Lab Protocols:
Step by Step

Why Protocols Are in the App

I wanted a one-stop shop for finding out how to do something reliably. Sometimes you need a full guide because you have not done a procedure before. Other times you just need a protocol for something you have not done in a while, or you want a sanity check on the steps and volumes before you start. Either way, a protocol on your phone should be interactive and step-by-step, not a PDF you scroll through while holding a pipette.

How They Work

Each protocol is a step-through guide. You see one step at a time, mark it as done, and move on. There are checklist and focus modes depending on how you like to work. Duration badges tell you how long each step takes (and how long you are waiting during incubations). Volume chips give you the actual amounts. Warnings flag the steps where things commonly go wrong. Tips cover the practical details that rarely get written down.

Progress is saved per protocol, so if you close the app to use the calculator and come back, you are where you left off.

What Is Included

BenchCalc currently includes 13 protocols covering core molecular biology and protein workflows: cloning design (in silico planning), cloning practical (bench workflow), miniprep, ethanol precipitation, gel extraction, PCR cleanup, restriction digest, ligation, heat shock transformation, E. coli growth and harvest, affinity column purification, column maintenance, and inclusion body purification. Protocols are cross-linked to the troubleshooting wizards, so when something goes wrong you can go straight from the protocol to a diagnosis.