This ghosty piece was one of my first technical long-form articles while working for That’s Nice. The challenge here was to explain how Wheeler Bio’s utilization of a proprietary, highly complex process for cell line development yielded better and faster results than traditional cell line development techniques used as the industry standard. And for all you cell line development experts out there, I’m sure you can appreciate the learning curve I faced as the writer. In cases like this where the subject matter is something that PhD-credentialed scientists spend their entire careers understanding, I employ a two-pronged approach. Prong one: research the heck out of the subject - journal articles, recorded lectures, anything from a reputable source. This prepares me for Prong Two: speak to the experts in as much detail and for as much time as is allowed. There is nothing that takes the place of learning from people who live and breathe the subject. Validating my secondary research is only a small part of the value. The real gold is learning just how many assumptions I had wrong, what is nuance and what is crucial insight, and most importantly, what makes these experts excited about the subject. Once I can understand the excitement, I make this the backbone of the piece.