'How your reviews helped build our COVID-19 research lab'

Lab product reviews can change the world by helping other scientists find the best equipment to accelerate their vital work. Here at SelectScience, we are dedicated to promoting peer-to-peer communication that will make the difference - but we couldn't do it without our esteemed reviewers. In this regular new feature, we put the spotlight on some of our most dedicated and impactful reviewers and find out what inspires them to keep sharing their knowledge with the global scientific community.

This week, we meet Dr. Neha Mittal, a postdoctoral research scholar at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, who has shared her expertise and experience through an impressive 25 reviews on SelectScience. Here, Neha tells us about her research on wastewater testing for COVID-19 detection and reveals how product reviews by other scientists around the world helped her lab quickly find the best equipment for this work - highlighting the importance of effective communication in science.

What is your role and your current research?

I am presently working as a postdoctoral research scholar in the Department of Bioinformatics and Genomics at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. My research focuses on wastewater testing for COVID-19 detection and for monitoring individuals showing either early symptoms or asymptomatic. We are using the wastewater samples collected from UNCC campus dorm buildings to detect the presence of COVID-19 via real-time PCR amplification and quantification to monitor its presence at the campus. The campus authorities can control its spread, as the virus can be detected in wastewater even when the patient is not showing any symptoms.

What inspired you to get into the world of science?

I wanted to make a positive impact on the scientific community and society with my research, which is why I have been driven towards science.

Why is communication vital in science?

Science and communication are like strands in a DNA double helix. One can’t function without the other - they go hand in hand. This proves very true with the recent COVID-19 pandemic, where the collaborative efforts of scientists and researchers become successful within society as a result of scientific experiments and their efficient communication.

Why do you think lab equipment reviews are important?

Lab equipment is the key for any scientific lab. It would be almost impossible to achieve any research goals without the appropriate instruments. By getting honest information for equipment through reviews, scientists and researchers can achieve their milestones by making a purchase decision with high confidence and reliability.

What is your favorite piece of lab equipment?

My favorite piece of lab equipment is the CFX96 Touch Deep Well Real-Time PCR System, which I use almost every day. This machine and qPCR concept proved a blessing to medical science for the recent pandemic by providing fast and impactful detection.

How do SelectScience reviews help you with your research?

SelectScience is a platform on which well-renowned scientists and researchers share their thoughts and experiences. Reviewers contribute from all over the world and write about many types of lab technique, pieces of equipment, consumables, reagents, etc., which is a distinguishing feature of SelectScience.

This website helped me when my lab members and I were interested in buying instruments, reagents, and other lab consumables for our COVID-19 project. We were trying to buy the best equipment quite urgently; we wanted products which were cost-effective and reliable. We used SelectScience reviews before making any purchase and have always found this website very helpful when buying reliable products. This platform proved a cornerstone for us to establish a fast-paced lab commendably in a short duration of time.

What would you like to achieve in your work?

I would like to make a significant impact on society through my work. With my research, I don’t just want to find a solution for the ongoing pandemic, but I am also interested in finding the solutions for other diseases that have existed among us for a long period of time.

Read Neha's reviews of her top 5 lab instruments

1. inoLab Multi 740 Multimeters by VWR International

"Great results and effective in setting up pH of various biological samples."

2. epMotion 5075 by Eppendorf

"Excellent product to have in your lab when you need to process a lot of samples."

3. PX1 PCR Plate Sealer by Bio-Rad

"It reduces viscosity and improves amplification and error between the replicates."

4. Automated Droplet Generator by Bio-Rad

"Great results and highly sensitive system for gene expression analysis."

5. QX 200 Droplet Digital PCR System by Bio-Rad

"High reproducibility and great quantification."

Would you like to feature in our Reviewer Spotlight? Write your review here to be in with a chance >>