Anjali: Your journey began in packaging and nursery roles before moving into the lab. How did understanding the "whole plant cycle" in the nursery help you when you finally started working with microscopic tissue culture?

Samantha: Starting in packaging and early cultivation roles helped me understand cannabis cultivation as a whole. I learned how every stage connects, how the plant moves through its life cycle, and how cultivation is a constant rotation that relies on timing, consistency, and communication between departments. So when I transitioned into tissue culture, I wasn’t just focused on what was happening inside the vessel. I understood how every decision in vitro would show up months later in the mom room or production. That full-cycle perspective made the transition into TC much smoother and made me a stronger, more informed tissue culturist.

Anjali: For someone currently working in a cultivation facility who wants to move into the TC lab (like you did), what specific skills or habits should they start practicing now?

Samantha: For someone working in a cultivation facility who wants to move into tissue culture, the best thing they can do right now is start building the habits that translate directly into lab success. Sterility is a mindset, not just a technique, so practicing clean, consistent workflows in your current role goes a long way—keeping tools organized, wiping surfaces as you go, and being intentional with every movement.

Sterile technique is important in every stage of cultivation, not just inside the lab. A plant may start in a completely sterile environment in TC, but once it moves ex vitro, it becomes vulnerable to a wide range of variables—microbes, pests, airflow, substrate, mechanical transmission, and overall room cleanliness. That’s why every person in cultivation doing their part to keep things clean at every step is crucial to the lab’s long-term success. Good hygiene practices outside the lab directly protect the work happening inside it.

Attention to detail and patience are also key. In tissue culture, you’re constantly observing subtle changes: small color shifts, slight growth differences, early signs of stress or contamination. Training your eye to notice the little things makes the transition much smoother. If you can stay consistent with routine tasks, maintain clean habits, and approach your work with care, you’re already building the foundation you need before ever stepping inside a flow hood.

Anjali: You mentioned that your first exposure to meristem isolation and sterile technique sparked your passion. What was it about tissue culture specifically that hooked you, compared to traditional propagation?

Samantha: When I was first introduced to meristem isolation, it felt completely different from the traditional cloning I was used to. Cloning becomes second nature over time, but meristem work demands a level of precision that is challenging at first, and definitely not something you excel at in a day. It takes practice, failures, shaky hands, and plenty of moments where you accidentally squish the entire meristem you were trying to save. But that learning curve is also what makes it so rewarding. As your technique improves, you start to see those tiny meristems recover and push out clean new growth, and that feeling is unmatched

Anjali: Aside from hands-on training, were there specific books, courses, or online resources that helped you fast-track your learning when you were first starting out?

Samantha: Alongside hands-on training, a few resources really helped me build a strong foundation when I was first learning tissue culture. Plants from Test Tubes by Lydiane Kyte, John Kleyn, and Holly Scoggins was one of the first books I used, and it breaks down the fundamentals in a way that’s very approachable. I also learned a lot from Plant Tissue Culture: Techniques and Experiments by Roberta H. Smith, which dives deeper into the scientific side of micropropagation.

Beyond the books, I appreciate the people who taught me in the first place and the online creators who have shared advice and techniques over the years. Seeing different workflows, troubleshooting styles, and practical examples helped me connect the theory to real lab work. All of those resources together played a big role in building my confidence and helping me grow as a tissue culturist.

Anjali: As someone who educates others online, what is the biggest misconception beginner growers have about starting their own tissue culture library?

Samantha: One misconception I see from beginners is the idea that once you place a culture into a vessel, it can stay there forever and continue growing on its own. In reality, the plant is constantly using the nutrients in the media, the agar breaks down over time, and the internal environment shifts as the culture grows—so routine subculturing is essential to keep the line healthy.

Another misconception is that tissue culture can instantly fix unhealthy or declining genetics. Cleanup—especially through meristem excision—follows its own timeline and often requires multiple attempts. If genetic drift is severe or extraction doesn’t fully remove any pathogens after testing, you need to go through another round and start again. Meristems grow slowly, and each stage needs careful monitoring. Tissue culture can absolutely rescue and stabilize valuable genetics, but it works through patience, proper sterile technique, meristem isolation, and repeated refinement. It is not a one-step solution.

