Microbiology specialist Lab M has been following the Food Standards Agency’s year-long survey of campylobacter in fresh chickens sold in the UK.
Campylobacter is the UK’s leading cause of food poisoning and the survey results published on 28 May 2015 (http://www.food.gov.uk/news-updates/news/2015/14003/campylobacter-survey-results-12months ) show that 73% of chickens tested positive for the presence of campylobacter, with one in five (19%) testing positive within the highest band of contamination . “As a company we work closely with microbiologists in the...
Dr David Suggett and his team at the University of Technology, Sydney have been using a Chelsea Technologies Group FastOcean to monitor coastal health along the East coast of Australia. “Primary productivity of the coastal ocean directly influences drawdown of atmospheric CO2 and fuels fisheries,” said Dr Suggett....
“Conditions that regulate primary productivity are highly variable along the east coast and we have been using the FastOcean to better understand the control of nutrient availability on carbon fixation in waters off the coast of Sydney; we have been adopting novel incubation approaches to better predict CO2 uptake capacity from FastOcean determined ‘electron transport rates’ within these waters. These data will feed into predictive models of...
The analysis of fertilizers to determine their Carbon and Nitrogen content can be done very rapidly and accurately on the Exeter Analytical Model 440 system.
The Model 440 elemental analyser uses thermal conductivity detectors to simultaneously analyse the nitrogen, carbon and hydrogen content. Interferences are removed through column packing’s and the combusted sample is converted into carbon dioxide, water vapour and nitrogen. Sample preparation is straightforward. Approximately 1-3 mg of fertilizer is weighed out in a tin capsule which is placed in a nickel sleeve for sample containment...
Quotient Clinical, the Translational Pharmaceutics® Company, has announced the successful completion of an Enabled-First-in-Human® (Enabled-FIH) program for US biotech company Corcept Therapeutics Incorporated, focusing on a next generation selective glucocorticoid receptor antagonist (CORT125134) in development for the treatment of Cushing’s syndrome and certain cancers.
The Enabled-FIH program integrated formulation development, real-time GMP manufacturing and clinical testing, using a single adaptive protocol to assess single and multiple dose safety, pharmacokinetics, and proof of pharmacological effect. The clinical timeline for the first-in-human dose through to completion of the program was only 7 months. CORT125134 was proven to be safe and well tolerated at the doses tested, and pharmacological effect...
AstraZeneca today announced a three-year research collaboration with the French National Institute of Health and Medical Research (Inserm) to investigate new therapeutic approaches to type 2 diabetes and Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD).
The aim of the collaboration is to advance understanding of the biological mechanisms that underpin these conditions and develop new treatments based on this knowledge. Under the terms of the collaboration, each project will comprise a joint team of investigators that will work across Inserm sites in Toulouse and Paris, and AstraZeneca’s research hub in Mölndal, Sweden. The collaboration will focus on three areas...
Strong characteristics can put graphene ahead of carbon nanotubes in most application segments, finds Frost & Sullivan
Carbon nanotubes and graphene have been competing head-to-head for many of the same applications in recent years. For most applications, the development of carbon nanotubes has been gradually rising as evidenced by patent trends. Nevertheless, graphene has been making drastic progress. In the form of oxides or nanoplatelets, graphene is in a better position to fulfil market needs, as it is a durable, stretchable and lightweight material...
Renishaw, a world leader in metrology and spectroscopy technologies, announce their participation at MMC 2015, which takes place from 29th June to 2nd July 2015 at the Manchester Central Convention Complex, Manchester, UK.
Renishaw Applications Scientist, Dr Katherine Lau, will make a presentation as part of the conference program and lead a workshop on Raman confocal microscopic imaging. MMC 2015, incorporating EMAG 2015, is hosted by the Royal Microscopical Society and takes place from 29th June to 2nd July 2015, at the Manchester Central Convention Complex, Manchester, UK. During this exhibition and conference, Applications Scientist, Dr Katherine Lau...
Scientists have identified a gene mutation linked to the development of an aggressive form of brain cancer.
Researchers found that errors in a gene known as TCF12 – which plays a key role in the formation of the embryonic brain are associated with more aggressive forms of a disease called anaplastic oligodendroglioma. The new research is the largest ever genetic study of oligodendrogliomas, and provides important insights into their causes – and how they might be treated. Oligodendrogliomas are fast-growing cancers that account...
The Institut Curie (Paris, France), a world leader in oncology research, has reported how it has standardised on using MEDIACLAVE media preparation and MEDIAJET automated petri dish filling systems from INTEGRA Biosciences to prepare its petri dishes.
