist.com/assets/articleNo/71560/aImg/51808/800x560-m.webp" type="image/webp"><source media="(min-width: 400px)" srcset="https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843im_/https://cdn.the-scientist.com/assets/articleNo/71560/aImg/51808/800x560-m.jpg" type="image/jpeg"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843im_/https://cdn.the-scientist.com/assets/articleNo/71560/aImg/51808/800x560-s.jpg" alt="iStock" title="iStock" loading="auto" width="800" height="560"></picture></a></div><div class="text"><span class="h6"></span><a href="/web/20240116080843/https://www.the-scientist.com/podcasts/hijacking-viruses-optimizing-lentivirus-based-cell-engineering-71560"><h3 class="max-2-lines">Hijacking Viruses: Optimizing Lentivirus-Based Cell Engineering</h3></a><div class="flex flex-justify-between flex-align-center"> <div class="h3">Podcasts</div><div class="tabFooter flex flex-justify-end logo"><picture><source srcset="https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843im_/https://cdn.the-scientist.com/assets/vendorNo/177/logo/51835/mirus-logo-2024-s.webp" type="image/webp"><source srcset="https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843im_/https://cdn.the-scientist.com/assets/vendorNo/177/logo/51835/mirus-logo-2024-s.png" type="image/png"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843im_/https://cdn.the-scientist.com/assets/vendorNo/177/logo/51835/mirus-logo-2024-s.png" alt="Mirus" title="Mirus" loading="auto"></picture></div></div></div></div><div class="ArticleSummaryVertical not-featured"><div class="thumbnail-wrapper"><a class="article-link" href="/web/20240116080843/https://www.the-scientist.com/university/why-scientific-communication-matters-for-manuscripts-71553"><picture><source media="(max-width: 399px)" srcset="https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843im_/https://cdn.the-scientist.com/assets/articleNo/71553/aImg/51779/f141d9af-7383-469b-8223-5dfa4b4997ab-s.webp" type="image/webp"><source media="(max-width: 399px)" srcset="https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843im_/https://cdn.the-scientist.com/assets/articleNo/71553/aImg/51779/f141d9af-7383-469b-8223-5dfa4b4997ab-s.jpg" type="image/jpeg"><source media="(min-width: 400px)" srcset="https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843im_/https://cdn.the-scientist.com/assets/articleNo/71553/aImg/51779/f141d9af-7383-469b-8223-5dfa4b4997ab-m.webp" type="image/webp"><source media="(min-width: 400px)" srcset="https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843im_/https://cdn.the-scientist.com/assets/articleNo/71553/aImg/51779/f141d9af-7383-469b-8223-5dfa4b4997ab-m.jpg" type="image/jpeg"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843im_/https://cdn.the-scientist.com/assets/articleNo/71553/aImg/51779/f141d9af-7383-469b-8223-5dfa4b4997ab-s.jpg" alt="A ballpoint pen placed on top of a notebook that is sitting on top of a laptop keyboard." title="A ballpoint pen placed on top of a notebook that is sitting on top of a laptop keyboard." loading="auto" width="800" height="560"></picture></a></div><div class="text"><span class="h6"></span><a href="/web/20240116080843/https://www.the-scientist.com/university/why-scientific-communication-matters-for-manuscripts-71553"><h3 class="max-2-lines">Why Scientific Communication Matters for Manuscripts</h3></a><div class="flex flex-justify-between flex-align-center"> <div class="h3">The Scientist