A third misconception is the belief that one media recipe will work for every cultivar. Just like in traditional cultivation, each cannabis genotype responds differently in vitro. Some need higher cytokinin levels, some prefer gentler media, and others require several rounds of fine-tuning before they stabilize

Part 2: Intermediate Level (Lab Setup & Workflow)

Anjali: You were tasked with building a cannabis TC program from the ground up. What was the most unexpected challenge you faced during the first 6 months of setting up that lab?

Samantha:When I was building a tissue culture library from the ground up and bringing in genetics that had natural genetic drift or potential pathogen issues from years of traditional cultivation, the biggest challenge for me was dialing in media ratios for each cultivar. Cannabis tissue culture is still fairly new, and even well-maintained cultivation programs can accumulate variability over time simply because clones are passed down for so many generations.

Some cultivars stabilized quickly, but others needed multiple attempts, different media formulations, or even re-initiations before they responded well. And I had multiple failures along the way—but I kept trying until I saw success, whether it was a small improvement or a major breakthrough. Each genotype had its own personality, and the process wasn’t always linear; one round might look great, and the next might require adjusting hormone levels or modifying the recipe again.

Introducing a wide range of genetics into a completely new environment taught me that tissue culture is never one-size-fits-all. Each cultivar behaves differently and requires its own fine-tuning. It took patience, observation, a lot of experimentation, and a lot of failures. Those early challenges shaped the protocols I rely on today—and the experimenting never really ends whenever I'm working with a new genetic.

Anjali: You manage over 50 active genetics. How do you approach dialing in a media formulation for a new cultivar? Do you have a "standard" baseline you start with?

Samantha: When I bring a new cultivar into the lab, I always start with a standardized baseline so I can see how the plant naturally responds before making any adjustments. I introduce them slowly and steadily to basic macro and micronutrient formulations. Once a cultivar shows it can grow well on the base media alone, that’s when I begin layering in additional components.

If the plant responds well to the baseline, I’ll introduce cytokinins next and watch how the cultivar reacts to different ratios—some take off immediately, while others are more sensitive. Only after I have a good read on the cultivar’s cytokinin response will I begin introducing auxins, and again, only if the plant shows it’s ready for that step. It took a lot of researching and truly understanding how each PGR influences growth before I felt confident making these adjustments.

Anjali: Many intermediate tissue culturists struggle with the "hardening off" phase. Since you oversee the transition from the lab to the mom room, what are your top non-negotiables for successful acclimation?

Samantha: My first non-negotiable is humidity control. Tissue culture plants have virtually no developed cuticle, so placing them directly into low humidity will dehydrate them almost instantly. I taper the humidity down gradually over several days, giving the plant time to strengthen its leaf surface and adapt at a natural pace.

The second factor is lighting. I start them at the same PPFD they were receiving in vitro, keeping the transition gentle and familiar. As the cuticle thickens and the root system strengthens, I slowly increase light intensity. This prevents shock and allows the plant to adjust in sync with its physiological development.

Third is choosing the right substrate. I avoid heavy mixes and instead use a clean, mild, airy medium like coco. It gives the delicate roots space and oxygen without overwhelming them as they encounter real-world microbes and nutrients for the first time.

Lastly, transitioning from PGRs to nutrients is critical. In vitro, plants rely heavily on auxins and cytokinins. Once ex vitro, they must adapt to a full nutrient regimen—but slowly. I always start with a very low ppm feed and increase it incrementally with each watering until they’re ready for a complete schedule.

These steps—applied consistently—turn acclimation from a high-risk stage into a predictable, stable process. Once I learned how to balance humidity, lighting, substrate, and nutrient transition, my survival rates became extremely reliable, even for the more sensitive cultivars.

Anjali: When a culture isn't performing well (stalling or showing poor health), what is your mental checklist for diagnosing the problem?

Samantha: When a culture isn’t performing well, I break the problem down step-by-step. Tissue culture has so many small variables that troubleshooting works best when you approach it systematically instead of guessing.

1. Media + PGR balance

   My first check is the media formulation. Cytokinin or auxin levels that are too high or too low can cause staling, callusing, hyperhydricity, or weak multiplication. I also look at salt strength and sugar concentration—cannabis is very sensitive to both.

2. Quality of the explant

   What is the quality of the starting material, and is it positive for a virus or viroid? Cuttings can also become over-bleached or damaged during sterilization, and if the bleach solution isn’t fully rinsed off, it can continue to burn the tissue and eventually kill the explant

3. Vessel environment: Condensation, poor gas exchange, and media drying out. Cannabis responds quickly to micro-environment changes, so I always check the physical conditions inside the vessel.