Research work at the Institut Curie requires petri dishes for a wide range of applications including growing bacteria, yeasts and moulds, making it necessary to regularly produce 10 to 12 different types of media in varying quantities (from one to several litres). The assurance of reliable, high throughput production of these petri dishes, free of any contamination, is critical to ongoing research work. Fatima Dekmous, Departmental Head of the Wash facility at Institut Curie commented...
Microscopy tools optimized for use with emerging neurotechnologies provided for researchers
ZEISS announces that it is participating in a new public-private partnership with UC Berkeley as part of the Brain Microscopy Innovation Center (BrainMIC), a component of the Berkeley BRAIN Initiative. The Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies (BRAIN) Initiative was launched by President Obama in 2013 and is focused on revolutionizing understanding of the human brain, with the goal of helping researchers uncover the...
Horizon Discovery Group plc (LSE:HZD), the international life science company supplying research tools and services that power genomics research and the development of personalized medicines, and DefiniGEN Ltd, a leading provider of stem cell products and services, today announced their collaboration to develop a range of unique, gene-engineered iPS (induced pluripotent stem)-based cell lines for use in research.
Under the terms of the agreement, Horizon will perform genome engineering on the iPS cells, which will then be differentiated by DefiniGEN. The project will initially focus on generation of ten iPS-based cell lines for research in areas that currently lack high quality disease models. The resulting cell lines will be cultured, differentiated and quality controlled by DefiniGEN to ensure that scientists receive uniform cell populations suited to their experiments...
Fully customised virtual learning environment for all (bio)pharma and medical device companies gets the maximum out of training assets
Pharmaceutical Training International (PTI), the leading supplier of online and public event-based training courses for the pharma, biotech and medical device sectors, has expanded its game-based learning platform into a fully customisable virtual learning environment. In line with its ethos of creating bespoke training solutions, PTI will develop a 3D virtual world that reflects a client’s real world site or facilities and branding, allowing...
Universities of Leicester and Nottingham to develop mini hybrid gamma ray camera to revolutionise identification and removal of tumours and lymph nodes
‘Hybrid technology’ mini camera combines optical and gamma imaging to improve diagnosis and lymph and tumour removal efficiency
Small size of camera allows for bedside diagnosis as well as for small organ imaging, surgical investigation and visualisation of drug delivery
Researchers are also investigating other clinical applications for the technology including thyroid, lymphatic drainage and ‘lacrimal drainage’
Omicia Opal Platform to Bring Genomics to Mainstream Healthcare in UK National Initiative
Omicia, the leading clinical genomics company, today announced that it has been selected by Genomics England to provide clinical interpretation services for the 100,000 Genomes Project. For the first phase of the project Illumina will provide sequencing services, while Omicia will provide interpretation and clinical reports. Genomics England leads the UK’s national initiative to integrate genomics-based precision medicine into...
Manchester University has chosen MR Solutions’ 3T MRI preclinical, cryogen free imaging solution for superior soft tissue contrast and molecular imaging research at the Wolfson Molecular Imaging Centre.
The scanner will be used in their Regenerative Medicine research programme which aims to develop a clearer understanding of the potential risks and hazards of therapies and to develop new methodologies to assess their risk. The aim of this research is to gain faster access to new medicines for patients. This new state of the art preclinical imaging system was developed, supplied and installed by MR Solutions of Guildford, Surrey and supported...
The Institut Curie (Paris, France), a world leader in oncology research, has reported how it has standardised on using MEDIACLAVE media preparation and MEDIAJET automated petri dish filling systems from INTEGRA Biosciences to prepare its petri dishes.
Research work at the Institut Curie requires petri dishes for a wide range of applications including growing bacteria, yeasts and moulds, making it necessary to regularly produce 10 to 12 different types of media in varying quantities (from one to several litres). The assurance of reliable, high throughput production of these petri dishes, free of any contamination, is critical to ongoing research work. Fatima Dekmous, Departmental Head of the...
The European Investment Bank (EIB) is lending EUR 45m (around PLN 185m) to the largest Polish manufacturer of pharmaceuticals, Polpharma, for its research into and development of biosimilar drugs – more affordable alternatives to current treatments.
This is the first EIB operation in Poland supported by the new generation of financial instruments for innovative and growth companies, “InnovFin – EU Finance for Innovators”, with the financial backing of the European Union under Horizon 2020. The aim of the project of Polpharma is to provide patients with wider access to modern biological drugs and also to address unmet medical needs in the area of severe and life-threatening diseases such...