University</div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="Sidebar" width="368"><aside class="SidebarContent categoryAdMode"><span class="desktop-ad-marker"></span><section class="advertisement" data-zone="TS_WEB_CATEGORYTAG_Half-Page_NULL_300x600" id="ts-web-categorytag-half-page-null-300x600" data-category-tag-id="9340,1764"></section><span class="desktop-ad-marker"></span><section class="advertisement" data-zone="TS_WEB_ROS_MEDIUM-RECTANGLE_TOP_300X250" id="ts-web-ros-medium-rectangle-top-300x250"></section><span class="desktop-ad-marker"></span><section class="advertisement" data-zone="TS_WEB_ROS_MEDIUM-RECTANGLE_MIDDLE_300X250" id="ts-web-ros-medium-rectangle-middle-300x250"></section><span class="desktop-ad-marker"></span><section class="advertisement" data-zone="TS_WEB_ROS_MEDIUM-RECTANGLE_BOTTOM_300X250" id="ts-web-ros-medium-rectangle-bottom-300x250"></section><div class="socialMedia"><a class="socialMediaIcon" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843/https://www.facebook.com/TheScientistMagazine" alt="Go to The Scientist's Facebook Page" title="Facebook" target="_blank"><svg aria-hidden="true" data-prefix="fas" data-icon="facebook-square" class="svg-inline--fa fa-facebook-square fa-w-16 icon-btn" role="img" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewbox="0 0 512 512"> <path fill="#222222" d="M448 80v352c0 26.5-21.5 48-48 48h-85.3V302.8h60.6l8.7-67.6h-69.3V192c0-19.6 5.4-32.9 33.5-32.9H384V98.7c-6.2-.8-27.4-2.7-52.2-2.7-51.6 0-87 31.5-87 89.4v49.9H184v67.6h60.9V480H48c-26.5 0-48-21.5-48-48V80c0-26.5 21.5-48 48-48h352c26.5 0 48 21.5 48 48z"></path> </svg></a><a class="socialMediaIcon" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843/https://twitter.com/TheScientistLLC" alt="Go to The Scientist's Twitter Page" title="Twitter" target="_blank"><svg aria-hidden="true" data-prefix="fas" data-icon="twitter-square" class="svg-inline--fa fa-twitter-square fa-w-16 icon-btn" role="img" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewbox="0 0 512 512"> <path fill="#222222" d="M400 32H48C21.5 32 0 53.5 0 80v352c0 26.5 21.5 48 48 48h352c26.5 0 48-21.5 48-48V80c0-26.5-21.5-48-48-48zm-48.9 158.8c.2 2.8.2 5.7.2 8.5 0 86.7-66 186.6-186.6 186.6-37.2 0-71.7-10.8-100.7-29.4 5.3.6 10.4.8 15.8.8 30.7 0 58.9-10.4 81.4-28-28.8-.6-53-19.5-61.3-45.5 10.1 1.5 19.2 1.5 29.6-1.2-30-6.1-52.5-32.5-52.5-64.4v-.8c8.7 4.9 18.9 7.9 29.6 8.3a65.447 65.447 0 0 1-29.2-54.6c0-12.2 3.2-23.4 8.9-33.1 32.3 39.8 80.8 65.8 135.2 68.6-9.3-44.5 24-80.6 64-80.6 18.9 0 35.9 7.9 47.9 20.7 14.8-2.8 29-8.3 41.6-15.8-4.9 15.2-15.2 28-28.8 36.1 13.2-1.4 26-5.1 37.8-10.2-8.9 13.1-20.1 24.7-32.9 34z"></path> </svg></a><a class="socialMediaIcon" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843/https://www.instagram.com/the_scientist_magazine/" alt="Go to The Scientist's Instagram Page" title="Instagram" target="_blank"><svg aria-hidden="true" data-prefix="fas" data-icon="instagram" class="svg-inline--fa fa-instagram fa-w-16 icon-btn" role="img" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewbox="0 0 512 512"> <path fill="#222222" d="M224.1 141c-63.6 0-114.9 51.3-114.9 114.9s51.3 114.9 114.9 114.9S339 319.5 339 255.9 287.7 141 224.1 141zm0 189.6c-41.1 0-74.7-33.5-74.7-74.7s33.5-74.7 74.7-74.7 74.7 33.5 74.7 74.7-33.6 74.7-74.7 74.7zm146.4-194.3c0 14.9-12 26.8-26.8 26.8-14.9 0-26.8-12-26.8-26.8s12-26.8 26.8-26.8 26.8 12 26.8 26.8zm76.1 27.2c-1.7-35.9-9.9-67.7-36.2-93.9-26.2-26.2-58-34.4-93.9-36.2-37-2.1-147.9-2.1-184.9 