Articles by Sean
Use Or Abuse? Corticosteroids For Pain Relief
You may have heard of injured athletes who are made to ‘play through the pain barrier’ with the help of ‘injections’, these are actually corticosteroids—the gold standard of anti-inflammatory medicine. While this is somewhat of a common practice in the world of sports to prevent players from missing a big game, their effectiveness and convenience have led to chronic use in some individuals, whether or not it is actually needed. But how do these painkillers actually work? And what are their longer-term effects? […]
Extraordinary Claims Require Extraordinary Evidence—The Carl Sagan Legacy
It is easy to forget that the extraordinary human being that is Carl Sagan isn’t with us today; he died of pneumonia in 1996 at the age of just 62. It is easy to forget because his ideals that rang true more than 20 years ago reverberate with greater inflection in the world today. Like the great man himself, his legacy speaks with the same unfaltering voice that threatens to sway even the harshest of critics and the staunchest of oppositions. […]
Is It An Evolutionary Advantage To Enjoy Spicy Food?
When it comes to spicy food, you either love it or hate it. Spice excites the taste buds in a way that no other flavor comes close to, providing some with satisfaction while also turning their mouths into fiery cauldrons of pain. So what is it that defines our preference, could it be simply an acquired taste, or is there a genetic factor to it? […]
Basics of Ion Exchange
A simple yet extremely versatile tool, ion exchange systems are used to separate specific ions across a wide range of processes: synthesis, research, mining, even agriculture. Whether you’re a biochemist who needs some precious protein purified or an engineer looking to recycle uranium from nuclear waste, having a basic knowledge of ion exchange at the chemical level is advantageous. […]
A Guide To PCR and qPCR (Quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction)
qPCR–an acronym for Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction–is currently the gold standard for the detection and quantification of RNA in a small number of tissues. However, the technique itself depends on a range of factors; let’s take a look at some tips and tricks to increase your chances of success. […]
Sean is a consultant for clients in the pharmaceutical industry and is a lecturer at a local university, where unfortunate undergrads are subject to his ramblings on chemistry and pharmacology.