Karen Steward PhD

Science Writer

Writes for:

6 Innovative Applications of Microbes

Microbes have many beneficial properties and for many years, humans, animals and plants have exploited them for their own benefit.We discuss some of the many and varied uses to which microbes are being applied.

Influenza: Pathology, Diagnosis and Prevention

A century has passed since the 1918 global flu pandemic, aka the ‘Spanish flu’. Back in the early 1900s, the virus was a relatively novel concept. Since then, our understanding of viruses has come a long way, as have our diagnostics tools, and control and preventative strategies.

What’s New in the Food Analysis Toolkit?

In areas, such as food analysis where detection of contaminants may be imperative to prevent dangers to consumers, speed and reliability is key. We spoke to Tim Jenkins from Waters Corporation, about their coupling of DART to the QDa mass detector with a software solution aimed to enhance compound identification.

The Changing Shape of Optofluidics R&D

Life science businesses are facing growing demand to keep pace in an era of fast-evolving technology. By recognising the potential challenges, a growing number of companies are leveraging the resources and creativity of their suppliers. We took a look at the landscape of optofluidics R&D.

Forensic DNA Analysis

The dawn of forensic DNA analysis has had a large part to play in the evolution of criminal and private investigations. Even the smallest residues can be used to place someone at a crime scene or determine how people are related to one another. Forensic DNA analysis doesn’t stop with people either, law enforcers are using the techniques to combat smuggling of animals and exotic woods too.

Stunning Images from Microscopy

Download this image gallery to see how a variety of techniques have been used to capture stunning images of the world beyond the naked eye.

Antigenic Drift vs Antigenic Shift

As part of the host-pathogen arms race, viruses are continually evolving to evade the host immune response, be it from previous infection or immunity acquired through vaccination. Here we take a look at the processes of antigenic drift and antigenic shift.

Understanding the Lytic Cycle – What Are the Steps?

Bacteriophage (phage) are viruses that specifically infect bacteria. They have a two-phase lifecycle, residing in a dormant state within the host genome (lysogenic cycle) or hijacking the host cellular machinery for their own replication (lytic cycle). Here we will explore the important steps of the lytic cycle.

Food Microbiology

This infographic focuses on the harmful microorganisms that contaminate and spoil our food.

The 1918 Flu Pandemic

The global flu pandemic of 1918, dubbed “Spanish flu”, killed 50 million people worldwide including the young, fit and healthy. Here we highlight some of the key events of the pandemic.