The Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) has published a revised document titled Methods for Antimicrobial Dilution and Disk Susceptibility Testing of Infrequently Isolated or Fastidious Bacteria (M45-Ed3).
This guideline informs clinical, public health, and research laboratories on susceptibility testing of infrequently isolated or fastidious bacteria that are not included in CLSI documents M02, M07, or M100. Antimicrobial agent selection, test interpretation, and quality control are discussed. Susceptibility testing is particularly necessary in situations in which the etiological agent belongs to a bacterial species for which resistance to commonly used antimicrobial agents has been documented...
Collaboration aims to reduce the complexity, costs and time involved in CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing
Desktop Genetics Ltd a software company revolutionizing the way biologists use CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing technology, announced today that it has signed a partnership agreement with Transcriptic Inc, a California based robotic cloud laboratory for life sciences. The partnership, announced at the SynBioBeta conference, will combine DTG’s CRISPR/Cas9 design software with Transcriptic’s services for cloud-based, high throughput cloning of CRISPR constructs, which will enable to companies to provide customers with seamless “CRISPR gene editing on-demand”...
Mazurek Optical Services are pleased to announce they have recently installed a suite of light microscopes in the School of Earth and Ocean Sciences at Cardiff University.
The microscopes have already been used in the undergraduate teaching laboratories by students returning for the new academic year. The School of Earth and Ocean Sciences at Cardiff University offers students a research-led experience across a wide raft of disciplines. They provide undergraduates with top class facilities that include dedicated IT labs, state-of-the-art analytical equipment and even their own research vessel. To coincide...
INSPIRE consortium receives UK MHRA approval for study
The INSPIRE consortium, led by Videregen Ltd, has received approval from the MHRA to start a UK clinical trial with its tissue engineered replacement trachea. The trial, which is expected to start in the first half of 2016, will focus on severe structural airway disease (SSAD), a potentially life-threatening condition believed to affect 19,000 people in Europe and the US. Along with Videregen as commercial partner, the consortium includes...
Beckman Coulter Diagnostics has today made available Issue 4 of its DxN VERIS Molecular Diagnostics Evidence Pack.
Following presentation of eight new scientific posters at the European Society for Clinical Virology meeting in Edinburgh, Scotland (September 2015), the Evidence Pack has been updated and now contains more than 20 evaluation posters presented at key infectious disease meetings across Europe. “These independent evaluations of our DxN VERIS Molecular Diagnostics System and assays* will be of great interest to virology laboratories...
Deben, a leading provider of in-situ testing stages together with innovative accessories and components for electron microscopy, reports on the use of the Microtest 200 N tensile stage in the Department of Aeronautics at Imperial College.
London where it is used to measure load displacement curves on nanocellulose-reinforced polymer composites. Dr Koon-Yang Lee is a Lecturer in Composite Manufacturing in the Department of Aeronautics at Imperial College London. His young and dynamic research group focuses on the manufacturing of polymer (nano)composites, surface and interface engineering, particle stabilised emulsions and foams. His research is highly...
Ingenza has teamed up with clinical scientists at Imperial College London to trial an improved diagnostic assay for confirming nasogastric (NG) tube placement.
Professor George Hanna, Director of the National Institute for Health Research Diagnostic Evidence Co-operative London at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, which specialises in In Vitro Diagnostics, explained: “Correct placement of NG tubes is vital, as accidental insertion of the tube into the lung instead of the gut can have serious consequences. The current method for determining correct placement – pH testing of a stomach aspirate, with X-ray confirmation if the results are ambiguous
Read MoreTecan adds the personal touch to wine microbiologyNov 24, 2015
The Wine Microbiology and Microbial Biotechnology Laboratory at the University of Adelaide has developed a customized solution offering fully automated sampling for yeast fermentations.
Based on a Freedom EVO® 200 platform, this system frees researchers from the need to manually aliquot samples day and night for up to three weeks. Dr Tommaso Liccioli Watson, a postdoctoral research fellow in the laboratory, explained: “We use approaches such as directed evolution and mutagenesis to develop novel yeast and bacterial strains to improve the winemaking process....
