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01 18 The Eppendorf – LifeScienceStyle Magazine

p. 10 SCIENCE BY NATURE When plants and animals inspire the technological developments of tomorrow

p. 12 ANCIENT IS BACK Yacon root, puntarelle and pawpaw: rediscovering ancient varieties of fruits and vegetables

p. 6 Saving Humankind from Deadly Viruses presented by Contents

News New therapies for cancer and 12 AIDS, ice cream that will not melt, a giant insect rediscov- Exploring Life ered, chewing gum as a way Saviors 6 to detect infections, ­alcohol without consequences of Diversity p. 4 Nearly forgotten varieties of fruits and vegetables are Exploring Life making a comeback A Detailed View A glimpse deep inside the Help! cell, curtesy of cryo electron microscopy More Flexibility p. 16 This additional tool in the ­toolbox allows even better ­optimization of PCR assays – Lab Lifestyle for a higher yield Book tip, prize draw, p. 28 My Stage is a Lab (column), arts and crafts, At the Bench Eppendorf News (cartoon) p. 18 Did You Know? Eppendorf celebrates 25 years of Inspiring Science BioNews, and it launches a film Foreign Green featuring its Leipzig location. Saving Humankind Returning to nature is worth And everything else that’s new it – for health and happiness p. 30 from Deadly Viruses p. 20 Evolutionary geneticist Pardis Sabeti stands up to highly aggressive Strong infectious diseases to make the world Loose Goods a little better To live without generating Performance Eppendorf presents a variety of waste – is that even possible? product highlights at trade Almost – according to some shows worldwide. Here is where real-life experiments Inspiring Science p. 22 you will be able to meet our ­innovations Inspired by p. 32 10 Nature’s Secrets Finance, Fine All over the world, Arts, Food Guest Contribution researchers look to nature Frankfurt is more multi-­ The Journey of a as a model for their faceted than its reputation. innovations Main River, here we come! Scientist Mother p. 24 Article by Paula de Tezanos Pinto from “Science” magazine p. 34 36 Science Photos “Welcome to My Humble Abode” and “Coleman on Fire”

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MASTHEAD Published by: Eppendorf AG, Barkhausenweg 1, 22339 Hamburg, Germany, e-mail: [email protected] Dear Reader, Editorial team: Florian Defren, Dr. Oliver Franz, Susanne Janenz, Ann-Katrin Kardinahl, Dr. Kay Körner, Svenja Sterneberg, Frank Thormählen Proofreading: Editorial team Digital transformation plays an increas- Publisher: ingly important role in everyday re- TEMPUS CORPORATE GmbH search – device and data networking Helmut-Schmidt-Haus, Buceriusstraße, ­Eingang Speersort 1, 20095 Hamburg, Germany in the laboratory now rank among the Management: Jan Hawerkamp major topics of discussion. Those who Project lead: Jasmin Kistner visited last year’s Labvolution will have More often than not, the best inspira- Chief Editor: Natasa Ivakovic experienced these innovations first tions stem straight from nature itself. Authors: Ursula Barth-Modreker, Andrea Hessler, hand: the Eppendorf booth, itself fully This is why two articles have been ded- Susan Junghans-Knoll, Esther Sambale, Marlis Wiedemann networked, introduced for the very first icated to this topic. Animals and plants ® Art Director: Karin Mantel time the new VisioNize system by provide researchers with valuable ideas Layout: Alina Sawallisch, Jörg Maaßen Eppendorf. It allows the user to inter- for innovative product developments. Graphic editor: Katrin Dugaro-Carrena connect, monitor and manage multiple Spending time surrounded by nature is Printed by: Dräger & Wullenwever print + media Lübeck GmbH & Co. KG Eppendorf instruments with a central not only good for your health; inciden- software application – in the laborato- tally, it also promotes creativity. Image references: Coverphoto, p. 2 Damon Winter/ ry as well as on the road – using the So – a leisurely walk in the Frankfurt The Times/Redux/laif; p. 2 istock (2), Duncan mobile iOS app VisioNize go. city forest may just be the ideal setting McNaught; p.3 Eppendorf AG; p. 4 Fotolia; p. 5 Joel Sartore, istock (4); p. 6 Damon Winter/The New York In our News section, starting on in which to process all those impres- Times/Redux/laif; p. 7 Getty Images; p. 8-9 Getty page 32, you can learn at which leading sions gained on the sightseeing tour. Images (3), Erica Ollman Saphire; p. 10-11 istock; p.12-13 global trade fairs you can find our lat- Our city portrait shows that the metrop- i­stock (5); p. 14-15 Wonge Bergmann für Nils Henkel/ Burg Schwarzenstein (3), istock (2), Eppendorf AG; est innovations. Our products help olis on the Main River – which will host p. 16 Courtesy of Dr. Wah Chiu, professor of biochemis- scientists worldwide advance their the leading international exhibition of try (Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, ® United States); p.17 Getty Images/Jonathan Nackstrand; research. The new Commercial Orga- the processing industry, ACHEMA – p. 18 PR; p. 19 istock, Eppendorf AG (2); p. 20-21 Getty nization Division within the Eppendorf has much more to offer than finance. Images/Westend61; p. 22-23 Getty Images/Stefanie Group under the leadership of our new ­Grewel, PR; p. 24-25 Getty Images/westend61/Timo Weis; p. 26 Getty Images; p. 27 Getty Images (4), istock; board member, Eva van Pelt, provides We hope you will enjoy the read, p. 28 Eppendorf AG; p. 29 Eppendorf AG; p. 30-31 new impetus. On page 31, we will in- Eppendorf AG (6); p. 32-33 supertrampmedia, Eppendorf troduce our new director who started AG (6); p. 34-35 istock/sorbetto; p. 36-37 Duncan McNaught; p. 38-39 Dheeraj M. Nanda, RMN at Eppendorf on 1st October 2017 and her area of responsibility. Trademark references: Jurassic Park® is a registered We will also portray the highly dec- trademark of Universal City Studios LLC and Amblin' Entertainment, Inc., Ficoll® is a registered trademark of orated evolutionary geneticist Pardis Pharmacia Fine Chemicals, Inc., analytica® is a registered Sabeti. She has dedicated her profes- Thomas Bachmann trademark of Messe München GmbH, Germany, in-­ sional life to the goal of ridding the Chairman of the Management Board cosmetics® is a registered trademark of Reed Exhibitions Ltd., UK., ACHEMA® is a trademark of DECHEMA Ge- world of deadly epidemics caused by sellschaft für Chemische Technik und Biotechnolgie e.V., viruses such as Lassa and Ebola. The ® ESHRE is a registered trademark of E.S.H.R.E. i.v.z.w., fact that the researcher still finds the PS You would like to experience Belgium., Science® and the Science logo are registered trademarks of AAAS, USA. time to perform with her rock band on “Off the Bench” in digital format? the stages of Boston makes her all the Then visit our website! Eppendorf®, the Eppendorf Brand Design, Eppendorf more remarkable. Meet Pardis Sabeti Biopur®, BioFlo®, CryoCube®, ViscoTip ®, Mastercycler®, www.eppendorf.com/otb Innova®, VisioNize® are registered trademarks of Eppendorf – starting on page 6. AG, Germany.

3 News Wird übersetzt Discovered & Developed

Targeting Cancer Cancer research New therapies offer approaches to Tumors that are invisible to the were then propagated in the lab- The German research team led solutions in the battle immune system present a crucial oratory and subsequently infused by the Mainz scientist Ugur Sahin against cancer problem to cancer therapy. A nov- back into the patient. The CAR is already one major step ahead. el approach to a solution has been molecule serves to support the With their new, universal and developed by two research teams, immune system in detecting and highly effective type of cancer headed by Steven Rosenberg at eliminating camouflaged cancer vaccine, microscopic fat droplets the NIH and Carl June at the Uni- cells. At this time, however, con- that have been loaded with cancer versity of Pennsylvania. They siderable side-effects and the search motifs for tumor cells are the application of the arti- high cost of manufacturing still injected into patients. ficial CAR molecule by harnessing preclude widespread application. This mock virus infection then a method that is well-established Experts hope that the cells will causes the body to activate all in the field of gene therapy: they be amenable to automated pro- available immune cells. The vac- isolated T-cells, a special type of duction in the future – a promis- cine has already shown success immune cell, from the body of a ing approach, the development in three patients with advanced patient, and transplanted them of which is being actively pur- skin cancer. This form of therapy with the gene for the CAR mole- sued, and which could lead to could reach market maturity as cule. The resulting CAR T-cells substantial cost reduction. early as five years from now.

4 News !

Unmeltable ice cream Sticky fingers – a thing of the past! Quite by chance, two Japanese researchers discovered how ice cream may be enticed to keep its shape longer. The secret: polyphenols from strawber- ries. This plant substance ensures that the fat contained in ice cream will cover the frozen water and bubbles like a protective coating. The resulting ice cream is able to resist melting, even after being exposed to 30 degrees in the shade for half an hour. 0.00 Percent Blood Alcohol Rediscovered giants The tree-lobster is considered one of the rar- The British scientist David Nutt est insects in the world. After a rat invasion killed off most of the tree-lobster population has developed a synthetic on Australia’s Lord Howe Island, the 15 cen- “ersatz”-alcohol. timeter long herbivore was deemed extinct. A genetic test recently confirmed that some allegedly simulates the pleasant of the insects had indeed survived. Research- ers are planning to reintroduce the species; effect of alcohol – entirely with- zoo-reared tree-lobsters are to be settled on Lord Howe Island by mid-2018. But out the hangover or the dangers first, the rats will have to go. of addiction.

