Biotech Basics: An Introduction to Cell Biology

The basic unit of all living organisms, from bacteria to humans, is the cell.  Robert Hooke first described the cell in 1665, when he used a microscope to examine a piece of cork.  To his eyes, he saw an orderly…

Edvotek Road Trip — NSTA Area Meeting in Richmond, VA

Last week, we kicked off our busy fall conference schedule with the NSTA Area Meeting in Richmond, VA. Richmond is just a stone's throw away from our headquarters in Washington, D.C., so we packed up our truck and got on the road.  While in Richmond,…

Biotechnology Basics – What is a Model Organism?

What is a model organism? A model organism is any plant, animal or microorganism that allows us to study fundamental questions in biology that may be hard to study directly in complex organisms like humans. What are some characteristics of…