0-35.8 1.7-67.6 9.9-93.9 36.1s-34.4 58-36.2 93.9c-2.1 37-2.1 147.9 0 184.9 1.7 35.9 9.9 67.7 36.2 93.9s58 34.4 93.9 36.2c37 2.1 147.9 2.1 184.9 0 35.9-1.7 67.7-9.9 93.9-36.2 26.2-26.2 34.4-58 36.2-93.9 2.1-37 2.1-147.8 0-184.8zM398.8 388c-7.8 19.6-22.9 34.7-42.6 42.6-29.5 11.7-99.5 9-132.1 9s-102.7 2.6-132.1-9c-19.6-7.8-34.7-22.9-42.6-42.6-11.7-29.5-9-99.5-9-132.1s-2.6-102.7 9-132.1c7.8-19.6 22.9-34.7 42.6-42.6 29.5-11.7 99.5-9 132.1-9s102.7-2.6 132.1 9c19.6 7.8 34.7 22.9 42.6 42.6 11.7 29.5 9 99.5 9 132.1s2.7 102.7-9 132.1z"></path> </svg></a><a class="socialMediaIcon" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843/https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-scientist" alt="Go to The Scientist's LinkedIn Page" title="LinkedIn" target="_blank"><svg aria-hidden="true" data-prefix="fas" data-icon="linkedin" class="svg-inline--fa fa-linkedin fa-w-16 icon-btn" role="img" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewbox="0 0 512 512"> <path fill="#222222" d="M416 32H31.9C14.3 32 0 46.5 0 64.3v383.4C0 465.5 14.3 480 31.9 480H416c17.6 0 32-14.5 32-32.3V64.3c0-17.8-14.4-32.3-32-32.3zM135.4 416H69V202.2h66.5V416zm-33.2-243c-21.3 0-38.5-17.3-38.5-38.5S80.9 96 102.2 96c21.2 0 38.5 17.3 38.5 38.5 0 21.3-17.2 38.5-38.5 38.5zm282.1 243h-66.4V312c0-24.8-.5-56.7-34.5-56.7-34.6 0-39.9 27-39.9 54.9V416h-66.4V202.2h63.7v29.2h.9c8.9-16.8 30.6-34.5 62.9-34.5 67.2 0 79.7 44.3 79.7 101.9V416z"></path> </svg></a><a class="socialMediaIcon" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843/https://www.youtube.com/user/TheScientistLLC" alt="Go to The Scientist's YouTube Page" title="YouTube" target="_blank"><svg aria-hidden="true" data-prefix="fas" data-icon="youtube-square" class="svg-inline--fa fa-youtube-square fa-w-16 icon-btn" role="img" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewbox="0 0 512 512"> <path fill="#222222" d="M186.8 202.1l95.2 54.1-95.2 54.1V202.1zM448 80v352c0 26.5-21.5 48-48 48H48c-26.5 0-48-21.5-48-48V80c0-26.5 21.5-48 48-48h352c26.5 0 48 21.5 48 48zm-42 176.3s0-59.6-7.6-88.2c-4.2-15.8-16.5-28.2-32.2-32.4C337.9 128 224 128 224 128s-113.9 0-142.2 7.7c-15.7 4.2-28 16.6-32.2 32.4-7.6 28.5-7.6 88.2-7.6 88.2s0 59.6 7.6 88.2c4.2 15.8 16.5 27.7 32.2 31.9C110.1 384 224 384 224 384s113.9 0 142.2-7.7c15.7-4.2 28-16.1 32.2-31.9 7.6-28.5 7.6-88.1 7.6-88.1z"></path> </svg></a><a class="socialMediaIcon" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843/https://vimeo.com/thescientistllc" alt="Go to The Scientist's Vimeo Page" title="Vimeo" target="_blank"><svg aria-hidden="true" data-prefix="fas" data-icon="vimeo-square" class="svg-inline--fa fa-vimeo-square fa-w-16 icon-btn" role="img" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewbox="0 0 512 512"> <path fill="#222222" d="M400 32H48C21.5 32 0 53.5 0 80v352c0 26.5 21.5 48 48 48h352c26.5 0 48-21.5 48-48V80c0-26.5-21.5-48-48-48zm-16.2 149.6c-1.4 31.1-23.2 73.8-65.3 127.9-43.5 56.5-80.3 84.8-110.4 84.8-18.7 0-34.4-17.2-47.3-51.6-25.2-92.3-35.9-146.4-56.7-146.4-2.4 0-10.8 5-25.1 15.1L64 192c36.9-32.4 72.1-68.4 94.1-70.4 24.9-2.4 40.2 14.6 46 51.1 20.5 129.6 29.6 149.2 66.8 90.5 13.4-21.2 20.6-37.2 21.5-48.3 3.4-32.8-25.6-30.6-45.2-22.2 15.7-51.5 45.8-76.5 90.1-75.1 32.9 1 48.4 22.4 46.5 64z"></path> </svg></a></div></aside></div></div></div><div class="ArticleSection" data-autoattached="true" data-tags="{"categoryTags":[9340,1764],"normalTags":[1627,2391,1632,5599],"excludedarticles":71506}" data-articleno="71506" data-order="first"></div><div