A new approach to AIDS therapy While the inhibition of HIV replication inside the body has been successfully mastered in recent years, this Smart gum process is not capable of eliminating latent HIV reser- voirs. As soon as the administration of medication is In the future, a type of chewing gum is expected to interrupted, the body’s viral load is bound to increase detect bacterial mouth infections at an early stage. A once again. Researchers at Kumamoto University in special ingredient reacts with the protein-degrading Japan have now devised a novel approach which is enzymes present during inflammation. These en- geared towards eradicating the virus reservoir in its zymes will digest the special ingredient, and within entirety. During the course of “Lock-in and apoptosis”, a few minutes, the gum will release a bitter tasting the compound L-HIPPO, which binds to the HIV protein substance. This approach is deemed especially useful Pr55Gag, is synthesized. This will render the virus to recipients of tooth implants, which, due to the in- ­unable to leave the host cell. As soon as herent lack of enervation, are slow to perceive infec- L-HIPPO is added to the infected tions within the mouth. cells, the virus is seques- tered inside the cell – and the cell dies.

5 Always a step ahead With passion and conviction, Pardis Sabeti studies the genetic of the most aggressive viruses worldwide

6 Inspiring Science Race Against the Virus

f given the chance, Pardis Sabeti would have liked to have traveled around the world with RESEARCH CAREERS ICharles Darwin and Alfred Russell Wallace, “as Pardis Sabeti, passionate they explored the planet’s amazing diversity and conceptualized their theories of natural fighter for global health, selection.”Galileo, too, would have piqued her considers infectious interest as he studied the planetary system, as well as Charles Lyell “by uncovering the prin- diseases such as malaria, ciples of geology”. Pardis Sabeti loves every aspect of science cholera or Lassa fever and the people whose spectacular inventions the greatest scourge of revolutionized the world: those who measured and calculated, those who looked through mi- mankind. The sequencing croscopes and telescopes and those who discov- of the Ebola virus in West ered the tiniest of organisms and the vast ex- panses of the universe. However, her admiration Africa earned her the Time is not limited to the great and important explor- Magazine title of “Person ers; she embraces all those nameless women and men who influenced the course of life on earth of the Year” as one of the without earning a mention in the history books. Ebola Figthers, and named “I would have loved to have worked with many of them as they made their amazing discoveries.” one of Time’s “100 Most Today, the 41 year old evolutionary geneticist Influential People”. leads her own laboratory, which is a part of the Center for Systems at Harvard Univer- sity and works at the of MIT and Harvard, and it is where she herself makes groundbreaking discoveries.

Saving humankind from deadly viruses As a leading scientist in the field of computation- al , Dr. Sabeti searches for the root caus- es of epidemics, such as, for example, Lassa fever, Zika and Ebola. Her mission: to protect humankind from deadly infectious diseases. In her laboratory, the biologist is developing techniques that will help scientists recognize and characterize viruses ear- lier as well as better trace their paths of transmis- sion. “Infectious diseases are one of the strongest pressures on human populations”, says Dr. Sabeti. She and her team find themselves in a perpetual race against the viruses as these mutate over time and thus constantly present them with new chal- lenges: “And at any point, mutations can occur The object of study The Ebola virus – that can turn a deadly disease into a global epi- simulated on the demic”, warns the scientist. “We cannot necessar- computer ily predict which spark will ignite, but we can create global surveillance systems to put out the fires as they start.”

7 Computer simulation of CRISPR-Cas9 „CRISPR will revolutionize the field of medicine", says Pardis Sabeti

“Let us not let the world be Meeting of scientists at the defined by the destruction Broad Institute Dedicated to research for a life wrought by one virus, but without deadly epidemics illuminated by billions of hearts and minds working in unity.”

CRISPR revolutionizes medicine stories and keen on knowledge. Her One tool that Pardis Sabeti employs in mother Nancy came up with a plan. She order to develop better, field-deployable, purchased old school books, a blackboard potentially paper-based diagnostics for and a few school chairs and thus set up a viruses, is CRISPR. These so-called gene summer school for her daughter at her scissors, celebrated by scientists across . Pardis’s sister Parisa, two years the globe, will, according to Pardis, revo- older and already in school, was appoint- lutionize the field of medicine. CRISPR is ed her teacher. Parisa embraced her capable of editing DNA and RNA and thus assignment; she devised schedules and manipulate the with unprecedent- issued report cards. ed accuracy. “We and others are also de- When finally in school herself, Pardis veloping sequencing technologies to iden- was light years ahead of her peers and tify what causes human sickness in any discarded her initial plan of owning her patient sample without knowledge of any own flower shop or becoming a writer. symptoms, broadly testing all potential Pardis’s longed for science. microbes“, says the researcher. Pardis Sabeti summarizes her scientific mission: Graduating with high honors “She was able to create this just through “In essence, we conduct genomic epide- She studied Biology at the Massachusetts sheer force of will”, says . As miological studies, using fine tools of Institute of Technology (MIT) and gradu- Director of the Broad Institute and mentor, ­genomics to understand and respond to ated with high honors: "Perfect 5.0 Aver- he has accompanied Pardis Sabeti since outbreaks.” age". Equipped with the world’s most the late 1990s. “Pardis has this caring Pardis Sabeti was born in , , prestigious scholarship, the Rhodes about making the world a better place, in 1975. Her father Parviz was a high-rank- ­scholarship, she then earned her doctorate really fixing the world.” ing officer of the Shah regime. At the at the in the UK in The full extent of her convictions be- height of the , when the field of evolutionary genetics. Dr. Sa- came evident in 2014, during the Ebola Pardis was just two years old, the family beti was fascinated by research. “The outbreak in West Africa. Pardis spared no fled to the United States and later settled more I got engaged in research, the more risk and traveled with her team to the heart in Orlando. “In the early days my entire excited I became about it”, says Pardis. of the crisis in Sierra Leone. On site, inside family lived together in a very crowded Back in the US, she went on to earn a med- the Kenema Government Hospital, the team house, where I shared a room with my ical degree from sequenced virus samples from infected sister, cousin, and grandmother, and we in Boston. Not at all surprisingly, she grad- patients. “This marked the first in-depth would all listen to my grandmother tell uated “summa cum laude”; she was only use of real-time DNA sequencing in the stories before bedtime“, Pardis remem- the third woman since the inception of the midst of such a deadly pandemic.” The re- bers. Even as a child, she was hungry for elite University to achieve this distinction. searchers were able to discover that the

8 Inspiring Science virus was indeed transmitted from person to person and not repeatedly coming in from bats and other animals.

Deployment into the midst of the Ebola crisis vinced “that there is no excuse not to do Sabeti immediately published her results this kind of work with every outbreak that online to ensure that scientists around the ever occurs in the future.” As an “Ebola world would be able to join in her fight fighter”, Time Magazine voted Pardis one against Ebola. Her motto: “Let us not let of the most influential people of 2015. In the world be defined by the destruction the meantime, the physician is highly dec- wrought by one virus, but illuminated by orated with awards, and she is the woman billions of hearts and minds working in of the hour any time an epidemic rears its unity.” This constituted a rather unusual ugly head anywhere in the world. Despite step which earned her and her team a high all her honors, Pardis Sabeti still remains degree of attention. She says that “In hind- a warm-hearted person whose primary sight, we didn‘t care about getting recog- focus continues to be centered on the nition. We just wanted to get the data out well-being of her fellow humans and whose to the world.” highest inspirations are, in her own words, During their service in the midst of the human potential and human kindness. Ebola epidemic, many doctors, nurses and She has created a research laboratory scientists gave their lives. Five of her col- that simultaneously serves as a place of leagues were infected with the virus and connection, where everyone feels at home subsequently succumbed to the disease. and where everyone is respected and val- Nevertheless, the scientist remains con- ued. “We are family. I admire and care deeply for every member of my group“, she says, and she adds: “I want my team to be ambitious and competitive, but not with each other, and not even within their field. Instead, we work towards achieving some- thing in a greater cause: the battle against Music in her blood The evolutionary deadly pathogens.” geneticist is also the lead singer in Science and Rock’n’Roll her own band "Thousand Days" Those who believe that they know every- thing there is to know about this remarkable scientist are quite mistaken: (drumroll) – Pardis is the rock star among scientists. She is the lead singer in her own band “Thousand Days”; she loves writing music, she plays the bass and rocks the stages of Boston. The band has recorded five albums thus far. Rock music and science – do they Lab research trip in 2013 Pardis Sabeti at the Kenema fit together? “Of course! Music and science Hospital, Sierra Leone are creative enterprises in my mind, and in that way linked”, laughs Pardis, and she regrets: “There are still not enough hours in the day to do everything I want to do, but I make it work.” What else makes her happy? “Being with friends, family. And: Seeing other people achieve, fighting for my students, breaking through barriers.” Typical Pardis!