4. Light + temperature

   If the PPFD or temperature shifts, some cultivars show immediate stress while others decline gradually. Matching the lighting to what the plant responded well to in earlier stages is key.

5. Timing of subculture

   If a culture has sat too long, the nutrients are depleted and agar begins to break down. A simple transfer to fresh media can make a huge difference.

6. Hidden contamination

   Even when nothing is visible, endophytes and slow-growing microbes can suppress growth from the inside out. If I suspect this, I re-initiate from a cleaner node or start a new round to reset the line.

   By the time I move through this checklist, the cause is usually clear. Tissue culture is all about reading the plant, adjusting one variable at a time, and letting the response guide your next steps.

Anjali: Managing a library of 50+ active genetics requires immense organization. What systems or tools do you use for record-keeping and labeling to ensure you never mix up cultivars or lose track of subculture dates?

Samantha: Managing a library of 50+ active genetics requires strong organization and a system that keeps both the lab and cultivation aligned. I definitely struggled and it took time for me to figure out what worked best, but having accurate, consistent tracking has made all the difference.

I document every subculture date, stage, media type, and vessel count, and input everything into an Excel spreadsheet that follows the entire lifecycle of each cultivar—from the very first initiation date all the way to the ex vitro transition. This gives me a complete history for every line and helps me anticipate when each genetic will need attention or when it will be ready for the next stage.

A big part of making the system work was collaborating with other cultivation leadership to integrate TC data into the existing cultivation tracking structure. Once we aligned our workflows, everything flowed much more smoothly between departments. The lab’s data now feeds directly into cultivation planning, which keeps schedules tight and prevents surprises.

Accurate record-keeping isn’t just helpful—it’s essential for a library this size. It keeps the genetics organized, maintains consistency, and ensures the entire facility is working with reliable information.

Anjali: Cannabis growers always debate about the efficacy and reliability of the tissue culture technique; calling it “Waste of time” or “unnecessary”. As someone experienced in both conventional and tissue culture technology, how do you address this comment? How would you like to answer them?

Samantha: This is a great question, and it’s something I hear often in the industry. Growers are accustomed to the fast turnaround of traditional cloning, so the initial timeline for establishing genetics in tissue culture can feel slow. But that early phase is temporary, once a cultivar is stabilized, propagation becomes extremely fast, consistent, and reliable.

When people dismiss cannabis tissue culture as a “waste of time,” I always remind them that cannabis is medicine. Tissue culture allows us to clean up infections, reverse genetic decline, and recover cultivars that might otherwise be lost. I’ll often ask: Is the priority quick turnaround, or is it producing clean, healthy medicine for consumers? Healthier plants directly translate to cleaner, safer, and more consistent products—something traditional cloning alone can’t guarantee long-term. And beyond that, healthier plants can directly lead to higher yields, fewer losses, and more predictable performance—which means more profit for the facility. Long-term plant health has a very real financial impact.

Don't we want to see the best expression of a cultivar’s genetics? Don’t we want to preserve the strains people love or ones breeders have spent years on and prevent them from disappearing due to drift, infection, or decline? Tissue culture makes that possible. TC isn’t meant to replace cultivation; it’s designed to protect it. It acts as a safeguard for genetic integrity, plant health, and product quality. As more growers see the difference TC makes, I truly believe it will become a trusted industry standard.

Part 3: Expert Level (Cannabis Specifics & Advanced Challenges)

Anjali: Cannabis is known to be recalcitrant or highly variable compared to standard house plants. What are the specific challenges (e.g., hyperhydricity, phenolic exudation) you face most often with Cannabis, and how do you mitigate them?

Samantha: Hyperhydricity is something I see often in cannabis, and the biggest factor is moisture control. I make sure the media surface has dried slightly before capping, because sealing vessels too wet leads to condensation and glassy, waterlogged growth. During initiation, explants come out of sterilization fully saturated, so I let excess moisture evaporate before planting. Going in too wet almost always increases the risk of hyperhydricity.

Phenolic exudation can happen at the same time. Some cultivars oxidize quickly when cut, which darkens or damages the tissue. To avoid this, I work efficiently, keep cuts minimal, and get explants into media quickly. Working too slowly increases phenolic oxidation and also raises contamination risk because the exposed tissue is vulnerable.

Finding the balance between moisture control and oxidation risk takes practice, and every cultivar behaves differently. A few things that help are keeping the workspace consistent, cutting smaller pieces when possible, and refreshing media sooner if a cultivar is known to brown quickly. With time, you learn exactly how each genetic responds and how to adjust for it.

