Editorial Article: ‘Scientific communication is essential, both between scientists but also to the general public’

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Alexandre Lucas is the founder and manager of the We-Met platform at the Institute of Metabolic and Cardiovascular Diseases - Inserm (I2MC)

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 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’s Reviewer in the Spotlight is Alexandre Lucas, founder, and manager of the We-Met functional biochemistry platform that aims to provide the latest innovative technologies and technical support in functional biochemistry. An experienced researcher specializing in protein biochemistry, Alex tells us about the importance of science communication and reveals the lab equipment that has made all the difference in his work.

Tell me about your role

I am the founder and manager of the We-Met functional biochemistry platform, which I founded in 2015. We have a team of three people working in the field of protein biochemistry. We bring and develop various innovative technologies around western blotting, ELISAs, and metabolism. As a platform, we are working on many scientific domains such as cardiology, neurology, vascular, diabetes, cosmetics, and more recently, on COVID.

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We-Met is a functional biochemistry platform that offers innovative technologies and technical support in functional biochemistry

What inspired you to get into the world of science?

I had always been drawn to biology in school. It was only towards the end of my studies and after my first professional experience with Dr. Jérôme Basquin in structural biochemistry at EMBL (Heidelberg, Germany) that I turned to protein biochemistry. My passion for new technologies and biochemistry naturally led me to the creation of a technological facility at the service of the scientific community.

Why is communication vital in science?

Scientific communication is essential, both between scientists but also towards the general public. Between scientists, it brings new ideas and debates that are essential to research. On a platform like ours, this communication is essential because it allows us to promote our new approaches and develop our techniques.

Why do you think lab equipment reviews are important?

User feedback is essential for not only the equipment but also the methodology. The scientific opinion provides a solid basis and also allows for a constructive discussion on the different characteristics of a piece of equipment and the possible problems encountered. This can help create a network of users who can discuss the product and its applications.

What’s your favorite piece of lab equipment?

My favorite piece of lab equipment is our automated western capillary device: Jess by ProteinSimple (Bio-Techne). It is a technology that has introduced a real technological leap to the western blotting method by making it more reproducible, faster and less expensive. Finally, it is a technology that is part of a more eco-responsible range because it consumes fewer chemicals.

How do SelectScience reviews help you with your research?

SelectScience reviews allow us to read the user feedback on new techniques and technologies, including instruments we might want to use in our research.

What would you like to achieve in your work?

I would like to continue to develop new approaches to allow a better understanding and better analysis of proteins in various pathologies. Several projects have led us to carry out exciting and promising clinical studies for future treatments such as, for example, multiple sclerosis or COVID.

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