THERE'S MORE: Visit the website of Pardis Sabeti's lab.

www.sabetilab.org

9 Inspiring Science

From Inspiration to Final Product

Innovations of tomorrow A fruit serves as a model for a safety helmet Bionics is the name of a field of research and heart implants are made from the silk which harnesses materials occurring in nature for the benefit of technological de- protein produced by a spider: in the research velopments. “Bionics arrives at solutions in those areas where they may not be ex- field of bionics, scientists decode nature’s secrets pected”, says Professor Harald Luksch, for the development of technological solutions. Head of the Leonardo da Vinci Center for Bionics at the Technical University of Mu- nich (TUM) in Germany. According to Luksch, bionics has the potential to “gen- erate the revolutionary innovations of t first glance, the pomelo is just BMW Group, is looking to the pomelo as a ­tomorrow.” a regular fruit. Its taste is sweet model for the development of new protec- These include innovations such as the Aand sour, and it resembles a large grape- tive equipment for factory workers. To this highly efficient solar cell which researchers fruit. This may have been the extent of it end, the scientists are analyzing the tissue at the Institute of Technology in Karlsruhe, – if it were not for its extraordinary peel. composition and cellular structure as well Germany (KIT) have developed after the The pomelo, after all, is equipped with as the operating principles of the fruit- model of a black butterfly. The wings of the highly effective impact protection. Even if based shock absorber, and they are in the “common rose” (Pachliopta aristolochiae) it falls to the ground from great heights, it process of testing its suitability for use in feature tiny holes that are much more ef- will not burst open. The reason: the peel industrially manufactured products. The fective at absorbing a broad spectrum of condenses at the point of impact and hard- results are impressive: prototypes such as light than any smooth surface would be. ens as a result. helmets are up to 20 percent lighter, more The researchers then transferred this nano- The consortium of scientists BISS robust and more stable than all other ma- structure to the silicon layer of a thin film (Bio-Inspired Safety Systems), led by the terials commonly used at this time. solar cell – and were able to increase the

10 Pomelo, black butterfly, a spider web Sources of ideas that fuel innovation

The human creative genius can invent different things (…), but it will never succeed in creating one that is more beau- tiful, economical or straight than nature, as its inventions lack nothing, and nothing is superfluous.”

Leonardo da Vinci, artist, universal scholar and founding rate of light absorbance by up to 200 per- mussel (Mytilus californianus) is able to father of bionics cent.” This does not automatically translate cling to its rocks despite strong wave action into an increase in efficiency of the entire and roaring surf. This unshakable strength solar power unit to the same extent”, cau- has been attributed to the ionic bonds tions Guillaume Gomard of KIT. At the same ­within flexible biomolecules. time, however, solar modules featuring Following the example of the mussel, such nano-structures were capable of con- the researchers supplemented a polymer INFOBOX siderable enhancement, even on an indus- with iron nitrate and the organic substance trial scale. catechol. The result: tensile strength in- creased 58-fold, while flexibility of the Large economic Swift as ants polymer was not compromised in the least. potential The insect that has inspired Japanese sci- “This work opens exciting lanes of discov- entist Katsuhiro Nishinari, who conducts ery for many commercial and industrial Bionics is firmly established as a his research on traffic jams at the Univer- applications”, says Megan Valentine, Pro- method for innovation. Thanks to sity of Tokyo, is even smaller than the but- fessor in the Department of Mechanical the limitless creative potential of terfly: the ant. He discovered that on ant Engineering. The approach of rendering nature, it continues to generate trails, traffic flows steadily, even under flexible synthetic materials more robust new developments and product conditions of extreme congestion. Their may be useful, for example, in the devel- optimizations. However, not all secret: the continuous sequence of stop opment of shock-proof smart phone cases. bionic patents will mature into a and go leads to an effective flow of traffic. marketable product, as ideas Ants also distribute information by leaving The investigative spirit meets patience often fail to bridge the gap a scent on the ground, allowing them to Whether it is exterior paint which, by mod- between the university and the react to a new situation in a flexible manner. eling the head-stander beetle, dries in an marketplace. Nevertheless, the In accordance with this model of commu- instant, or heart transplants based on the California-based Fermanian nication, Nishinari developed a system for silk protein produced by a spider: bionic Business & Economic Institute at customs at Narita airport in Tokyo. As soon approaches are ubiquitous across all pos- Point Loma Nazarene University as a plane departs for Japan, the airline sible areas, including energy, architecture, in attributes large reports the number of non-Japanese pas- medicine, mobility and materials science. economic potential to the field of sengers. The airport is then able to prepare That being said, it takes years until a re- bionics. By the year 2030, it for the number of incoming tourists in a search project matures into a final prod- could potentially contribute $425 more efficient manner. As a result, waiting uct, and patience is of the essence. “The billion to the gross domestic times at customs have been cut by half. eu­reka effect at the moment of discovery product (GDP) of the US alone. The field of materials science, too, is is always grand”, says Professor Luksch inspired by living organisms that may of the Technical University of Munich. Source: https://www.terrapin ­otherwise be considered plain. Scientists “But it requires endless basic research to brightgreen.com/tapping-into- at the University of California at Santa Bar- take the inspiration all the way to a prac- nature/ (chapter 1.6) bara have observed that the California tical product.”

11 Exploring Life Pawpaw Tropical fruit cocktail in a single food Amaranth Contains many easily digestible nutrients and other vital substances

Saviors of Diversity Ancient varieties of fruits and vegetables add a welcome change to the kitchen; they thrive in our own back yards, and they are perfectly suited to organic agriculture. This is how initiatives across the globe stand up for the preservation of almost forgotten crops.

ude and Michel Fanton are enthusi- exchange experiences and seeds with lo- astic amateur gardeners. On their cal farmers and allotment gardeners. Jproperty in Byron Bay on Australia’s Pa- cific coast, more than 1,000 arable plants Global movement thrive, among them many exotic ancient The “Seed Savers” are a part of a global varieties of fruits and vegetables such as movement that has been steadily gaining Sunflower root the sweet and crunchy Yacon root, origi- support – for good reason. “Due to the Rich in potassium, nating from the Andes, which Michel Fan- industrialization of agriculture, the world- calcium and magnesium ton, a native of France, prefers to eat fresh wide variety of arable crops has shrunk by from the ground. African cabbage is an- 75 percent”, says Johanna Gillinger, Chair other example: the leaves and sprouts of of the Austrian organization “Arche Noah”. this vegetable from Africa will add spice Founded roughly 25 years ago, the asso- to any salad. ciation has more than 17,000 members The Fantons advocate for the conser- and supporters today. Its centerpiece is vation of as many ancient arable crops as the “seed archive”, one of the largest pri- possible. In 1986, the couple founded the vate plant seed banks in Europe, where “Seed Savers Foundation”, which has experts store and propagate the seeds of since grown to include more than 100 lo- more than 6,000 endangered varieties of cal initiatives in Oceania and Japan. The vegetables, fruits and grain. members save and distribute the seeds of The “Arche Noah” web shop features edible plants. Since 1992, the Fantons rare gems such as the almost forgotten have undertaken regular journeys to pro- Indian banana (pawpaw) – the largest ed- mote the diversity of varieties in places ible fruit native to North America. Green such as Asia and Europe, as well as to on the outside, of medium size and shaped

12 Exploring Life

like a peanut, its yellow pulp tastes like an exotic mix of mango and banana. For the longest time, the fruit grew wild; these days, pioneers in the US and Europe are attempting to cultivate the fruit on plan- Puntarelle tations. Dyed-in-the-wool fans in Ohio Crunchy, fresh and even hold an annual pawpaw festival. especially delicious if enjoyed raw Preserve, share, protect Initiatives such as “Seed Savers” and “Arche Noah” not only advocate for the preservation of diverse varieties, they also support their free distribution. Whereas in the past, patents exclusively covered genetically modified plants, nowadays even common varieties may be excluded Topinambour from exchange or sale. This trend is meet- A popular ing with resistance, led by the US-based alternative “Open Source Seed Initiative”, which to potatoes trades license-free seed at fair conditions. In addition to root vegetables of various colors, their selection includes the mil- let-like protein marvel Amaranth, which had been prized by the Aztec, Inca and Maya – and which has more recently be- come an integral item on the shelves of organic supermarkets. From the perspective of Roman Lenz, Professor of Agricultural Planning, it is

quite normal that dietary habits will kle”, which roughly translates to “little change over time. He is warning, how­ever, gene bank”, in Baden-Wurttemburg in that it is generally not a good idea to rely Germany, Lenz advocates for local crops too strongly on the limited varieties of not only to be archived, but also actively edible plant species that comprise the ar- cultivated. “A number of the old varieties able crops available today. While these do are so well adapted to regional conditions deliver the highest yields under conditions that they are ideally suited to the local of intense use of fertilizers and pesticides, organic agriculture”, he says. In order to “factors such as or even sustain worldwide diversity in the long novel trends in nutrition can lead to en- term, the scientist demands: “We must tirely different varieties being suitable, and better protect ancient varieties und there- thus in demand, a few years from now”, fore include legal protection – in much the explains Lenz. As a co-founder of the same way as we protect cultural land- ­network of saviors of varieties “Genbän- marks.”

13 Exploring Life Vegetables in the Spotlight

Food trend with traditional ingredients: root vegetables, topinambour and others conquer haute cuisine.

With his new German cuisine “Pure Nature”, the decorated gourmet chef Nils Henkel delights the patrons of his restaurant Burdock Schwarzenstein in the Rheingau region in Known as a scavenger of Germany. Many of his dishes feature ancient free radicals varieties of fruits and vegetables. In this in- terview, he reveals which ones are his favor- ites, and why we should eat a lot less meat.