Anjali: You specialize in pathogen eradication. Can you explain the difficulty level difference between standard nodal propagation and true meristem excision for virus cleanup? Why is that precision so critical?

Samantha: There is a significant difference in difficulty between standard nodal propagation and true meristem excision, especially when the goal is pathogen or viroid cleanup. With nodal tissue, you are working with a larger section of the plant that includes vascular tissue. The more tissue you include, the higher the chance that a virus, viroid, or other pathogen is still present somewhere in that segment. Nodal propagation is great for multiplication, but it isn’t reliable for eliminating systemic infections.

Meristem excision is an entirely different skill level. The meristem is extremely small, fragile, and located in a tight cluster of actively dividing cells. Isolating it requires steady hands, magnification, and precise cuts that remove all surrounding tissue without damaging the meristem itself. It takes practice, control, and a lot of patience. The difficulty comes from balancing how much tissue you remove: too much, and the meristem won’t survive; too little, and you risk leaving infected cells attached.

The reason this precision matters is because most viruses and viroids do not penetrate the meristem, or penetrate at a much lower frequency. By isolating only that tiny, pathogen-free region before vascular pathways develop, you give the plant its best chance at regenerating clean. This is why meristem work is considered the gold standard for true pathogen eradication. It is challenging, but it is the most reliable way to reset a genetic line and preserve it long-term.

Anjali: With a long-term library, somaclonal variation (genetic drift) is a concern. How do you monitor your "moms" to ensure the plants coming out of the lab are true-to-type after multiple subcultures?

Samantha: Somaclonal variation is always something to be aware of in a long-term tissue culture library, but I actually don’t see much of it in my cultures. I manage my lines carefully to avoid the conditions that usually lead to genetic drift, and that has made a big difference in maintaining stability.

I track each cultivar through clearly defined generations and avoid letting a line run through endless subcultures without being refreshed from a clean backup. I also compare ex vitro plants to the original mother stock by looking at growth rate, leaf shape, structure, and overall vigor. Cannabis expresses itself very clearly, so even small deviations stand out if you know the cultivar well. If something doesn’t look right, I will go back a generation or re-initiate from earlier material.

Detailed record-keeping helps me monitor any changes over time, though it is rare that I see true variation in my program. While cryo or slow-growth storage is an option in the wider industry, maintaining reliable backups and resetting lines regularly has been enough to keep my genetics consistently true-to-type.

Anjali: You mentioned recovering lines that were "at risk." Can you share a success story of a specific genetic line you saved? What state was it in, and what technique brought it back?

Samantha: Yes—I actually have a cultivar that almost didn’t make it. I was only able to get a couple of cuttings from it, and shortly after, the cultivar was accidentally killed in cultivation. Those few meristem cultures were all I had to work with, so there was a lot of pressure to save it. For a long time, I barely saw any growth at all. There were no clear signs it would recover, but I kept working with it—removing browning tissue, transferring into fresh media, and testing different media ratios to find something it responded to. After months of troubleshooting and very slow progress, I finally started seeing positive growth. From there, I was able to get the genetic rooted, acclimated ex vitro, and eventually stable enough to go into the mom room. Today, that cultivar is clean, healthy, and on its way to becoming a production mom.

I also have a few other genetics with similar rescue stories, and they’re all getting close to the rooting phase as well. Watching them finally turn the corner after so much work is incredibly rewarding.

Stories like this are one of the biggest reasons tissue culture is so important. TC gives us a way to save genetics that would otherwise be gone forever, preserve valuable cultivars, and bring them back healthier than they were before. It shows the true power of tissue culture—not just for propagation, but for genetic rescue and long-term preservation.

Anjali: Cannabis is notorious for harboring endophytes (internal bacteria/fungi). How do you deal with contamination that appears weeks or months after initiation?

Samantha: Delayed contamination is one of the biggest challenges in cannabis tissue culture because the plant naturally carries endophytes—slow-growing bacteria or fungi that can stay hidden for weeks or even months after initiation. Even when a culture looks clean at first, these microbes can still be present and silently affect growth before anything becomes visible.

