Shruti Bhide’s Post

Over the years, I’ve learned that 80% of avoidable failures come from poor preparation, not the science itself. So I follow my 3-Step checklist before running any new assay (Saves Time + Money) New assays can either validate months of hard work  or burn through budget and samples with nothing to show for it. Here’s my go-to checklist before I start any new assay: Step 1: Pre-Assay Planning Do a small pilot run with the right controls to establish proof of concept. Review past experimental data and dig into the literature (someone may have already solved your challenge.) Define clear go/no-go criteria so you don’t keep running a failing assay out of hope. Step 2: Reagent & Equipment Readiness Validate that all reagents are in stock, within expiry, and from a reliable lot. Run QC checks on all equipment   small calibration errors can sink entire experiments. Prepare cell cultures to ensure they’re at the right passage number and condition before starting. Step 3: Risk & Cost Minimization Use a contamination-prevention checklist (especially if you’re working in shared spaces). Run backup controls in smaller first runs to avoid wasting expensive reagents. Document every step   it speeds up troubleshooting and improves reproducibility. A few hours of preparation can save weeks of troubleshooting.

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