You love vegetables, whereas fish and meat play supporting roles in your dishes. Your meal “Flora” forgoes them entirely. What has inspired you but the diversity available in other coun- ness exhilarating. Other exceptional foods to cook in this fashion? tries is also tempting, and certain variet- include purple salsify and burdock, which ies such as puntarelle or trevisano are are largely unknown to our guests. Henkel: in my opinion, we consume typically not available locally. Despite my way too much meat these days, and more- focus on local foods, I offer a wide-rang- Which role do the seasons play in over, we take it for granted. All the while, ing cuisine. I enjoy working with flavors, your culinary art? humans seem to forget where the meat spices and, generally, influences from comes from and under which inhumane across the globe, which I then combine Henkel: I plan my menu with the seasons conditions these animals are reared. I with basic German products. in mind, and I select produce when it is in want to show my guests how exciting season and tastes best. I respect seasonal vegetable dishes can be. Do you have favorites among the ancient closure periods for fish and venison to allow varieties? populations to recover. not agree with To accomplish this, you mainly rely on the fact that almost every product from any ancient varieties of fruits and vegeta- Henkel: I especially enjoy working with given location on earth is always at our bles. Where do you source these? sun root, or topinambour, because I like fingertips, and I would be delighted to see the characteristic flavor. I also value the an increase in consciousness for the sea- Henkel: Produce from regional or Ger- different varieties of beets because I find sonal nature of our food. man sources is always my first choice, the combination of earthiness and sweet-

14 Eppendorf Recipe

Trevisano Related to Huge Cinnamon Roll chicory and endive Bring your own Recipe

INGREDIENTS 1 Mix well 475 g flour, yeast, 50 g sugar 475 g + 25 g flour, and vanilla sugar. Melt 100 g of butter in a 1 packet of dry yeast, pot over a low heat. Add 200 ml of milk and 50 g + 75 g + 10 g sugar, warm to the touch. Add the butter and milk 1 packet of vanilla sugar, mixture and egg to the flour mixture and use 1 egg, the dough hooks of the electric hand mixer 100 g + 75 g butter, to make a dough. Cover with a damp cloth in 200 ml of milk (for brushing), a warm place for 60 minutes. 3 tsp. + 1 tsp. cinnamon, baking paper 2 Lay out springform with baking paper or grease. Add the remaining 25 g of flour into the dough and roll out the dough on baking paper approx. 0.5 cm thick to a rectangle. Stir 75 g of butter, 3 teaspoons of cinnamon and 75 g of sugar until creamy and spread over the dough. I respect seasonal This is a recipe tip tried from our editorial team! We love it! 3 Cut the dough lengthwise into strips closure periods Try it and let us know approx. 4 cm wide. Roll up the first strip into for fish and venison if you liked it! a roll. Then place the roll on the beginning of the second strip and also roll it up into a to allow populations roll. So roll strip by strip into an ever larger roll. Place roll in the springform. Cover the to recover … cinnamon roll for another 20 minutes. I would be delighted­ to see an increase 4 Preheat the oven to 180 ° C (circulating What’s your favorite recipe? air: 160 ° C). Mix 2 teaspoons sugar with in consciousness for We want to hear from our readers! 1 pinch of cinnamon. Sprinkle the giant cin- Send us your favorite recipe, along with a photograph. namon bun with milk, sprinkle with cinnamon the seasonal nature sugar and bake in a preheated oven for about of our food.” 25 minutes until golden brown on the other [email protected] side. No flipping required while baking).

15 A Deeper Look into Ice Cold Molecules

Those who are curious about the inner workings of life must take a closer look inside the cell. Cryo electron microscopy delivers a high quality which had never been achieved before.

Revolutionary: Cryo electron microscopy of Venezuelan equine encephalitis

16 Exploring Life

INFOBOX

hey were dehydrated, fixed in the like computer tomography in the hospital. standard fashion, embedded in From these series of tilted images we are Tsynthetic resins, sectioned and contrasted then able to calculate the 3D structures of in with heavy metals – samples were subject- the most complex samples, for example, ed to all of these procedures to make them infected cells.” In early December, 2017, the Swiss reveal their shapes and structures and al- Significant contributions to the devel- , the native low electrons to pass through them. Until opment of this technological revolution German and the only a few years ago, the observation of were made by three men, all of whom are Scot Richard Henderson jointly biomolecules using classic electron micros- now, at over 70 years of age, veterans of accepted the year’s Nobel Prize for copy was associated with enormous effort science: the Swiss Jacques Dubochet, the Chemistry in Stockholm (see and its options were limited – a lengthy native German Joachim Frank and the Scot picture below). As early as 1975, procedure that destroyed many molecular Richard Henderson (for more details, Richard Henderson succeeded in structures in the process. “Analysis some- please see the info box). With a number displaying a three-dimensional what resembled archeology”, says struc- protein using electron microscopic tural biologist Kay Grünewald at the Uni- images. Jacques Dubochet versity of Hamburg. The result is a glass-like developed the cryo-preservation process by preventing dehydration “We are now able to count individual amorphous ice – a pro- of the molecule through instant electrons” deep-freezing. Thus, in 1984, he Cryo electron microscopy, or cryo-EM for cess called vitrification was the first to show viruses in an short, has revolutionized research. Since aqueous solution. Finally, the 2013, new “direct detectors” have permit- of technological advances, cryo-EM first native German Joachim Frank, ted a detailed view inside the molecules. attained a broader range of applications while working in the US, spent Using this enhanced technology, samples during the 1990s. Nowadays, the technol- many years developing may now be studied under life-like aque- ogy is enjoying such a high level of sophis- reconstruction algorithms and ous conditions in their native environment. tication that it has enabled the generation software, and he combined his Professor Grünewald explains: “These of spectacular images including, for ex- achievements with Dubochet’s new detectors even allow us to count in- ample, images of bacteria attacking cells, method. dividual electrons. That is a major step! as well as the structure of the Zika virus. We are now able to study biological struc- tures in a life-like state at the atomic level.” Detailed research at the atomic level Grünewald, originally from Jena, and was previously unimaginable his team conduct their research at the What is cryo, and how do researchers work Centre for Structural Systems Biology with cryo-EM? Cryo (also: Kryo) originates (CSSB) on the campus in Hamburg-Bahren- from the Greek and means “ice cold”. In feld. This is where researchers from dif- the realm of physics, it refers to tempera- ferent institutions collaborate in an inter- tures below minus 150 degrees Celsius. disciplinary manner so as to gain a better Professor Grünewald explains the process: insight into the mechanisms which under- “Three essential conditions must be met. Winners of last year’s Nobel Prize in lie the processes of infection. In addition We have to freeze the samples very quick- Chemistry: Richard Henderson (left), Joachim Frank, Jacques Dubochet ly while avoiding the formation of ice crys- tals. The result is a glass-like amorphous Calculating the 3D ice. We refer to this process as vitrifica- tion”. The samples thus frozen, and chilled structures of the most to approximately minus 180°C using liquid complex molecules that are achieved, nitrogen, are then studied in the electron functional relationships are now visible at complex samples microscope using very low intensity elec- the atomic level. “For example, we can tron radiation. “This is important in order now understand how viruses enter a cell, to other methods, they utilize cryo-EM in to prevent damage to the structures of and which path they take within molecular order to contribute to the better under- biological objects”, says the 45-year-old. mimicry”, explains Grünewald. standing of diseases such as malaria and To this end, projection images of the sam- 30 to 40 years ago, as the pioneers car- herpes. Professor Grünewald’s research ple are generated using highly sensitive ried out their ground-breaking experi- focuses predominantly on the molecular cameras. The three-dimensional structure ments, such research into atomic detail interactions between viruses and their is then calculated from the many individ- was still unimaginable. These days, the host cells. He explains: “We employ ual projection images. enhanced structural information gained cryo-electron tomography. To this end, This process offers an important ad- from cryo-EM helps decipher basic bio- we generate a number of projection im- vantage: further to the considerably sharp- logical functions as well as understand ages while we tilt the object – very much er images and higher resolution of more these on a mechanistic level.

17 Exploring Life Lab Lifestyle

Amusing mishaps

If while tagging an alligator, hands acci- dentally become stuck to the predator’s back; if the exploration of the howler mon- keys’ habitat leads to the accidental dis- covery of a drug camp; if alleged medieval bones turn out to be the remains of a chicken – then something has clearly gone wrong with the research. The French illustrator Jim Jourdane has collected these and many other mishaps and illus- trated and published them in a humorous manner in his book “Fieldwork Fail”. The stories are not simply funny, but also high- light the very human side of science, feels Jourdane. An uplifting read for daily ­laboratory routine.

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Eppendorf, in co-operation with SmartMicroOptics, is raffling three Blips lens-sets: 1st prize: Blips Gift Pack (http://bit.ly/2jAYusf), 2nd prize: Ultra Lab Kit (http://bit.ly/2tXO99Y), 3rd prize: Macro Kit Metal Series (http://bit.ly/2gO9WuY). Send us an e-mail to [email protected] or register as a subscriber and leave a message with the keyword “Blips lenses”. The deadline for submission is June 22, 2018. Please find the terms and conditions on our website www.eppendorf.com/otb.