class="ArticleSection" data-autoattached="true" data-tags="{"categoryTags":[9340,1764],"normalTags":[1627,2391,1632,5599],"excludedarticles":71506}" data-articleno="71506" data-order="second"></div><div id="Trending"></div><div class="mobile-ad-marker"></div><div class="mobile-ad-marker"></div><div id="Media"></div></div><div id="CurrentIssue"></div><section class="advertisement" data-zone="TS_WEB_ROS_LEADERBOARD_BOTTOM_728X90" id="ts-web-ros-leaderboard-bottom-728x90"></section><small class="adverts">ADVERTISEMENT</small><div id="Sponsored"></div><div id="Marketplace"></div><footer id="MainFooter"><div class="main-container"><header><div class="h1">Stay Connected with</div><div class="logo"></div></header><div id="NewsletterSignUp"><h4 class="text-primary">E-Newsletter Sign-up</h4><script charset="utf-8" type="text/javascript" src="//web.archive.org/web/20240116080843js_/https://js.hsforms.net/forms/v2.js" defer></script><script>setTimeout(function(){ hbspt.forms.create({ portalId: "547446", formId: "c78de44f-4cf1-4a5b-a472-b462a5916120", css: "" }); }, 3000)</script></div><div class="socialMedia"><a class="socialMediaIcon" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843/https://www.facebook.com/TheScientistMagazine" alt="Go to The Scientist's Facebook Page" title="Facebook" target="_blank"><svg aria-hidden="true" data-prefix="fas" data-icon="facebook-square" class="svg-inline--fa fa-facebook-square fa-w-16 icon-btn" role="img" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewbox="0 0 512 512"> <path fill="#222222" d="M448 80v352c0 26.5-21.5 48-48 48h-85.3V302.8h60.6l8.7-67.6h-69.3V192c0-19.6 5.4-32.9 33.5-32.9H384V98.7c-6.2-.8-27.4-2.7-52.2-2.7-51.6 0-87 31.5-87 89.4v49.9H184v67.6h60.9V480H48c-26.5 0-48-21.5-48-48V80c0-26.5 21.5-48 48-48h352c26.5 0 48 21.5 48 48z"></path> </svg></a><a class="socialMediaIcon" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843/https://twitter.com/TheScientistLLC" alt="Go to The Scientist's Twitter Page" title="Twitter" target="_blank"><svg aria-hidden="true" data-prefix="fas" data-icon="twitter-square" class="svg-inline--fa fa-twitter-square fa-w-16 icon-btn" role="img" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewbox="0 0 512 512"> <path fill="#222222" d="M400 32H48C21.5 32 0 53.5 0 80v352c0 26.5 21.5 48 48 48h352c26.5 0 48-21.5 48-48V80c0-26.5-21.5-48-48-48zm-48.9 158.8c.2 2.8.2 5.7.2 8.5 0 86.7-66 186.6-186.6 186.6-37.2 0-71.7-10.8-100.7-29.4 5.3.6 10.4.8 15.8.8 30.7 0 58.9-10.4 81.4-28-28.8-.6-53-19.5-61.3-45.5 10.1 1.5 19.2 1.5 29.6-1.2-30-6.1-52.5-32.5-52.5-64.4v-.8c8.7 4.9 18.9 7.9 29.6 8.3a65.447 65.447 0 0 1-29.2-54.6c0-12.2 3.2-23.4 8.9-33.1 32.3 39.8 80.8 65.8 135.2 68.6-9.3-44.5 24-80.6 64-80.6 18.9 0 35.9 7.9 47.9 20.7 14.8-2.8 29-8.3 41.6-15.8-4.9 15.2-15.2 28-28.8 36.1 13.2-1.4 26-5.1 37.8-10.2-8.9 13.1-20.1 24.7-32.9 34z"></path> </svg></a><a class="socialMediaIcon" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843/https://www.instagram.com/the_scientist_magazine/" alt="Go to The Scientist's Instagram Page" title="Instagram" target="_blank"><svg aria-hidden="true" data-prefix="fas" data-icon="instagram" class="svg-inline--fa fa-instagram fa-w-16 icon-btn" role="img" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewbox="0 0 512 512"> <path fill="#222222" d="M224.1 141c-63.6 0-114.9 51.3-114.9 114.9s51.3 114.9 114.9 114.9S339 319.5 339 255.9 287.7 141 224.1 141zm0 189.6c-41.1 0-74.7-33.5-74.7-74.7s33.5-74.7 