Smiths Detection, a global leader in threat detection and security screening technologies, confirms its BioFlash® Biological Identifier is capable of detecting airborne COVID-19 following tests conducted by the University of Oregon, positioning the technology as an effective environmental monitoring tool for use in indoor public spaces. The University of Oregon tests were performed in quarantine and isolation spaces known to have individuals who had tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 (the virus causing COVID-19)....

CloudLIMS, a leading provider of laboratory informatics, announces the release of a HIPAA-compliant, cloud-based, secure patient portal to enable clinical and COVID-19 diagnostic laboratories to offer direct-to-patient services for seamless communication. The patient portal is included in the latest release of CloudLIMS, a full-feature, out-of-the-box, COVID-19 LIMS...

Science communications company Cactus Communications has released its report on the largest and most diverse global mental health survey in the scientific research community. The survey gathered responses from over 13,000 participants in seven languages, with strong representation from the top-ten research-producing countries. Notably, 43 per cent of respondents to CACTUS’ survey said their organisation does not have effective policies for supporting a good-work life balance and this negatively effects their mental health...

Ziath has posted a new video that provides an easy-to-follow guide to assist scientists and technicians scanning and decoding sample tube racks direct from low temperature storage, especially when withdrawn from vapour phase liquid nitrogen tanks. The remove ice, blotting and scanning protocol is demonstrated to take less than 30 seconds per rack...

Avacta Group plc, the developer of innovative cancer therapies and diagnostics based on its proprietary Affimer® and pre|CISION™ platforms, is pleased to announce that it has entered into a global distribution agreement with ABCAM plc (AIM: ABC; NASDAQ: ABCM) to sell the Group’s recently developed SARS-CoV-2 research ELISA Affimer® reagents...

Mologic, a leading developer of lateral flow and rapid diagnostic technologies, has announced its rapid antigen self-test for COVID-19 has been selected by the Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics (RADxSM) initiative launched by the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH). The initiative aims to speed innovation in the development, commercialisation, and implementation of technologies for COVID-19 testing....

Intravacc, a global leader in translational research and development of viral and bacterial vaccines, has announced that it has obtained positive preclinical results for its SARS-CoV-2 Outer Membrane Vesicle (OMV) based recombinant Spike protein (rSp) candidate nose spray vaccine. For the preclinical study four groups of mice and four groups of hamsters received two intranasal immunizations on day one and day 21...

EUROIMMUN, a PerkinElmer, Inc. Company, has announced the launch of the SARS-CoV-2 NeutraLISA™ assay, a surrogate neutralization test intended for the detection of neutralizing antibodies against SARS-CoV-2, the pathogen causing COVID-19. The CE marked assay adds to the Company’s broad portfolio of COVID-19 diagnostics and is currently available in more than 30 countries that accept the CE mark...

LGC has released ACCURUN^® SARS-CoV-2 Antigen Reference Material Kit, a new quality measurement tool to support SARS-CoV-2 antigen testing. It is formulated for use with test methods that detect the nucleocapsid (NP) protein of SARS-CoV-2 virus – the target for the majority of the SARS-CoV-2 antigen assays currently on the market...

Lab technicians and clinicians are on the front lines of the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. With the realities of more infections putting governments, health agencies, and the scientific community under additional pressure, ensuring the safety of skilled resources at all times should be a priority for principal investigators and lab managers...

Following the BBC Panorama’s undercover investigation into a COVID-19 lighthouse laboratory, the Institute of Biomedical Science (IBMS) reiterates the need for more HCPC registered staff and UKAS accreditation in these laboratories. From the outset of the pandemic, the Institute of Biomedical Science (IBMS) has emphasised the fact that “high quality staff deliver high quality services...

Thermo Fisher Scientific, the world leader in serving science, and Artificial, developers of flexible automation software, have announced a strategic technology collaboration to develop an integrated and comprehensive software automation platform for Thermo Fisher’s standardized COVID-19 Testing Platform. The integration will result in increased testing throughput and support global healthcare initiatives...

Agilent Technologies Inc. has announced the launch of a real-time reverse transcription (qRT) PCR-based diagnostic kit for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA. The CE-IVD mark is in accordance with the European Union In Vitro Diagnostic Directive 98/79/EC and is available for immediate distribution....

The common cold virus could offer some level of protection against COVID-19 infection, according to a new study. The research – published in Journal of Infectious Diseases and led by scientists at the MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research (CVR) – found that human rhinovirus (the virus that causes the common cold) triggers an innate immune response that seems to block SARS-CoV-2...

Download this free infographic from Thermo Fisher Scientific to learn about SARS-CoV-2 infection and replication, disease progression and spread of COVID-19, and the importance and types of COVID-19 testing. There are different types of technologies used to test for SARS-CoV-2. The two tests that are most often used are PCR and antigen. PCR is 99% accurate and detects viral ....

When every moment matters, laboratories are asked to rapidly convey test results enabling prompt reactions. Acura^® electro micropipettes bring fast and reliable results with excellent ergonomics. During the past year, research activities were mainly focused on COVID-19 related topics to better understand and monitor the current pandemic....

IONTAS Limited (IONTAS) and FairJourney Biologics S.A (FJB)., leaders in the discovery and optimisation of fully human antibodies, have announced the identification of neutralizing antibodies, which bind to multiple emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants. The results, generated from a combination of phage display technology and B-cell receptor repertoire sequencing of hospitalized COVID-19 patients....

The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has a wide range of effects on laboratories around the world. This includes not only the current high volume of requests for PCR tests for the novel coronavirus.  It has challenged laboratories worldwide with respect to quickly adopting digital technologies to cope with the new norms of social distancing, remote work away from laboratory benches...

Excalibur Healthcare Services (“Excalibur”) announce it has created an innovative ‘freedom passport’ which can pave the way for people to mix safely in public and travel securely in large numbers without spreading Covid infection. The ‘passport’ has been developed through a pioneering partnership between Excalibur, led by Professor Sir Chris Evans, OBE, and his lateral flow diagnostics team in Cambridge, and Sensyne Health plc...