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18 Exploring Life

lected and processed in unknown ambient temperature on the po- conditions you have absolutely lymerization rates. She will also no control over. And that clean, know how to properly mix and tidy peak will sometimes elude degas viscous fluids with no stan- you. dard lab tools on hand. Same goes for editing videos So yeah, I now may be sporting shot in low-light conditions: you a corset, a tutu and a pair of sti- end up invoking the spirit of Jo- lettos instead of a lab coat, nev- seph Fourier and bestowing end- ertheless, my stage is a lab – and less blessings on his transform I am a scientist. that made the entire digital media manipulation possible. All that My stage is a lab MSci in Biotechnology and half a PhD math paid off. The infamous Or- in Experimental Audiology, Karla I made my first Eppendorf tube ganic Chemistry comes in handy ­Hajman is a full-time musician and earrings back in 2006 – before when it comes to building your artist that now studies humankind from off the stage with her solo Etsy was a thing at all. I also wrote own costumes. A lab geek will ­project “Stereochemistry”. She is a song called “The Biotech Bal- never mix addition and conden- often found polishing up her German on various Science Slam stages across lad”, singing the adventures of sation curing silicons, nor will she Germany. spending your Saturday nights underestimate the influence of http://stereochemistrymusic.com blotting in the lab. My colleagues mocked me, a lot. A few years later the arty side of me started to riot, so I proudly dropped out of my PhD in Exper- imental Audiology at Karolinska Arts and crafts in the lab Institutet to become a full-time musician. A street musician in We, the members of the Off the Bench editorial team, have Barcelona, to be precise. taken advantage of a creative break in order to experiment Little did I know that once a with our pipettes. The result: these little art pieces – three nerd, always a nerd: you can cute dogs. Aren’t they just almost life-like? What can you leave a lab, but the lab will never build from Eppendorf consumables? Send us your art piece leave you. So what do music, stu- to [email protected] – a selection of creations will dios and cabaret have to do with be published in the next issue of Off the Bench as well as on labs and science? A lot, I tell you. our website. We look forward to your submissions! Naming your music project “Ste- reochemistry” is just the tip of the iceberg. When you are stuck in a re- cording studio trying to clean up some audio someone has brought to you, you’re swimming neck deep in the signal-to-back- ground-noise sea again. As if it were a mass-spectrometer. Just that your sample has been col-

At the Bench

www.eppendorf.com/pipetting 19 Foreign Green

Lost in the woods, clueless in meadows and fields; we humans have lost touch with nature, and valuable knowledge is being irrevocably lost. This type of alienation will hurt not only our children. Find out why nature deserves a place in our daily lives, and what roles parents and educators can play in the process.

Lower your stress and increase your wellness Spending time in nature is healthy and it promotes creativity and vitality

20 Exploring Life

eter Wohlleben knows what trees door leisure activities has increased. Half Healthy Green feel. “If an oak tree is afraid, it will of those interviewed for the “Youth and The Dutch study “Green space, urbanity, Pgrow many small branches along its trunk. Nature Report” indicated that they spent and health: how strong is the relation?” If a spruce feels stress, its scent, somewhat at least three hours a day in front of a showed that city dwellers who are sur- spicy-aromatic, may remind us of our last screen. This development has also been rounded by green space are less prone to vacation in Spain, whereas in reality the noted by Richard Louv, author of the book stress and that they are healthier in gene- trees are communicating to each other that “Last child in the Woods”: “Human beings ral. In Japan, the realization that time spent they are thirsty”, explains the forest rang- have been moving more of their activities in nature has a positive effect on health er and book author. For many years he has indoors since the invention of agriculture, and well-being has been incorporated in conveyed knowledge of the forest, and he the Industrial Revolution, and through con- the National Health Program since 1982. takes children on field trips, just like in his tinuing urbanization. Social and technolo- “Shinrin Yoku”, forest bathing, is a recog­ latest book “Hörst du wie die Bäume spre- gical changes in the past three decades nized scientific discipline as well as a the- chen?” (Can you hear the trees speak?) His have accelerated that change in both cities rapy. Walks in the woods are deemed to primary goal is to evoke curiosity. “Perhaps and rural areas.” Until now, however, no lower blood pressure and pulse as well as the book will succeed in inspiring the whole study has been able to establish a causal levels of the stress hormone cortisol, and family to simply spend more time outside link between alienation from nature and they strengthen the immune system. in the forest”, hopes Wohlleben. With his the use of media. Louv says: “Technology Europe’s first spa and healing forest is books, field trips and seminars at the For- now dominates almost every aspect of our currently growing on the island of Use- estry Academy of Rhineland-Palatinate’s lives. In and of itself, technology is not the dom. An area of 266 hectares will be home Wershofen in Germany, the forester closes enemy; but the lack of balance in our to various paths and therapy stations knowledge gaps. schools and lives, I believe, can be lethal.” which are meant to contribute to the relief of cardiac and circulatory problems Crucial nature education Alienation with consequences as well as respiratory and neurological One look at the results of the 2016 “7th The increasing loss of experiences invol- ailments. Youth and Nature Report”, which for the ving nature is not a new phenomenon. Louv Many fields include approaches that past 20 years has provided insight into the became aware of this development as ear- counteract nature alienation. Louv: “We’re relationships that young people have with ly as the late 1980s, when, while conducting seeing new appreciation for these issues nature, clearly highlights the importance the research for “Last Child in the Woods”, among parents, educators, pediatricians, of the work done by people like Peter Wohl- he interviewed nearly 3,000 children and mayors and others. And we’re seeing leben. Only 12 percent of those surveyed parents in urban, suburban and rural areas strong countertrends – such as the growth were able to name three edible fruits that across the United States. His observations of nature-oriented schools.” grow in German forests or on the edge of coined the term “Nature deficit disorder”. According to the Federal Association forests. Among the wrong answers were Louv: “It is not a medical diagnosis, but a of Nature and Forest Daycares, more than mostly domestic fruits such as apples and term I devised to describe what I believe 1,500 nature and forest daycares current- pears, but mangoes, bananas and pineap- are the human costs of alienation from na- ly operate in Germany. In Berlin, one of ples were also mentioned. The nature so- ture.” According to Louv, children not only the first forest schools in Germany, the ciologist Rainer Brämer had more than lose their creativity, but they are also de- Nature School Blankenfelde, opened as 1,000 students between grades 6 and 9 in prived of their vitality. Attention difficulties early as 2007. The Nature School “Am North-Rhine Westphalia interviewed for and higher rates of physical and emotional Brosepark” in Berlin-Pankow opened its the current study. illnesses could be among the consequen- doors this year. Its goal: children are to There are a number of possible reasons ces. Louv further states that the lack of experience their environment conscious- for the increasing alienation of young peo- experiences in nature will hurt not only our ly. Twice per week, instruction takes place ple from nature. According to a study con- children: “I think of nature deficit disorder outdoors. Richard Louv views the future ducted by the United Nations, 75 percent as more of a disorder of the society – it optimistically: “We’re hopeful that the of the population in industrialized nations shapes adults, families, whole communities culture is beginning to move in a different lives in cities. In addition, the range of in- and the future of our stewardship of nature.” direction.”

21 Loose Goods Resolute and plastic-free – the zero waste movement relies on maximum waste prevention as well as on

Sustainably ­ sustainable consumption. These are packaged The zero waste the steps to take when leading a life movement makes an important contribution – almost – without garbage. to environmental conservation

22 Exploring Life

GLOBAL BULK

ea Johnson and her family are – a lot!” “Zero Waste is not magic, but The German zero-waste blogger Shia different. They lead a life that is rather the sum of many small, very feasible Su has been visiting bulk stores. Right Bas close to waste-free as it could possibly steps”, says Shia Su. In her blog Wasteland now she is spending a year in Canada. be – in the center of California. Whereas Rebel! she shares practical and workable She shares her extensive shopping the average American generates roughly information and tips on all things to do reports at two kilograms of garbage a day, the amount with waste prevention and sustainability www.wastelandrebel.com/en. of waste produced by the Johnsons in an (see box to the right). entire year will fit neatly into a canning jar. Unverpackt, Kiel, Germany Since 2008, the blogger and author who Stopping the plastic flood Products are available in bulk and originally hails from France has been living Since the early 1950s, humanity has pro- displayed in dispensers. Customers in accordance with the principles “Refuse, duced approximately 8.3 billion tons of fill their own containers that they Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Rot”. She sold plastic – such are the conclusions reached bring from home. Products that are 80 percent of her belongings, and she re- by the authors of the study “Production, approaching their sell-by dates are jects superfluous waste such as advertising use, and fate of all plastics ever made”. donated to the food sharing initiative flyers and plastic ­packaging of food; she This is an unimaginable amount, equiva- in Kiel. advocates for more conscious consumption lent to the mass of one billion elephants. www.unverpackt-kiel.de and for reusable prod- A large proportion of ucts, for recycling and this plastic waste has GOODsONLY, Zutphen, composting. Accord- “If everyone become a part of the the Netherlands ing to Johnson, sus- environment, with A small but exquisite selection of tainable consumption were to question landfills still represent- mostly bulk products. Goods are begins long before the their ­consumer ing the most desirable delivered via bicycle courier upon trip to the supermar- option. The amount of request. ket. In her book “Zero habits, our plastic waste is ex- www.goodsonly.nl Waste Home”, she pected to increase to writes: “Zero waste environment would twelve billion tons by West Coast Refill, Victoria, Canada takes into consider- 2050. According to a A small zero-waste store that offers ation both direct and stand to profit study by the Cologne environmentally friendly and indirect forms of con- greatly.” Institue for Economic affordable household products and sumption. It is not Research, an average personal care items. about recycling more; of 37 kilograms of plas- www.westcoastrefill.com it’s about acting on needless waste and tic garbage per person was generated stopping it from coming into our homes in during 2015 in Germany alone. the first place.” Johnson is considered the “The global problem of ever increasing pioneer of the zero waste movement, plastic waste that pollutes the land, the whose motto is the reduction of garbage. rivers and the oceans is increasing, and Still, this way of environmentally friend- Not generating any waste at all is a purely with it the necessity to do something about ly shopping is far from being the standard. idealistic goal, even according to Johnson, it”, says Tobias Quast, waste expert at the “Certain trends will develop very quickly which, in light of the reality of today’s pro- German Association for the Environment in our consumer society, while others take duction methods, is impossible to attain. and Nature Conservation (BUND). To him, longer to establish, but it is these that are the zero waste movement is not a short- here to stay”, says Marie Delaperrière. In Achievable waste prevention lived trend, but rather an important con- her store, customers may bring their own It’s the many small steps that count: an tribution to avoiding the generation of containers to buy bulk products. From experience that was shared by the German more waste. Quast: “We are at the begin- grains and spices, milk and candy, to blogger Shia Su – who was inspired by ning of a shift in consciousness.” Marie cleaning products and cosmetics, every- Bea Johnson. “When my husband and I Delaperrière knows that it is a process that thing is available in bulk and for self-­ began to avoid generating garbage, we will require time. In 2014, she opened bottling. In Delaperrière’s opinion, envi- started with the simple things. For fruit Germany’s first bulk store in Kiel. Since ronmentally friendly shopping is not a and vegetables, we used laundry nets in- then, packaging-free stores have opened question of budget. “It is mostly about stead of plastic bags. Since there was no across the country. The topic is slowly being clear on what one really needs.” To bulk food store in our neighborhood, we reaching the German economy. BUND Delaperrière, zero waste goes beyond began to ask our organic food store for expert Quast reports: “Right now, a large merely buying in bulk. “It is grounded in wholesale packages of staples such as rice. German chain of organic supermarkets, a basic belief. If every human being were One by one, our habits changed.” By the in collaboration with the Faculty of Busi- to question their consumer habits, our end of the year, their garbage filled a mere ness Psychology at the University of Darm- environment would stand to profit great- 750 milliliter canning jar. The most sur- stadt, is studying how their customers feel ly.” For her, every step in the direction of prising revelation: “Every little bit helps about bulk foods.” zero waste counts.