74.7-74.7 74.7 33.5 74.7 74.7-33.6 74.7-74.7 74.7zm146.4-194.3c0 14.9-12 26.8-26.8 26.8-14.9 0-26.8-12-26.8-26.8s12-26.8 26.8-26.8 26.8 12 26.8 26.8zm76.1 27.2c-1.7-35.9-9.9-67.7-36.2-93.9-26.2-26.2-58-34.4-93.9-36.2-37-2.1-147.9-2.1-184.9 0-35.8 1.7-67.6 9.9-93.9 36.1s-34.4 58-36.2 93.9c-2.1 37-2.1 147.9 0 184.9 1.7 35.9 9.9 67.7 36.2 93.9s58 34.4 93.9 36.2c37 2.1 147.9 2.1 184.9 0 35.9-1.7 67.7-9.9 93.9-36.2 26.2-26.2 34.4-58 36.2-93.9 2.1-37 2.1-147.8 0-184.8zM398.8 388c-7.8 19.6-22.9 34.7-42.6 42.6-29.5 11.7-99.5 9-132.1 9s-102.7 2.6-132.1-9c-19.6-7.8-34.7-22.9-42.6-42.6-11.7-29.5-9-99.5-9-132.1s-2.6-102.7 9-132.1c7.8-19.6 22.9-34.7 42.6-42.6 29.5-11.7 99.5-9 132.1-9s102.7-2.6 132.1 9c19.6 7.8 34.7 22.9 42.6 42.6 11.7 29.5 9 99.5 9 132.1s2.7 102.7-9 132.1z"></path> </svg></a><a class="socialMediaIcon" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843/https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-scientist" alt="Go to The Scientist's LinkedIn Page" title="LinkedIn" target="_blank"><svg aria-hidden="true" data-prefix="fas" data-icon="linkedin" class="svg-inline--fa fa-linkedin fa-w-16 icon-btn" role="img" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewbox="0 0 512 512"> <path fill="#222222" d="M416 32H31.9C14.3 32 0 46.5 0 64.3v383.4C0 465.5 14.3 480 31.9 480H416c17.6 0 32-14.5 32-32.3V64.3c0-17.8-14.4-32.3-32-32.3zM135.4 416H69V202.2h66.5V416zm-33.2-243c-21.3 0-38.5-17.3-38.5-38.5S80.9 96 102.2 96c21.2 0 38.5 17.3 38.5 38.5 0 21.3-17.2 38.5-38.5 38.5zm282.1 243h-66.4V312c0-24.8-.5-56.7-34.5-56.7-34.6 0-39.9 27-39.9 54.9V416h-66.4V202.2h63.7v29.2h.9c8.9-16.8 30.6-34.5 62.9-34.5 67.2 0 79.7 44.3 79.7 101.9V416z"></path> </svg></a><a class="socialMediaIcon" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843/https://www.youtube.com/user/TheScientistLLC" alt="Go to The Scientist's YouTube Page" title="YouTube" target="_blank"><svg aria-hidden="true" data-prefix="fas" data-icon="youtube-square" class="svg-inline--fa fa-youtube-square fa-w-16 icon-btn" role="img" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewbox="0 0 512 512"> <path fill="#222222" d="M186.8 202.1l95.2 54.1-95.2 54.1V202.1zM448 80v352c0 26.5-21.5 48-48 48H48c-26.5 0-48-21.5-48-48V80c0-26.5 21.5-48 48-48h352c26.5 0 48 21.5 48 48zm-42 176.3s0-59.6-7.6-88.2c-4.2-15.8-16.5-28.2-32.2-32.4C337.9 128 224 128 224 128s-113.9 0-142.2 7.7c-15.7 4.2-28 16.6-32.2 32.4-7.6 28.5-7.6 88.2-7.6 88.2s0 59.6 7.6 88.2c4.2 15.8 16.5 27.7 32.2 31.9C110.1 384 224 384 224 384s113.9 0 142.2-7.7c15.7-4.2 28-16.1 32.2-31.9 7.6-28.5 7.6-88.1 7.6-88.1z"></path> </svg></a><a class="socialMediaIcon" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843/https://vimeo.com/thescientistllc" alt="Go to The Scientist's Vimeo Page" title="Vimeo" target="_blank"><svg aria-hidden="true" data-prefix="fas" data-icon="vimeo-square" class="svg-inline--fa fa-vimeo-square fa-w-16 icon-btn" role="img" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewbox="0 0 512 512"> <path fill="#222222" d="M400 32H48C21.5 32 0 53.5 0 80v352c0 26.5 21.5 48 48 48h352c26.5 0 48-21.5 48-48V80c0-26.5-21.5-48-48-48zm-16.2 149.6c-1.4 31.1-23.2 73.8-65.3 127.9-43.5 56.5-80.3 84.8-110.4 84.8-18.7 0-34.4-17.2-47.3-51.6-25.2-92.3-35.9-146.4-56.7-146.4-2.4 0-10.8 5-25.1 15.1L64 192c36.9-32.4 72.1-68.4 94.1-70.4 24.9-2.4 40.2 14.6 46 51.1 20.5 129.6 29.6 149.2 66.8 90.5 13.4-21.2 20.6-37.2 21.5-48.3 3.4-32.8-25.6-30.6-45.2-22.2 15.7-51.5 45.8-76.5 90.1-75.1 32.9 1 48.4 22.4 46.5 