When I see stalled growth, slight discoloration, or any early signs that make me suspect hidden contamination, I’ll re-initiate the line from a cleaner node—usually higher up on the plant where microbial load tends to be lower. Sometimes it takes going back a generation or starting a fresh round entirely to reset the culture. If a cultivar repeatedly shows delayed contamination, I’ll adjust my sterilization approach or modify the initiation workflow to reduce microbial load.It’s a process that requires patience and close observation, but catching these issues early and being willing to re-initiate as needed keeps the library clean and prevents long-term decline of valuable genetics.

Anjali: Cannabis genotypes respond very differently to Plant Growth Regulators (PGRs). Do you find yourself leaning more towards specific cytokinins (like BAP vs. TDZ) for multiplication, or is it entirely strain-dependent?

Samantha: Yes, PGR response in cannabis is highly strain-dependent. Two cultivars can behave completely differently on the same media, so dialing in the right balance really comes down to understanding how each genotype reacts. I’ve had success with cytokinins like BAP and meta-Topolin, which tend to give clean, controlled growth. For auxins IBA has been the most reliable when I’m working toward rooting or shifting growth responses. At the same time, I also have cultivars that prefer to stay on the basal medium with no added PGRs—and some of them will even fully root in initiation media. It really shows how wide the range of responses can be in cannabis tissue culture.That variability is part of what makes cannabis tc challenging, but also what makes it rewarding when you finally dial in what each genetic needs.

Anjali: Have you experimented with synthetic seeds (encapsulation) for long-term storage of cannabis genetics? Do you see a future for that technology in commercial growth?

Samantha: I have experimented with synthetic seeds and encapsulation, and I think the concept has a lot of potential especially for long-term storage and easier transport of genetics. The idea of preserving a cultivar in a small, stable capsule that can later be regenerated is incredibly appealing for large libraries or multi-site operations. And honestly, making them is fun, it’s a very hands-on, creative part of tissue culture.

That said, cannabis presents some unique challenges. Not every cultivar responds well to encapsulation, and getting consistent germination or regrowth isn’t always straightforward. It’s not at the reliability level we see in some agricultural crops yet. But I do see a future for this technology in cannabis. As protocols become more refined and strain-specific adjustments improve, encapsulation could become a strong tool for genetic preservation, backup storage, and even secure distribution. We’re not fully there yet, but the potential is exciting.

Part 4: Industry Outlook & Automation

Anjali: As the cannabis industry scales, we hear more about automated bioreactors and robots. Do you feel there will always be a need for manual, "craft" tissue culture, or is automation inevitable for everyone?

Samantha: Automation in tissue culture is definitely growing, and I think it will have an important place in large-scale cannabis operations. Bioreactors, liquid systems, and robotic handling can help with very high-volume production and improve consistency for facilities that need thousands of plants on a tight schedule.

Even with that, I believe there will always be a need for skilled, hands-on tissue culturists. Cannabis is extremely genotype-specific. Some cultivars are easy to automate, but others require careful adjustments, visual assessment, and decisions that only come from experience. There is a craft element to cannabis TC that machines cannot fully replace, especially when you are dealing with meristem work, pathogen cleanups, or sensitive genetics. I see the future as a blend of both. Automation can take over repetitive, high-volume tasks, freeing up time for the more technical and delicate work that requires human judgment. The labs that find the right balance between technology and skilled hands will see the best results.

Anjali: What is one innovation or trend in plant tissue culture (outside of cannabis) that you are excited to see applied to your industry in the next few years?

Samantha: A trend I’m excited about is the combination of micropropagation with molecular pathogen testing. Being able to verify clean material early in the process is becoming standard in other crops, and adding routine facility-wide pathogen testing on top of that would raise overall plant health even further. Bringing that level of diagnostic support into cannabis would make it much easier to identify issues early, protect valuable genetics, and keep whole operations cleaner. Plant tissue culture is evolving quickly, and I’m looking forward to seeing how these innovations translate into cannabis as the science advances and the industry continues to grow.

Anjali: How do you explain the Return on Investment (ROI) of a tissue culture program to a grower who is skeptical about the costs compared to traditional cloning?

Samantha: ROI questions are something I deal with often, and I have had to prove the value of tissue culture many times. When growers look at the upfront cost, it can seem like an extra expense, especially if they are used to traditional cloning. What I explain is that TC is less about immediate turnaround and more about protecting the long-term health and reliability of their genetics.

Clean, uniform starting material reduces the risk of crop loss, stalled growth, or inconsistent yields, which directly impacts revenue. Tissue culture also gives cultivators a way to recover declining or high-value genetics that would otherwise be lost. Saving a single cultivar that performs well in production can outweigh the entire cost of running the program.