23 Exploring Life

Change in perspective Alongside other skyscrapers, Tower 185 shapes the characteristic view of the Frankfurt skyline

24 Exploring Life

ertain cities evoke a sense of Finance, longing; for example, Hamburg Cwith its port and its aura of worldliness, or trendy Berlin, a magnet for creative types from all over the world. But Frank- ? This is where billions are being Fine Arts, moved and the economy is buzzing. Even Johann Wolfgang von Goethe considered his birthplace to be mainly a starting point for his extended travels. “In a city like Frankfurt, one finds oneself in a cu- Food rious situation; forever do passing strang- ers point towards all areas of the world and awaken the desire to travel”, stated the poet laureate in his autobiography Frankfurt’s entertainment value is “Poetry and Truth”. often underestimated. At the same Livable Metropolis time, the city on the Main River The city in the center of Germany has more to offer than the bull and bear mar- offers a variety of highlights kets and business. The parks of the cam- pus of Goethe University are brimming away from the banking towers. with hundreds of students; they debate Frankfurt’s museum embankment, and laugh, and they cheerfully answer the questions of passing visitors. Yes, in particular, is always worth a Frankfurt is a top-notch city for studying, everything is very international. Well, visit, no matter the season. yes, housing is expensive, but the stan- dard of living is high. This assessment has been verified by a number of studies. During the past few decades, Frankfurt has progressed to become one of the most livable larger cities within Europe, if not the world. According to an analysis by “The Economist”, the metropolis on the Main River ranks 6th among the most livable major cities in Europe, and on a global scale, Frankfurt achieved 20th place. According to the “Sustainable Cit- ies Mobility Index”, Frankfurt even holds first place for . Last, but not least, the economy. Here, at the famous Institute for Social Re- search , is where representatives of the Frankfurt School including Max Horkheimer, Theodor W. Adorno and Herbert Marcuse developed their

25 Exploring Life

“critical theory”. However, all visitors, in Germany, offers so many suggestions offer cake and cappuccino. The view of even those who do not wish to tackle crit- that it is difficult to make a decision. The the Main is breathtaking, life is good, and ical philosophies, will definitely get their Schirn Art Museum, for example, is al- all our senses are now ready for more money’s worth. ways a good choice. The exhibit “Glamour exploration. An ideal starting point for your explo- and Plight in the Weimar Republic” offers ration of the city is the Senckenberg Park profound insight into the art at the time Literally only a minute’s walk from the in the vicinity of the Senckenberg Re- between the two world wars; the images Museum of Architecture, the German search Institute. The paleo-biological and political placards speak to the psy- Film Museum is located inside a historic educational trail situated among green chological premonition of the looming villa – paradise for movie buffs. Friends meadows is lined with exhibits from the catastrophe. of comic art should amble across the iron Senckenberg Museum that originate from foot bridge “Eiserner Steg” towards the deep within our earth’s history. The pic- After so much serious history, a break is museum “Caricatura”. It is home to more nic next to an enormous dinosaur evokes a welcome opportunity to experience than 4,000 original caricatures of the memories of the Spielberg movie Jurassic Frankfurt’s ease and zest for life. The “New Frankfurt School” with works by Park. Those who are eager to learn more Main River attracts people from all cor- famous artists, including F.K. Waechter, about earth’s history and evolution ners of the world and from all professions, Chlodwig Poth and F.W. Bernstein, the should definitely participate in one of the and local Hessians welcome everyone co-founders of the satire magazines “Par- exciting tours of the museum. with open arms. Conviviality is para- don” and “Titanic”. Enjoying an Äppel- mount, and it is easy to make new friends woi, which loosely translates to “apple Art for every palate during carefree hours in bars and “Äp- wine”, one may reminisce about the ac- Following the excursions into scientific pelwoi” restaurants (please see below, tions and provocations of these satirists highlights, it’s now time for art, which is point 3). In case it happens to be too ear- whose books and magazines line the on display at a number of museums in ly in the day for Hessian cider or beer, a bookshelves of millions in Germany. This Frankfurt. The cultural section of the number of cafes along the embankment agenda item alone will make the trip to “Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung”, one of the Main River, including the one inside the metropolis on the Main River worth- of the most renowned daily newspapers the German Museum for Architecture, while.

LET’S GO! SCIENCE IN FRANKFURT Relax, discover, enjoy: where else to go in Frankfurt. ACHEMA®, the largest exhibition in the processing industry for chemical technology, process technology and biotechnology worldwide, takes place in Frank- furt, Germany, every three years. Those who have had too much urban ex- Once again this year, from June citement can now join a number of tours 11–15, Eppendorf will extend you into Frankfurt’s extensive green belt or take a warm welcome. You can find the a break in FRANKFURT’S “STADTWALD” Eppendorf booth in hall 4.1. at (“CITY FOREST”), Germany’s largest ur- booth number B35. There we will 1 ban forest which covers an area of close to feature our latest products such 6,000 hectares. This paradise of nature is as the BioFlo® 120 bench-scale home to many species of trees such as oak, bioprocess system for cell culture beech, Scots pine, birch and spruce, as well and fermentation. In addition, we as large numbers of forest-dwelling animals will present an integrated soft- including wild boar, deer and hare. Those ware solution for bioprocess looking to relax have a total of 450 kilome- control, experimental design and ters of trails at their fingertips on which to statistical analysis. We will also hike, run, cycle or simply watch riders on feature our new biological shaker horseback pass by. Other pastimes avail- – the Innova® S44i, the new PCR able in the Stadtwald include table tennis, thermal cycler – the Master- soccer, beach volleyball, miniature golf and cycler® X50 and the Centrifuge skateboarding. 5910 R which combines high ca- pacity with exceptional flexibility. bit.ly/2Ey21w7

26 Historic Market place Relaxed and cozy The Römerberg with the Going out and fine old Church of St. Nicholas dining in the district in the background of Alt-Sachsenhausen

Place of higher education Goethe University in Frankfurt am Main

Narrow alleyways, cozy squares, tim- ber-framed houses and wells – Old Sach- senhausen, with its Große and Kleine Rittergasse, the Paradiesgasse and Klap- pergasse, is a traditional quarter full of characteristic FRANKFURT COZINESS. 3 This is where the Äppelwoi restaurants congregate: one sits on wooden benches and drinks the Hessian cider from the “ribbed”, the traditional apple wine glass that is faintly reminiscent of a mustard jar. It is best enjoyed with Frankfurt specialties such as beef with green sauce, “Handkäs” (sour milk cheese) with or without music, and pretzels.

2 p.m. The 1.5 hour long program THE FRANKFURT STOCK EX- CHANGE is open to the public – includes a presentation on the provided reservations were made history of the Frankfurt Stock Ex- well in advance. Exclusive guided change as well as commentary on tours for individuals as well as the actions taking place on the groups (with a maximum of 70 floor which visitors may view from participants, at a price of 125 eu- the gallery. Important: you must ros) are available on all trading remember to bring valid photo ID. days at 7:45 a.m. (in time for the Opening Bell), at noon or at 3:30 bit.ly/2Ey3m6c

27 Help! It’s All in the Temperature 95 degrees Celsius – that is the denaturation temperature commonly recom- mended for PCR reactions. A new tool in the PCR toolbox now enables more flexible handling – for a higher yield.

