Scientists at Novo Nordisk in Denmark have applied flow chemistry to enhance the cleavage of oligonucleotides. Utilising Vapourtec’s R-Series flow chemistry system to undertake their research, the Novo Nordisk team have made the data available in an application note that will be of interest to all chemists exploring oligonucleotides. The improvements reported include a reduction in the time for cleavage and complete deprotection to less than 3 minutes...

Scientific Laboratory Supplies (SLS) and Grant Instruments have produced a case study aiming to bring greater transparency to product sustainability. Whilst qualitative insights provide a strong foundation, data-driven sustainability requires measurable carbon data. This case study explores how collaboration can help laboratories make informed purchasing choices by assessing the full environmental impact of a product’s lifecycle...

A new study by EMBL researchers has shown how chromosomes change shape during cell division. Certain protein complexes help fold DNA into overlapping loops that repel each other, which then stack to create a rod-like structure. This is the first time scientists have directly observed an entire chromosome in high resolution within a dividing cell, offering new insights into how chromosomes are formed...

With critical deadlines approaching for the 2026–2031 Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), countries are under increasing pressure to deliver stronger climate commitments. As key pillars of the Paris Agreement, NDCs outline each nation's targets for reducing emissions and advancing sustainability efforts. Here, Kate Vanderburgh, Sr. Product Specialist, Thermo Fisher Scientific, explains how electron microscopy (EM) drives material innovation to support sustainable, low-carbon technologies to combat climate change...

INTEGRA Biosciences has played a pivotal role in advancing the field of serological pipetting over the last 40 years, and has just created a fascinating article covering the fast-paced history of serological pipet controller development. This interesting and educational resource is available to read now on INTEGRA’s website, and provides a concise overview of the advances that have shaped the field in the last few decades...

The demand for faster and more reliable cannabinoid analysis is growing with the expanding use of medicinal cannabis. Traditional HPLC methods often fall short in resolution due to the similar structures of cannabinoids. This application note presents a rapid UHPLC method using the YMC-Triart C18 ExRS column, delivering high-resolution separation of 11 cannabinoids in less than 6 minutes. Optimised for challenging separations, this column ensures efficiency without compromising accuracy...

Specialised Imaging reports that the Dlott group in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Illinois (Urbana, USA) are using a SIMX8 ultra high-speed framing camera adapted to study high-speed impact phenomena using multispectral imaging to  analyse emitted wavelengths. By using hyperspectral techniques, researchers are seeking to identify and characterize materials based on their unique spectral signatures...

In the development and analysis of advanced materials, the interplay between surface chemistry and structural properties is essential for understanding material behaviour. However, since several different methods — such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) — may need to be used, ensuring that data is obtained from the same regions of interest is vital. Here, Christopher Deeks, Channel Manager XPS at Thermo Fisher Scientific, explores how implementing a Correlative Imaging and Surface...

Using a new method to study how carbohydrates modify proteins, scientists have discovered that gut bacteria can alter molecular signatures in the brain. Our guts are home to trillions of bacteria, and research over the last few decades has established how essential they are to our physiology – in health and disease. A new study from EMBL Heidelberg researchers shows that gut bacteria can bring about profound molecular changes in one of our most critical organs – the brain...

Vapourtec’s R-Series flow chemistry system, equipped with a UV-150 photochemical reactor, has been cited in research by scientists at Novo Nordisk in the C-terminal α-amination of peptides and proteins from cysteine-extended polypeptide precursors. Published in a paper in Nature Communications entitled ‘Photochemically-enabled, post-translational production of C-terminal amides’, the process involved three steps...

Metrohm USA is proud to announce the winner of the 2025 Young Chemist Award, Ms. Elham Akbari, a graduate student from Temple University. This year’s award, increased to $15,000 to reflect Metrohm’s growing commitment to fostering scientific innovation, honors Ms. Akbari’s outstanding research on thermal treatment methods for the destruction of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), often referred to as "forever chemicals...

INTEGRA Biosciences offers liquid handling solutions and magnetic modules to streamline every stage of NGS sample preparation. These innovative tools help to reduce errors, improve the precision and reliability of sequencing data, and provide more efficient processes. NGS is a high throughput technology that rapidly sequences large volumes of DNA or RNA, enabling comprehensive analysis of genetic material for applications like genomics, transcriptomics and personalized medicine...

Aston Institute for Membrane Excellence (AIME) has received a £500,000 grant from the Wolfson Foundation to purchase an ultrafast confocal spinning disc microscope. This instrument will accelerate AIME research, led by Professor Roslyn Bill, into treatments for dementia and other forms of cognitive decline. An ultrafast spinning disc confocal microscope enables faster, higher-resolution images of biological processes than is currently possible at AIME...

Engineers from The University of Warwick’s Integrative Synthetic Biology Centre and Imperial College London’s Department of Bioengineering have unveiled how to engineer microbial ‘cell-factories’ to boost the manufacture of high-value chemicals that are used in everyday products like domestic goods, clothes and food. To date cell-based systems have been less efficient than existing petrochemical processes due to natural constraints within living cells...

Did you know some viruses don’t cause illness and can instead be used to treat disease? Biotechnology startup Axonis Therapeutics reprogrammed a virus to carry a novel gene therapy to neurons to treat neurological conditions like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and spinal cord injury. The company needed a way to test the therapeutic in a mature human brain model, which is difficult to produce on Earth...

Leading science and innovation campus, Discovery Park, in Sandwich, Kent has launched applications for the fourth cohort of its immersive business growth competition, ‘Discovery Spark’. Supported by Capital Enterprise Network and Cancer Research UK (CRUK), Discovery Park’s latest Discovery Spark programme will have an oncology theme. It invites cancer tech start-ups looking to accelerate their business to apply...

In materials science, achieving precise and repeatable scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis requires pristine sample surfaces. However, handling and preparation methods frequently degrade the sample’s condition, making it challenging to observe the material's essential features. Here, Britta Siefer, SEM expert at Thermo Fisher Scientific, explains how a reliable workflow can preserve sample integrity for quality analysis...

Pioneering use of artificial intelligence (AI) could cut the time it takes to bring life-saving treatments to patients. This represents just one example of innovation being championed by the UK's seven new regulatory science powerhouses. Innovate UK – the UK’s innovation agency, in partnership with the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), Office for Life Sciences, and the Medical Research Council have announced seven Centres of Excellence for Regulatory Science and Innovation...

Illumina, Inc., a global leader in DNA sequencing and array-based technologies, has announced a pilot proteomics program to analyze 50,000 UK Biobank samples in collaboration with deCODE Genetics, Standard BioTools, Tecan, GSK, Johnson & Johnson, and Novartis. The pilot program is based on Illumina's upcoming proteomics assay, Illumina Protein Prep™, powered by SOMAmer® technology, a next-generation sequencing (NGS) based solution that will help scale access to proteomic insights...