Read MoreHorizon Discovery Partners with Swift Biosciences on Genomic Reference Standards for NGS Oncology ApplicationsNov 23, 2015
Horizon Discovery Group plc (LSE:HZD) (Horizon), the international life science company supplying research tools and services to organizations engaged in genomics research and the development of personalized medicines, today announced it has entered into a new agreement with Swift Biosciences (Swift). Swift will be incorporating Horizon’s human genomic reference standards into its new Accel-Amplicon 56G Oncology Panel for use in research and translational applications.
Swift Biosciences’ new oncology panel, including HDx™ Quantitative Multiplex Reference Standards, addresses growing liquid biopsy and cancer detection markets
Standards to be used to support validation, consistency and accuracy of the panel
Bibby Scientific announced today that it has launched a Techne PCR-based method for reliable and highly specific detection of the yeast, Dekkera bruxellensis, which is a major cause of wine spoilage worldwide, causing large economic losses within the global wine industry.
Flavour-spoiling phenolic compounds released from this yeast lead to undesirable aromas, known as ‘Brett’ taints, that are normally associated with aromas of barnyard, burnt plastic, wet animal and horse-sweat. Detection of the yeast through traditional microbiological techniques can be time-consuming, costly and unreliable. In contrast, real-time or quantitative PCR-based detection methods allow for exceptionally rapid and highly...
Prior Scientific has announced that the Core Imaging Facility at the UK's prestigious National Institute for Medical Research (NIMR) has chosen a Prior HLD117 linear motor stage to be the sample platform at the centre of a new system based around an Olympus IX83 microscope.
NIMR is one of the world’s leading medical research institutes. It is dedicated to studying important questions about biological processes that are relevant to all aspects of health. Research at NIMR covers a broad spectrum of basic biomedical science, including infectious diseases, immunology, cell and developmental biology, neuroscience and structural biology. The world-class facilities for research include biological imaging resources, the...
First trial to show benefit of ‘precision medicine’ in prostate cancer
A pioneering drug developed to treat women with inherited cancers can also benefit men with advanced prostate cancer, a major new clinical trial concludes. The trial is a milestone in cancer treatment as the first to show the benefits of ‘precision medicine’ in prostate cancer – with treatment matched to the particular genetic characteristics of a man’s tumour. Olaparib, the world’s first drug to reach the market targeted against inherited...
JPK Instruments, a world-leading manufacturer of nanoanalytic instrumentation for research in life sciences and soft matter, reports on the multiple applications where their NanoWizard® AFM system is being used at the Korean Institute of Chemical Technology to study soft materials such as biomolecules and polymers.
Established in 1976 for R&D of chemical technology in Korea, the Korean Research Institute of Chemical Technology (KRICT) has helped drive the growth of the country“s chemical industry. The focus is on the development of world-class key technologies. There are four key research fields: the development of eco-friendly chemical process technology; the development of high value-added green chemical materials; the discovery of...
Wastewater treatment plants can benefit from a new chemical oxygen demand (COD) analyzer that will provide plant engineers with another tool to monitor water quality and prevent environmental contamination.
COD analysis is used to detect levels of organic pollutants in water, and early identification of these contaminants can indicate an issue in the treatment process of wastewater. The new Thermo Scientific Orion 3106 COD analyzer is the latest addition to the portfolio of Orion products serving the wastewater industry. The analyzer combines a digestion step with colorimetric analysis to measure the concentration of organic compounds that...
Glasgow has been named as the base of one of six regional centres of excellence announced today by the Precision Medicine Catapult.
Established in April 2015 and funded by Innovate UK, the Precision Medicine Catapult is the UK's new national innovation centre for precision medicine. Its aim is to make the UK the most attractive place in the world in which to develop precision medicine test and therapies. The Scottish centre of excellence, based in Glasgow, will be led by the University of Glasgow and the Scottish Government on behalf of the NHS Research Scotland...
For some years now it has been possible to generate high-brilliance X-rays using ring-shaped particle accelerators (synchrotron sources). However, such installations are several hundred meters in diameter and cost billions of euros. The world’s first mini synchrotron was inaugurated today at Technical University of Munich (TUM). It can generate high-brilliance X-rays on a footprint measuring just 5 x 3 meters. The new unit will be used chiefly....