A step forward Optimizing the denaturation temperature with the new Mastercycler® X50

he toolbox for the optimization of days be established in a matter of a few presents problems since the inhibiting sub- PCR assays is well stocked: from hours or even minutes. Despite these ad- stances are often purified alongside the Tprimer design and magnesium concentra- vances, not all PCR assays meet with im- DNA, i.e. they emerge from the purification tion to new enzymes – these days, scien- mediate success; even after experimenting process bound to the DNA and thus auto- tists have a number of options at their with a series of different annealing tem- matically enter the assay. disposal. Optimization of the annealing peratures, some assays simply will not A less well-known factor, which will also temperature in PCR reactions, too, is a produce DNA on a logarithmic scale. lead to unsatisfactory DNA yield, is insuf- method that has been established for de- ficient denaturation of the DNA. The major- cades; it expanded the possibilities of PCR, Crucial factors: inhibition and ity of assays simply provide a denaturation and it paved the way for vastly more so- denaturation step of 95 degrees Celsius – independent of phisticated assays and topics. One widely known reason for this failure the properties of the template DNA. Where- Furthermore, mastermixes and kits is PCR inhibition: a number of substances as the duration of the 95 degrees Celsius have become more efficient and less prone are capable of inhibiting PCR, either by denaturation step may vary, it does appear to error. Instead of taking days or even binding to the polymerase or by binding to as though temperatures beyond this limit, weeks, a simple PCR reaction can nowa- the DNA. The latter category, in particular, for the purpose of more efficient denatur-

28 Help!

2D-gradient optimization Optimization of the denaturation (bottom to top) and annealing temperatures (left to right) allows ideal conditions for maximum yield or specificity

ation, were unchartered terrain to scien- tists. Once one knows how the denatur- ation process functions, it is conceivable that the length of the template, its GC- content, or the tertiary structure of the DNA must have a significant influence on the denaturation temperature required. A higher denaturation temperature, however, goes hand in hand with increased thermal stress on all biomolecules within the reaction, and it is therefore often not even ­considered.

Success factor temperature adaptation One must always keep in mind that PCR constitutes a biological system: in a classic denaturation step, some template mole- cules of double-stranded DNA will separate while others will not. This circumstance may have a significant impact on the effi- ciency of the PCR, particularly during the first few cycles. If one envisions the het- erogeneity of the DNA templates which form the basis of any PCR reaction, it is surprising that the majority of scientists are content with 95 degrees Celsius. Vary- ing only the duration of this step, but not ductivity of the enzyme. That being said, it simple. A temperature gradient function the actual temperature, will not always lead appears that under certain conditions, the on your PCR cycler, which may be utilized to the desired success. tolerances of enzymes do seem broader. In during the denaturation step, is capable of As advances into ever the experiment depicted in the figure above, taking advantage of this additional optimi- more ambitious topic areas and experi- an increased denaturation temperature was zation variable. The latest technologies ments, successful outcomes of challenging followed by increased specificity of the even offer 2D gradients, where two tem- PCR reactions are essential. For this reason, assay, whereas the yield benefited from peratures, for example the annealing tem- a higher yield within the first few cycles lower denaturation temperatures. There- perature and the denaturation temperature, especially may be crucial in order to kick- fore, the denaturation temperature may be can be optimized simultaneously during a start the reaction into the logarithmic scale. safely increased without running the risk single PCR run. The denaturation temperature appears to of total reaction failure. Optimization of the denaturation tem- be the very variable which has not been perature therefore represents an addition- used to the same extent as other variables More flexibility through individual al tool in the toolbox that is available for within the PCR reaction. customization difficult PCR assays. The glory of success- A denaturation temperature which is Under such circumstances, optimization fully mastering difficult PCR assays, and too high will exert stress on all biomole- of the denaturation temperature may serve thus providing answers to novel questions, cules. Depending on the enzyme, the half- to steer the yield or the specificity of the has now come within the reach of many life of the polymerases may be reduced by entire PCR according to individual require- researchers. three to nine-fold at temperatures between ments. Using such powerful optimization 95 and 100 degrees Celsius. For this reason, strategies and the flexibility thus attained, unnecessarily high temperatures should the development of assays with a focus on be avoided in order to maintain the pro- better and more reproducible results is www.eppendorf.com/PCR

29 Eppendorf News

25 Years of Eppendorf BioNews From a modest information booklet to a valued newsletter: Eppendorf BioNews celebrates its silver anniversary.

The year 1993 was a memorable year. Kary Mullis received a No- bel Prize for the invention of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) he had made a few years earlier. Steven Spielberg’s Jurassic exciting challenge in DIN A5 for- Park® fueled fantasies about the mat with an unknown future of revival of extinct animals such which no one thought it would as dinosaurs using PCR and clon- once become the customer mag- ing (“Oh my God!”). And Eppen- azine that is, after 25 years, still A title that endures 25 years have dorf – admittedly a little less regarded by readers as a highly passed between the first issue of spectacular – published the first popular source of information. BioNews and the anniversary edition issue of its new customer maga- zine BioNews. Workflow evolution PCR as a biological technique Lab methods and techniques have for amplifying DNA has revolu- seen a significant development tionized molecular biology since over the past years and so has the ing layouts per e-mail and view- its invention in 1985. Eppendorf production process of BioNews. ing and implementing correc- was quick to spot its potential Compared with the situation to- tions on the screen. What a and developed a whole series day, the way BioNews was pro- simplification! of matching products for PCR duced in the first years after its labs. The first generation of introduction resembles rather Outlook Master­cycler® thermocyclers “cave art”. Text manuscripts were CRISPR-Cas9, currently the “hot- already allowed for short repro- exchanged using floppy disks with test” technology for genome ducible PCR cycles. Innovative a storage capacity of 1.44 MB. editing, represents the greatest Liquid Handling instruments and Image data? Far from it! Valuable revolution in biology since devices for PCR sample prepara- original diapositives were scanned the invention of PCR. For this tion and storage facilitated the and digitally edited in a laborious method, too, users can rely on PCR routine, while laboratory process. Eppendorf for suitable equip- consumables in Biopur® quality From the end of the nineties, ment, accessories and applica- met the highest purity require- e-mails were used increasingly tion support in the usual premi- ments to prevent contamination. and, finally, exclusively for inter- um quality. Therefore: as long as BioNews was introduced to nal and external communication. life sciences develop or enhance present these system solutions Digitally created image data re- exciting methods, Eppendorf will and new products in an objective placed scanning of diapositives advance, too, in order to meet and applicative context. At the and the now well-established customer needs. Hence, we will time, it was merely more than an PDF file format allowed exchang- have a lot to report on.

YOUR DIRECT ACCESS TO BIONEWS BioNews online BioNews e-mail: BioNews service pages: www.eppendorf.com/bionews [email protected] www.eppendorf.com/bn-service

30 Eppendorf News

Eppendorf AG with new Director Eva van Pelt: New Chief Commercial Officer at the Eppendorf Group

“I am pleased to have the opportunity to accompany Eppendorf at such an exciting time and to join my fellow Directors and Eppendorf employees in leveraging new potential”, stated Eva van Pelt on the oc- casion of her inauguration as a member of the Board of Directors at Eppendorf AG. On October 1, Ms. van Pelt assumed inter- national responsibility for the areas of sales, marketing and service at the Eppen- dorf Group, which are bundled under the executive portfolio “Commercial Organi- zation”. Find out more about Ms. van Pelt in the link provided below.

http://bit.ly/2obDW8y

Wanted: Speed-Pipetters!

How fast and accurately can you pipet, store and centrifuge in- coming samples? This is what the Multi award-winning Eppendorf game “Master of Vol- Centrifuges Pipette Carousel 2 umes” is all about. Demonstrate your lab skills on the Eppendorf Manufacturing from Eppendorf Handling Solutions Website! Once you have mastered the Eppendorf has been manufacturing In recognition of excel- game you can print your person- high-quality centrifuges since 1964, lent product design of the alized certificate. and their popularity­ with users has new Pipette Carousel 2 steadily grown over those years. Today, Eppendorf was honored Eppendorf is a household name for with the Golden Pin De- PLAY IT: benchtop centrifuges. Since 1991, its sign Award 2017, the Ger- Visit the R&D and production facilities in man Design Award 2018 website Leipzig, Germany, have played a major and the Red Dot Design role in this ongoing success story. A Award 2018. Industrial http://bit.ly/2BtE7Qu new film on YouTube shows how the Designer Kathlen Jost modern production methods, profes- and the ­engineers at sional warehousing, highly qualified Eppendorf created a employees and a strong commitment highly flexible system for to sustainability provide the basis for up to six manual single or multi-channel Eppendorf state-of-the-art products with re- pipettes. Each of the six holders can be mounted to nowned Eppendorf quality. the carousel in two orientations turned by 180 de- grees to store all current and most predecessor instruments. The carousel keeps the pipettes safely bit.ly/2qmNhho stowed in an orderly manner, yet within easy reach.

31 Eppendorf News Meet our New Product Highlights Eppendorf is represented at many of the world’s leading trade fairs with its latest product innovations. Here is an overview about our highlights.