Once a cultivar is stabilized, propagation becomes extremely efficient. It reduces labor requirements, and frees up cultivation space for actual production instead of maintenance. Those operational savings add up quickly.

I also try my best to explain and show my passion for cannabis tissue culture, because when people see how committed I am to preserving and improving their genetics, it helps them understand the real value behind the work. TC is an investment in genetic security and long-term consistency, and once growers start seeing healthier plants and more reliable performance, the ROI becomes very clear.

Part 5: Plant Cell Technology (PCT) Products & Recommendations

Anjali: In your workflow, have you utilized products from Plant Cell Technology (such as PPM™, BioCoupler™, or their gelling agents)?

Samantha: Yes, I use the Plant Cell Technology BioCoupler in my workflow, and I have had great results with it. I currently have thriving rooted cultures growing in BioCouplers, and I have learned that flipping them less often helps reduce hyperhydricity in cannabis by allowing a little dry-back inside the vessel. I also use a variety of media ingredients from PCT all the time in my work.

Media ingredients have played a significant role in improving multiplication rates. Being able to adjust salt strengths, sugar levels, and different cytokinin or auxin combinations has helped me tailor media to each cultivar. Some genetics multiply well on simple formulations, while others need more specific ratios to stabilize and grow cleanly. Having reliable ingredients to experiment with makes it easier to find what each genetic responds to and to maintain consistent results over time.

Anjali: For a home grower or a startup lab looking to professionalize their setup, would you recommend PCT’s products/services? Why?

Samantha: Yes, I would recommend Plant Cell Technology’s products and services to home growers or new labs. Your tools are easy to integrate, especially for people who are still learning the workflow, and they help remove a lot of the guesswork that beginners usually struggle with. You also offer a lot of free educational information, which is incredibly helpful for anyone trying to learn the basics or troubleshoot early challenges. On top of that, your online and in-person master classes give growers the chance to build real skills and confidence with hands-on guidance. For small setups, reliability and clear instructions make a huge difference. Your products and resources create a strong foundation for growers who want to professionalize their workflow while still keeping it approachable.

Closing

Anjali: If you could go back to the first day you walked into a tissue culture lab and give yourself one piece of advice, what would it be?

Samantha: If I could go back to my first day in a tissue culture lab, I would tell myself to be patient and to accept that failure is part of the process. Nothing in TC happens overnight, and you are not supposed to master it on the first try. Experiments will fail, cultures will stall, contamination will happen, and sometimes you will need to restart from the beginning. That doesn’t mean you’re doing it wrong; it means you’re learning.

I would also remind myself not to be so hard on myself when things don’t go perfectly. Tissue culture requires practice, repetition, and resilience. The most important thing is to never give up. Keep trying, stay curious, and trust that every mistake is teaching you something that will make you a stronger tissue culturist in the long run.

Anjali: Tissue culture requires a lot of patience and repetition. How do you stay motivated and avoid burnout when you are spending hours doing the same excisions under the hood?

Samantha: Tissue culture definitely requires patience and a lot of repetition, especially when you are spending hours doing the same excisions under the hood. What keeps me motivated is remembering the bigger purpose behind the work. Every tiny piece I cut, every meristem I save, and every culture I clean up is part of preserving genetics and creating healthier plants for the future. That bigger picture makes the repetitive moments feel meaningful.

I also stay motivated by tracking progress. Seeing a genetic go from a tiny, stressed explant to a fully rooted, clean plant ready for the mom room is incredibly rewarding. Those little wins remind me why the work matters.

Avoiding burnout is just as important as motivation. I make sure to take short breaks, stretch, reset my hands, and shift tasks when I need to. I’ve learned that taking care of myself is part of doing good lab work. Staying hydrated, eating, and keeping myself energized helps me stay focused so I can show up and perform to the best of my ability. Staying balanced mentally and physically allows me to stay consistent in the lab, even on the long, repetitive days.

We want to extend a massive thank you to Samantha for this incredible deep dive. Her journey from the nursery to the lab is a powerful reminder that with the right mindset, anyone can become a guardian of plant health.

If this interview sparked any questions regarding your own tissue culture journey—whether you are curious about our upcoming Master Classes, need to stock up on essentials like BioCouplers™, or are planning to build your own lab from the ground up—we are here to support you.

Drop us an email at info@plantcelltechnology.com. We’ll be on the other end, ready to take your concerns and help you grow!