About - BenchFly - Scientific Video Protocols, Networking and Lab Product Reviews

About BenchFly

Our Mission

Scientific research is one of the major driving forces promoting human health and the advancement of society. BenchFly was founded with a single desire: To increase the pace of scientific discovery.

We know, that’s a big one! There are many factors that contribute to the speed of research- some of them are in the lab, and some of them are outside of it. The first step is to support the researchers responsible for the next big breakthrough. At BenchFly, our goals are to do this by:

Expanding Scientific Learning Through Video
First-hand demonstrations are the way we learn in lab. With science videos, users can provide that same expert instruction to anyone with an internet connection worldwide.
Providing a Personal Development Guide for Scientists
Being a scientist is much more than just mixing chemicals, making discoveries and avoiding explosions ... it’s a lifestyle. Whether it’s highlighting the latest laboratory techniques, discussing career opportunities or providing personal organization systems, we’re here to help.
Reinventing the Image of the Scientist
The pocket protector is dead. Science is an exciting, cutting-edge profession made up of intelligent, humorous, creative and passionate individuals. It’s time we share that passion with society to energize future generations of scientists and ensure the future of science remains bright.

Our Story

In 2009, third-generation chemist Alan Marnett decided he’d seen the struggles in and out of lab drive too many friends out the profession he loved. Desperate to help reverse this trend, he left his postdoc at MIT to start BenchFly, a resource dedicated to providing researchers with the current protocols to support their lives both in and out of the lab. We believe restoring science as a viable career path for current and future generations is essential for our continued growth as a society. BenchFly was founded in Cambridge, Massachusetts in 2009.

Check out The BenchFly Mission video.

Who's Involved

Alan Marnett, Ph.D.
Founder

Alan received his B.A. in Chemistry from Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas and his Ph.D. in Chemistry and Chemical Biology from the University of California, San Francisco. He recently completed his postdoctoral work in the Picower Institute for Learning and Memory at The Massachusetts Institute of Technology where his research focused on characterization of a novel neuronal growth and survival factor. Unfortunately, that research did not yield any compounds that could improve his limited brain capacity.

Katie Boehle
US Community Catalyst

Katie is in the process of completing her Ph.D. in Developmental Biology at Washington University in St. Louis, studying the effect of diabetes on pre-implantation biology in mice. Outside of lab you can find Katie playing softball, kickball, or enjoying an ice-cold drink with friends. Recently married, Katie tries to balance lab and home life by spending her free time with her husband and their animals: two English Mastiffs and two spunky alley cats.

Daniel Lyons
Producer

Daniel J. Lyons is a freelance television producer and cinematographer with more than ten years experience. He has worked with a range of clients including National Geographic, PBS, Discovery Channel, TLC, the History Channel, Showtime, and the Sundance Channel. Dan has worked on a number of scientifically-related projects, including the highly acclaimed PBS series Scientific American Frontiers.

Scientific Advisory Board

Matthew Bogyo, Ph.D.

Matt is an Associate Professor in the Departments of Pathology and Microbiology and Immunology at Stanford. He received his Ph.D. in Chemistry from MIT and was appointed as a Faculty Fellow in the Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics at the University of California, San Francisco. Prior to his current position, Matt served as the Head of Chemical Proteomics at Celera Genomics from 2001 to 2003. His research interests are focused on the use of chemistry to study the role of proteases in human disease.

Michael Marletta, Ph.D.

Michael is the Aldo DeBenedictis Distinguished Professor of Chemistry and Professor of Biochemistry at the University of California, Berkeley. He is also currently Chair of the Chemistry Department. He serves on the Board of Editors of ACS Chemical Biology and on the editorial board of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Michael is a member of the Institute of Medicine and the National Academy of Sciences and is also a co-founder of Omniox, Inc. His research at the interface of chemistry and biology has a current focus on nitric oxide signaling and related phenomena.

Lawrence Marnett, Ph.D.

Larry is Stahlman Professor of Cancer Research and Professor of Biochemistry at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. He is Director of the Vanderbilt University Institute of Chemical Biology and founding and current editor of the American Chemical Society journal Chemical Research in Toxicology. He is a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Larry is the author of 14 patents and over 400 scientific publications.

Alan Saghatelian, Ph.D.

Alan is an assistant professor in the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology at Harvard University. He received an NIH Director’s New Innovator Award and was named a Searle Scholar in 2008. Alan’s research focuses on the development and application of liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry-based global metabolite profiling as a general discovery tool in chemical biology.

Leona Samson, Ph.D.

Leona is an American Cancer Society Research Professor of Toxicology and Biological Engineering at MIT. She is also the Director of MIT’s Center for Environmental Health Sciences and a member of the Institute of Medicine. Her research focuses on how cells, tissues, and animals respond to environmental toxicants.

About BenchFly

Our Mission

Our Story