64z"></path> </svg></a></div><div class="facebookPages"><h4>Facebook Pages</h4><li><a class="uppercase" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843/https://www.facebook.com/TheScientistMagazine" target="_blank">The Scientist</a></li><li><a class="uppercase" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843/https://www.facebook.com/CancerGenomicScience" target="_blank">Cancer and Genomic Science</a></li><li><a class="uppercase" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843/https://www.facebook.com/CellMicrobialScience" target="_blank">Cell and Microbial Science</a></li><li><a class="uppercase" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843/https://www.facebook.com/TheNeuroScientist/" target="_blank">The NeuroScientist</a></li><li><a class="uppercase" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843/https://www.facebook.com/TheScientistCareers" target="_blank">The Scientist Careers</a></li></div><nav><li><a class="uppercase" href="/web/20240116080843/https://www.the-scientist.com/about" target="_blank">About & Contact</a></li><li><a class="uppercase" href="/web/20240116080843/https://www.the-scientist.com/editorial-advisory-board" target="_blank">Editorial Advisory Board</a></li><li><a class="uppercase" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843/https://www.the-scientist.com/editorial-policies" target="_blank">Editorial Policies</a></li><li><a class="uppercase" href="/web/20240116080843/https://www.the-scientist.com/privacy-policy" target="_blank">Privacy Policy </a></li><li><a class="uppercase" href="/web/20240116080843/https://www.the-scientist.com/subscribe" target="_blank">Subscribe</a></li><li><a class="uppercase" href="/web/20240116080843/https://www.the-scientist.com/advertise" target="_blank">Advertise</a></li></nav><div class="labX"><span class="uppercase">Now part of the LabX Media Group:</span><a class="uppercase" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843/http://www.labmanager.com/" target="_blank">Lab Manager Magazine</a><span>|</span><a class="uppercase" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843/https://www.labx.com/" target="_blank">LabX</a><span>|</span><a class="uppercase" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843/http://www.labwrench.com/" target="_blank">LabWrench</a></div><div class="copyRight"><p class="uppercase">© 1986–2024 <em>The Scientist</em>. All rights reserved.</p></div></div></footer><div id="Torpedo"><div id="CookiePolicyContainer"></div><div class="fader"></div><div class="footer-ad"><section class="advertisement" data-zone="TS_WEB_ROS_SCROLLING-FOOTER_NULL_1000X60" id="ts-web-ros-scrolling-footer-null-1000x60"></section><small class="adverts">ADVERTISEMENT</small></div></div><div id="Toast"></div><div id="Modal"></div><script src="https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843js_/https://cdn.the-scientist.com/static/7.5.1/js/the-scientist-website.js"></script><script src="https://web.archive.org/web/20240116080843js_/https://cdn.the-scientist.com/static/7.5.1/js/components/ArticleSection.js" defer></script><script>(function(d,s,i,r) {if (d.getElementById(i)){return;}var n=d.createElement(s),e=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];n.id=i;n.src='//web.archive.org/web/20240116080843/https://js.hs-analytics.net/analytics/'+(Math.ceil(new Date()/r)*r)+'/547446.js';e.parentNode.insertBefore(n, e);})(document,"script","hs-analytics",300000);</script></body></html>