A laboratory technique used to detect specific RNA molecules in a sample by separating them on a gel and transferring them to a membrane for hybridization with labeled probes. It allows researchers to determine the size and abundance of particular RNA transcripts.
Named as a play on the Southern blot technique (invented by Edwin Southern), with 'Northern' chosen simply because it's the opposite direction on a compass. The 'blot' refers to the transfer process where molecules are blotted from gel onto membrane.
The naming of molecular biology techniques became a geographical joke - after Southern blot came Northern blot, then Western blot, and scientists even proposed Eastern blot! It's one of the few scientific fields where compass directions determine technique names.
Named after Edwin Southern (Southern blot, 1975). Women did comparable nucleic acid work but naming convention created male-centric hierarchy in molecular biology tools—perpetuated by 'northern, western' extensions.
When teaching or naming variants, credit all contributors. Consider contextualizing why these eponyms exist.
["RNA hybridization assay"]
Joan Steitz and others conducted parallel RNA sequencing and analysis but naming conventions favored male-attributed discoveries, making women's contributions invisible in tool nomenclature.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.