SelectScience Interview: Stewart Rudnicki Tests the New SelectScience Website
The Screening Facility Manager at Harvard Medical School gives us his views
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Stewart Rudnicki manages the daily operations of ICCB-Longwood, an academic small molecule and siRNA high-throughput screening facility at Harvard Medical School: "This includes our automated equipment, compound management, and data coordination with the informatics group, as well as assisting scientists with assay development, instruction in equipment use, and tours of the screening facility."
As part of his role, Stewart needs to be fully aware of all available technologies so he can make purchases and advise colleagues. "I need to be fully informed about the latest products for basic research, drug discovery and clinical applications," he said.
Making Purchasing Decisions
Stewart, who has a B.S. in Biology from Tufts University in Massachusetts, purchases between three and ten instruments per year; his most recent purchase was the Life Technologies QuantStudio™ 7.
SelectScience provides me with broad experience of a piece of equipment when I don't have actual personal experience
Stewart Rudnicki
Harvard Medical School
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About ICCB-Longwood
The Institute of Chemistry and Cell Biology (ICCB)-Longwood Screening Facility was one of the first high-throughput screening facilities to be opened in an academic setting, serving primarily Harvard Medical School and Harvard-affiliated hospital researchers. The facility employs a staff-assisted screening model, in which investigators using the facility are provided with access to compound and siRNA libraries, and training in the use of some instruments, such as liquid handling equipment, plate readers, and screening microscopes. |
"We use this instrument mainly as a core facility instrument, whereby users are allowed to schedule time on it and run their own assays," says Stewart.
"Our breakdown of use is 75% Cyber-Green relative quantitation assays, and 24% Taqman assays, studying gene expression. About 1% of use is dedicated to protein thermal shift assays." When he's not at work, Stewart likes to travel: "I dream of boating on the ocean, or flying a small airplane in the sky," he says.
Why SelectScience?
Stewart uses SelectScience to make decisions about new technologies for his facility: "SelectScience provides me with broad experience of a piece of equipment when I don't have actual personal experience. I can access the reviews and opinions of other people and see the latest technologies. It provides with me a greater reach so I can be more aware. It's the only website I use!"
Beta Testing the New SelectScience Website...
Likes
- Excellent design - I love the green and the new easy-to-read font!
- Excellent navigation and search facility: "I found the product PerkinElmer Envision quickly through the product category navigation. The category labels were easy to understand, which is something I can find frustrating on manufacturer websites."
- The site is easier to use in general, especially when looking for products and reviews.
Recommendations
- One main landing page for product families would be useful.
- As the product reviews are verified by the SelectScience Reviews Editor, this should communicated more.
"Many thanks to Stewart for beta-testing our new website. His recommendations are already being worked on by our team!" Kerry Parker, Editor-in-Chief
Learn more about ICCB-Longwood
Find out more about Stewart
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