BioFlo® 120 Bioprocess Control Station CryoCube® F740 series The BioFlo 120 is the latest As life science revolves around the Eppendorf bench-scale ViscoTip® bioprocess system for research sample, sample safety is the core of and development. It is suitable this new freezer series. Basic freezer Let it flow! The new member of the for microbial fermentation as aspects such as box capacity, energy Combitips advanced® family is eager to well as cell culture applications efficiency, and silence level are also master the really viscous liquids. Even and features an extensive range improved compared to the well-known liquid honey is not a challenge for the of glass and BioBLU® Single- predecessor Innova® U725/ -G. The ViscoTip®. Save time by automatic tip Use Vessel options. Ease of use F740 “i” models are controlled by recognition and volume calculation in and flexibility ensure the new a touch screen, similar to the new Multipette®/Repeater® M4/E3(x). Find the bioreactor/fermentor serves the Mastercycler X50 and the shaker right tip instantaneously by distinctive needs of scientists today and in the S44i, enabling an intuitive and easy color coding. Keep experiments safe years to come – be it in academic, interaction. For remote performance without interfering leachables and slip governmental, or industrial monitoring, all F740 models can be agents. Get faster by aspirating once and research settings. connected with VisioNize. pipetting many times.

Centrifuge 5910 R Centrifuge 5910 R sets the next benchmark in versatility, capacity and user convenience. Cell harvests carried out in bottles up to 750 mL, large scale purification of DNA/RNA as well as Ficoll® gradients are just a few examples of the many areas of application served by this new centrifuge. Its new swing-bucket rotor S-4xUniversal and the universal adapters accommodate bottles, plates, and more 15 mL and 50 mL conical tubes than standard 3 Liter multipurpose centrifuges do. This speeds up your workflows and makes everyday work more efficient and enjoyable.

32 Upcoming Fairs:

analytica® 10.04.2018 – 13.04.2018 München Theme: Laboratoy Equipment www.analytica.de

in-cosmetics® 17.04.2018 – 19.04.2018 Amsterdam Theme: Cosmetics www.in-cosmetics.com

ACHEMA® 11.06.2018 – 15.06.2018 Frankfurt Theme: Chemical engineering and process industry www.achema.de

ESHRE® Innova® S44i 01.07.2018 – 04.07.2018 Biological Shaker Barcelona Theme: Human Reproduction and The latest addition to the Eppendorf shaker family Embryology ® www.eshre.eu VisioNize® – the Innova S44i offers the highest culturing The VisioNize system enables you to capacity of any shaker. easily link your lab equipment to a Its groundbreaking new Neuroscience central monitoring and data-management drive technology allows 03.11.2018 – 07.11.2018 software. It is a smart network that worry-free, reproducible San Diego lets you organize your lab equipment shaking of heavy and uneven Theme: Laboratory technologies and efficiently. Connect your lab devices loads. Access all samples Analysis to the central server application conveniently with the glide- www.sfn.org/annual-meeting/past- VisioNize core and remotely monitor the up door and easy to slide out and-future-annual-meetings performance from your office PC or check platform. It is engineered the current status of your devices on the to deliver years of reliable way with the mobile iOS app VisioNize go. operation! analytica® China 31.10.2018 – 02.11.2018 Shanghai Mastercycler® X50 Family Theme: Instrumental analysis, laboratory technology, biotechnology The Mastercycler X50 family allows scientists to optimize PCR conditions www.analyticachina.com like never before. 2D-Gradient technology allows optimization of Pharmtech & ingredients annealing and denaturation temperatures – in a single run. Increased block control 20.11.2018 – 23.11.2018 means we can do this while achieving Moscow unrivaled ramp rates -10⁰C/s. You can Theme: Equipment, raw materials connect nine additional cyclers to a & technologies for pharmaceutical single cycler with touchscreen interface. production The highly responsive interface makes www.pharmtech-expo.ru programming and monitoring fast and easy. Best of all, you won’t know it’s running. It’s quiet as a whisper – https://corporate. designed with you in mind. eppendorf.com/en/ news-media/events/

33 Guest Contribution THE JOURNEY OF A

PAULA DE TEZANOS PINTO

got pregnant at 38, not long after ob- taining a permanent research position. IUntil that time, I had been a free and ad- venturous soul, working long hours and traveling frequently for my research on aquatic cyanobacteria. During the last three years of my PhD, I spent the summers in a lab in the United States, far from my home country of Argentina. I worked an- other full year in that US lab during my postdoc. Along the way, I managed to find love, settle down, and start on the road to becoming a mother. My sister, who had a kid of her own, warned me that my priori- ties were about to change. She said that, when my child was born, it was possible I would want to quit science and become a full-time mom. But I loved my work.

Enjoying two passions, motherhood and science That was about five years ago. My daugh- ter Julieta is now a cheerful kindergartner – and I am still doing science. To some One of the biggest adjustments I need- when I had traveled alone. This time, I extent, my sister was right. When Julieta ed to make was my approach to travel – planned for a babysitter to cover my work- was born, I quickly realized that she was though I didn’t realize it right away. When ing hours and thought that would take care the biggest adventure I had ever embarked my daughter was a year old, I won a grant of it. on. But I was right, too. I did not want to that involved spending a month working But when I arrived, the babysitter give up my research. So, once my mater- in a lab in the Czech Republic. I was very turned out to be much less available than nity leave was over, I had to figure out how excited about the research I would be do- I expected. I had traveled so far to conduct to enjoy my two passions, motherhood ing there, but I did not want to be sepa- my research, but instead I was spending and science, and embrace the pleasures rated from Julieta for that long, so I decid- much of my time taking care of my daugh- and pains of their sometimes conflicting ed to bring her with me. I naïvely thought ter. I was frustrated, and at the same time, demands. this trip would be similar to past ones, I felt guilty that I wanted to work instead

34 I had to figure out how to enjoy my two passions, motherhood and science.” Paula de Tezanos Pinto is an investigator at Argentina‘s National Scientific and Technical Research Council and the University of Buenos Aires.

SCIENTIST MOTHER

than I was accustomed to so that I complexity to my life, which helps me be could go home to my daughter. At more creative. I have learned to maximize first, I wasn’t sure I would be able the golden hours of focused work and to to complete my work with this plan ahead while also being flexible. Hav- schedule. But I shouldn’t have worried: I ing Julieta also forces me to stop working worked happily and productively during sometimes, which helps me avoid burnout. the day, and then I picked up my daughter And I have learned that I can ask others so that we could stroll through the beau- for support, both in life and in work. So, tiful autumn colors. By the end of the trip, despite all the challenges, I am happy to I had accomplished everything I had be a mom and a scientist, and I am enjoy- planned. ing the journey.

Believing that a happy mother is a good mother Even so, after this experience I knew that I needed to change the way I travel for work. I now choose my trips carefully and INFOBOX plan the logistics far in advance. I travel of be with my child. Soon, I broke down alone, for fewer days, less frequently, and in front of my Czech colleague, who gra- to locations closer to home. I know that This article is reproduced with ciously helped me work out an alternative Julieta misses me when I'm gone, and I the kind permission of the babysitting solution. miss her, too. But I am happy pursuing my journal “Science”, where this Even with the child care worked out, I goals, and I believe that a happy mother contribution was first published faced other challenges. When traveling, I is a good mother. on May 19, 2017 in the was used to working without paying at- Sometimes I miss the freedom I once section “Working Life”. tention to the clock. During this stay, how- had to leave for a trip at a moment’s notice. ever, I ended my workday much earlier Yet Julieta adds happiness, diversity, and

35 Science Photo

Welcome to My Humble Abode

It must have been the love of detail that convinced the jury of the “Royal Society of Biology amateur photography competition”. Duncan McNaught, with his photograph “Fungi and Insect”, was awarded the title “Photographer of the year 2017”.

36 Science Photo

About the photograph and its master

“Living in ru- ral Dumfries and Galloway I have access to some amaz- ing land- scapes, Flora and Fauna but it’s the smaller often overlooked plants and in- sects that really spark the cre- ative photographer in me. Some of the forests in my area are pret- ty inaccessible due to their wet boggy nature, however its these hidden, sometimes, magical plac- es I find myself more often than not lying flat on the ground pho- tographing mosses, fungi and insects, all waiting to be discov- ered and mostly unseen by to- days hectic society. It certainly presents me with many challeng- es but hopefully my passion for our hidden world will encourage others to explore.“

CAPTURING THE HIDDEN WORLD

The theme of last years’ Royal Society of Biology ­amateur photography com- petition was “The Hidden World”. Sup- ported by Eppendorf since 2012, the ­competition invites photographers to submit their pictures and compete for the title “Photographer of the Year” (18 and older) and “Young Photographer of the Year” (under 18).

37 Coleman on Fire

The photograph by Dheeraj M. Nanda was another favorite of the jury of the “Royal Society of Biology amateur photography competition”. “It’s a great honor to win the Young Photographer of the Year Award”, says the underwater photographer.

About the photograph and its master “While I was diving in the macro heaven of Ambon, Indonesia my guide pointed me towards small crit- ters moving on a fire urchin. It took me a minute to recognize this shrimp and it was an awe-inspiring moment to me, as it was I saw these creatures. The Coleman shrimp and fire urchin here share a symbiotic relationship where the Coleman shrimp seeks refuge among the spines of the urchin. There are plenty of microscopic critters beneath the sea surface and they never cease to impress us. I’ve always felt that these creatures should not be unnoticed and showcasing their images in these events would do justice to their beauty.“

38 Science Photo The Next Benchmark

The new refrigerated Centrifuge 5910 R The Centrifuge 5910 R sets the next > Max. capacity: 4 x 750 mL or benchmark in versatility, capacity and 36 x 50 mL conical user convenience. > Excellent rotor versatility > Modern operating system with Its main swing-bucket rotor holds both outstanding functionality conical tubes and plates – no need to > Advanced temperature management AQ47913020/INT/24T/042018 change rotor buckets or adapters. This that keeps your samples safe improves handling and saves time.

www.eppendorf.com/next-benchmark

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