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BP: Fachverband Biologische Physik
BP 5: Single Molecule Biophysics
BP 5.7: Talk
Monday, March 20, 2017, 16:45–17:00, HÜL 386
Single-Molecule Biophysics: The Challenge of Reproducibility — •Fabian Czerwinski1, Lene Oddershede2, and Oliver Otto1 — 1Universität of Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany — 2Niels Bohr Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
Resolving dynamic processes within inherently fluctuating systems often sets the biophysical agenda to employ novel analysis methods as well as to develop cutting-edge technology. Thus, single-molecule experiments and their vastly evolving data are faced with the scientific demands of consistency and reproducibility. This requirement is reinforced as single-molecule biophysics assesses more and more tasks of quantitative biology.
Here, we discuss three measures that allow for consistent comparison of single-molecule data: i) Bayesian likelihood, ii) Allan variance, and iii) editorial standardization. In a retrospective way, we review examples of force spectroscopy and super-resolution fluorescence microscopy. The examples are confronted with Nature’s editorial checklist for life sciences articles [1, 2]. We argue that the further growing interest in biophysical single-molecule data mandates rigorous, transparent and comprehensive effort from scientists and institutions.
[1] Reducing our irreproducibility. Nature 2013, 496:398
[2] http://www.nature.com/authors/policies/checklist.pdf