With its unprecedented throughput, scalability and speed, next-generation sequencing (NGS) enables researchers to study biological systems at a level never before possible. Today's complex genomic research questions demand a depth of information beyond the capacity of traditional DNA sequencing technologies. Next-generation sequencing has filled that gap and become an everyday research tool to address these questions across translational research areas.....
Markes International (Llantrisant) has announced the release of a set of six videos explaining the key features of its TOF-DS™ software package.
TOF-DS is an intuitive software platform for control and data-processing of Markes’ BenchTOF™ time-of-flight mass spectrometers coupled with coupled with a range of popular gas chromatographs (GCs) and autosamplers. The software has been developed to optimise GC–MS productivity and complement the power and flexibility of BenchTOF instruments. The new videos, available free-to-view, each summarise in just a few minutes a key aspect of TOF-DS, which comes as standard with the BenchTOF-HD™ and BenchTOF-Select™ models.
Read MoreHandheld Pipetting - Best PracticesJun 22, 2015
For the vast number of scientists that undertake handheld pipetting protocols - INTEGRA has produced a highly informative illustrated 'Best Practices' guide.
Drawing upon decades of pipetting experience - INTEGRA has compiled an unbiased series of hints and tips to help you improve your handheld pipetting. Expert advice is provided in areas including before you start, how to pipette and optimising pipetting performance. Each area of best pipetting practice discussed is backed up with an explanation of why this produces optimal results.
A new drug delays the progression of advanced breast cancer by over twice as long when used in combination with standard treatment, compared to standard treatment alone, a major clinical trial shows.
By halting tumour progression for several months, women who took the drug were able to delay moving on to chemotherapy following hormone treatment – which is effective, but can have severe side effects. The results of the phase III trial, called PALOMA3, were presented today (Monday) at the major American Society for Clinical Oncology conference in Chicago and published in the New England Journal of Medicine. In the trial, in women with...
Autoscribe’s Matrix Gemini Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) has been selected for use in WMG’s Energy Innovation Centre.
WMG is one of the world’s leading research and education centres, and is also one of the seven world class centres of industrial innovation that make up the High Value Manufacturing Catapult project. This was set up in order to accelerate new concepts through to commercial reality and in doing so provide a catalyst for the future growth and success of manufacturing in the UK. The centre provides the facilities to undertake a wide programme...
Campylobacter is the UK’s leading cause of food poisoning and the survey results published on 28 May 2015 (http://www.food.gov.uk/news-updates/news/2015/14003/campylobacter-survey-results-12months ) show that 73% of chickens tested positive for the presence of campylobacter, with one in five (19%) testing positive within the highest band of contamination . “As a company we work closely with microbiologists in the...
“Conditions that regulate primary productivity are highly variable along the east coast and we have been using the FastOcean to better understand the control of nutrient availability on carbon fixation in waters off the coast of Sydney; we have been adopting novel incubation approaches to better predict CO2 uptake capacity from FastOcean determined ‘electron transport rates’ within these waters. These data will feed into predictive models of...
The Model 440 elemental analyser uses thermal conductivity detectors to simultaneously analyse the nitrogen, carbon and hydrogen content. Interferences are removed through column packing’s and the combusted sample is converted into carbon dioxide, water vapour and nitrogen. Sample preparation is straightforward. Approximately 1-3 mg of fertilizer is weighed out in a tin capsule which is placed in a nickel sleeve for sample containment...
The Enabled-FIH program integrated formulation development, real-time GMP manufacturing and clinical testing, using a single adaptive protocol to assess single and multiple dose safety, pharmacokinetics, and proof of pharmacological effect. The clinical timeline for the first-in-human dose through to completion of the program was only 7 months. CORT125134 was proven to be safe and well tolerated at the doses tested, and pharmacological effect...
The aim of the collaboration is to advance understanding of the biological mechanisms that underpin these conditions and develop new treatments based on this knowledge. Under the terms of the collaboration, each project will comprise a joint team of investigators that will work across Inserm sites in Toulouse and Paris, and AstraZeneca’s research hub in Mölndal, Sweden. The collaboration will focus on three areas...
Carbon nanotubes and graphene have been competing head-to-head for many of the same applications in recent years. For most applications, the development of carbon nanotubes has been gradually rising as evidenced by patent trends. Nevertheless, graphene has been making drastic progress. In the form of oxides or nanoplatelets, graphene is in a better position to fulfil market needs, as it is a durable, stretchable and lightweight material...