Genomics’ proprietary bioinformatics tools will be used to analyse and interpret up to 500 genome sequences focusing on rare diseases and cancer.
Genomics plc (“Genomics”), a leading analysis company developing algorithms and software solutions to uncover the relationships between genetic variation and human disease, today announced that it has entered into a collaboration agreement with Oxford University and the Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in a research project focused on the translation of whole genome sequencing into clinical practice...
First Tender Awarded for the National Cervical Cancer Screening Program in the Netherlands
Roche (SIX: RO, ROG; OTCQX: RHHBY) announced today that it has been awarded a 5-year contract by the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) in the Netherland for implementation of the cobas® HPV Test as the first-line, primary screening test in the national cervical cancer screening program. The decision concludes an extensive public tender process in which diagnostic providers were assessed on their...
The Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) has published a new document titled Laboratory Personnel Management (QMS16-Ed1).
This guideline describes the process for meeting the regulatory and accreditation requirements of personnel management in the laboratory environment.Quality System Essential Personnel encompasses recruiting, hiring, and retaining an adequate number of qualified, well-trained, and competent laboratory personnel to perform and manage the activities for your laboratory. QMS16 was written within the CLSI quality management system (QMS) framework to directly focus on achieving...
The John Innes Centre (JIC) is located on the Norwich Research Park in the heart of East Anglia, supported by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC). Its mission is to generate knowledge of plants and microbes through innovative research and to apply knowledge of nature’s diversity to benefit agriculture, the environment and human health & well-being.
The BBSRC, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and HGCA, the cereals and oilseeds division of the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) are funding a LINK project “A ‘breeder’s tool kit’ to improve Hagberg Falling Number1 for the economic and environmental sustainability of UK wheat” in collaboration with four breeding companies in the UK and Europe to genetically map and understand the mechanisms of six previously identified QTL segregating in UK germplasm....
Syngene, a world-leading manufacturer of image analysis solutions, is pleased to announce its G:BOX Chemi XX6 multi-application imager is being utilised by scientists at the University of Brescia for analysing nitrated proteins.
This is providing the researchers with accurate information on changes in proteins and may help to identify biomarkers related to Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers in the Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine (DMMT) at theUniversity of Brescia in Italy are using a G:BOX Chemi XX6 system to analyse nitrated proteins fluorescently stained with Cy2, Cy3 and Cy5 on 2D DIGE (Difference Gel Electrophoresis) gels. These proteins have been isolated from the...
First trial to show benefit of ‘precision medicine’ in prostate cancer
A pioneering drug developed to treat women with inherited cancers can also benefit men with advanced prostate cancer, a major new clinical trial concludes. The trial is a milestone in cancer treatment as the first to show the benefits of ‘precision medicine’ in prostate cancer – with treatment matched to the particular genetic characteristics of a man’s tumour. Olaparib, the world’s first drug to reach the market targeted against inherited...
This guideline informs clinical, public health, and research laboratories on susceptibility testing of infrequently isolated or fastidious bacteria that are not included in CLSI documents M02, M07, or M100. Antimicrobial agent selection, test interpretation, and quality control are discussed. 
The microscopes have already been used in the undergraduate teaching laboratories by students returning for the new academic year. The School of Earth and Ocean Sciences at Cardiff University offers students a research-led experience across a wide raft of disciplines. They provide undergraduates with top class facilities that include dedicated IT labs, state-of-the-art analytical equipment and even their own research vessel. To coincide...
The INSPIRE consortium, led by Videregen Ltd, has received approval from the MHRA to start a UK clinical trial with its tissue engineered replacement trachea. The trial, which is expected to start in the first half of 2016, will focus on severe structural airway disease (SSAD), a potentially life-threatening condition believed to affect 19,000 people in Europe and the US. Along with Videregen as commercial partner, the consortium includes...
Following presentation of eight new scientific posters at the European Society for Clinical Virology meeting in Edinburgh, Scotland (September 2015), the Evidence Pack has been updated and now contains more than 20 evaluation posters presented at key infectious disease meetings across Europe. 
London where it is used to measure load displacement curves on nanocellulose-reinforced polymer composites. Dr Koon-Yang Lee is a Lecturer in Composite Manufacturing in the Department of Aeronautics at Imperial College London. His young and dynamic research group focuses on the manufacturing of polymer (nano)composites, surface and interface engineering, particle stabilised emulsions and foams. His research is highly...