Renishaw Applications Scientist, Dr Katherine Lau, will make a presentation as part of the conference program and lead a workshop on Raman confocal microscopic imaging. MMC 2015, incorporating EMAG 2015, is hosted by the Royal Microscopical Society and takes place from 29th June to 2nd July 2015, at the Manchester Central Convention Complex, Manchester, UK. During this exhibition and conference, Applications Scientist, Dr Katherine Lau...
Researchers found that errors in a gene known as TCF12 – which plays a key role in the formation of the embryonic brain are associated with more aggressive forms of a disease called anaplastic oligodendroglioma. The new research is the largest ever genetic study of oligodendrogliomas, and provides important insights into their causes – and how they might be treated. Oligodendrogliomas are fast-growing cancers that account...
Research work at the Institut Curie requires petri dishes for a wide range of applications including growing bacteria, yeasts and moulds, making it necessary to regularly produce 10 to 12 different types of media in varying quantities (from one to several litres). The assurance of reliable, high throughput production of these petri dishes, free of any contamination, is critical to ongoing research work. Fatima Dekmous, Departmental Head of the Wash facility at Institut Curie commented...
ZEISS announces that it is participating in a new public-private partnership with UC Berkeley as part of the Brain Microscopy Innovation Center (BrainMIC), a component of the Berkeley BRAIN Initiative. The Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies (BRAIN) Initiative was launched by President Obama in 2013 and is focused on revolutionizing understanding of the human brain, with the goal of helping researchers uncover the...
Under the terms of the agreement, Horizon will perform genome engineering on the iPS cells, which will then be differentiated by DefiniGEN. The project will initially focus on generation of ten iPS-based cell lines for research in areas that currently lack high quality disease models. The resulting cell lines will be cultured, differentiated and quality controlled by DefiniGEN to ensure that scientists receive uniform cell populations suited to their experiments...
Pharmaceutical Training International (PTI), the leading supplier of online and public event-based training courses for the pharma, biotech and medical device sectors, has expanded its game-based learning platform into a 
‘Hybrid technology’ mini camera combines optical and gamma imaging to improve diagnosis and lymph and tumour removal efficiency
Omicia, the leading clinical genomics company, today announced that it has been selected by Genomics England to provide clinical interpretation services for the 100,000 Genomes Project. For the first phase of the project Illumina will provide sequencing services, while Omicia will provide interpretation and clinical reports. Genomics England leads the UK’s national initiative to integrate genomics-based precision medicine into...
The scanner will be used in their Regenerative Medicine research programme which aims to develop a clearer understanding of the potential risks and hazards of therapies and to develop new methodologies to assess their risk. The aim of this research is to gain faster access to new medicines for patients. This new state of the art preclinical imaging system was developed, supplied and installed by MR Solutions of Guildford, Surrey and supported...
Research work at the Institut Curie requires petri dishes for a wide range of applications including growing bacteria, yeasts and moulds, making it necessary to regularly produce 10 to 12 different types of media in varying quantities (from one to several litres). The assurance of reliable, high throughput production of these petri dishes, free of any contamination, is critical to ongoing research work. Fatima Dekmous, Departmental Head of the...
This is the first EIB operation in Poland supported by the new generation of financial instruments for innovative and growth companies, “InnovFin – EU Finance for Innovators”, with the financial backing of the European Union under Horizon 2020. The aim of the project of Polpharma is to provide patients with wider access to modern biological drugs and also to address unmet medical needs in the area of severe and life-threatening diseases such...
Drawing upon decades of pipetting experience - INTEGRA has compiled an unbiased series of hints and tips to help you improve your handheld pipetting. Expert advice is provided in areas including before you start, how to pipette and optimising pipetting performance. Each area of best pipetting practice discussed is backed up with an explanation of why this produces optimal results.
By halting tumour progression for several months, women who took the drug were able to delay moving on to chemotherapy following hormone treatment – which is effective, but can have severe side effects. The results of the phase III trial, called PALOMA3, were presented today (Monday) at the major American Society for Clinical Oncology conference in Chicago and published in the New England Journal of Medicine. In the trial, in women with...
WMG is one of the world’s leading research and education centres, and is also one of the seven world class centres of industrial innovation that make up the High Value Manufacturing Catapult project. This was set up in order to accelerate new concepts through to commercial reality and in doing so provide a catalyst for the future growth and success of manufacturing in the UK.