Professor George Hanna, Director of the National Institute for Health Research Diagnostic Evidence Co-operative London at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, which specialises in In Vitro Diagnostics, explained: “Correct placement of NG tubes is vital, as accidental insertion of the tube into the lung instead of the gut can have serious consequences. The current method for determining correct placement – pH testing of a stomach aspirate, with X-ray confirmation if the results are ambiguous
Flavour-spoiling phenolic compounds released from this yeast lead to undesirable aromas, known as ‘Brett’ taints, that are normally associated with aromas of barnyard, burnt plastic, wet animal and horse-sweat. Detection of the yeast through traditional microbiological techniques can be time-consuming, costly and unreliable. In contrast, real-time or quantitative PCR-based detection methods allow for exceptionally rapid and highly...
NIMR is one of the world’s leading medical research institutes. It is dedicated to studying important questions about biological processes that are relevant to all aspects of health. Research at NIMR covers a broad spectrum of basic biomedical science, including infectious diseases, immunology, cell and developmental biology, neuroscience and structural biology. The world-class facilities for research include biological imaging resources, the...
A pioneering drug developed to treat women with inherited cancers can also benefit men with advanced prostate cancer, a major new clinical trial concludes. 
Established in 1976 for R&D of chemical technology in Korea, the Korean Research Institute of Chemical Technology (KRICT) has helped drive the growth of the country“s chemical industry. The focus is on the development of world-class key technologies. There are four key research fields: the development of eco-friendly chemical process technology; the development of high value-added green chemical materials; the discovery of...
COD analysis is used to detect levels of organic pollutants in water, and early identification of these contaminants can indicate an issue in the treatment process of wastewater. The new Thermo Scientific Orion 3106 COD analyzer is the latest addition to the portfolio of Orion products serving the wastewater industry. 
Established in April 2015 and funded by Innovate UK, the Precision Medicine Catapult is the UK's new national innovation centre for precision medicine. Its aim is to make the UK the most attractive place in the world in which to develop precision medicine test and therapies. 
For some years now it has been possible to generate high-brilliance X-rays using ring-shaped particle accelerators (synchrotron sources). However, such installations are several hundred meters in diameter and cost billions of euros. The world’s first mini synchrotron was inaugurated today at Technical University of Munich (TUM). It can generate high-brilliance X-rays on a footprint measuring just 5 x 3 meters. The new unit will be used chiefly....
Genomics plc (“Genomics”), a leading analysis company developing algorithms and software solutions to uncover the relationships between genetic variation and human disease, today announced that it has entered into a collaboration agreement with Oxford University and the Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in a research project focused on the translation of whole genome sequencing into clinical practice...
Roche (SIX: RO, ROG; OTCQX: RHHBY) announced today that it has been awarded a 5-year contract by the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) in the Netherland for implementation of the cobas® HPV Test as the first-line, primary screening test in the national cervical cancer screening program. The decision concludes an extensive public tender process in which diagnostic providers were assessed on their...
This guideline describes the process for meeting the regulatory and accreditation requirements of personnel management in the laboratory environment.Quality System Essential Personnel encompasses recruiting, hiring, and retaining an adequate number of qualified, well-trained, and competent laboratory personnel to perform and manage the activities for your laboratory. QMS16 was written within the CLSI quality management system (QMS) framework to directly focus on achieving...
This is providing the researchers with accurate information on changes in proteins and may help to identify biomarkers related to Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers in the Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine (DMMT) at theUniversity of Brescia in Italy are using a G:BOX Chemi XX6 system to analyse nitrated proteins fluorescently stained with Cy2, Cy3 and Cy5 on 2D DIGE (Difference Gel Electrophoresis) gels. These proteins have been isolated from the...
A pioneering drug developed to treat women with inherited cancers can also benefit men with advanced prostate cancer, a major new clinical trial concludes. The trial is a milestone in cancer treatment as the first to show the benefits of ‘precision medicine’ in prostate cancer – with treatment matched to the particular genetic characteristics of a man’s tumour. Olaparib, the world’s first drug to reach the market targeted against inherited...