The time needed to genetically sequence the bacteria causing tuberculosis (Mtb) from patient samples has been reduced from weeks to days using a new technique developed by a UCL-led team.
This could help health service providers to better treat disease, control transmission of this infection, and monitor outbreaks. Tuberculosis (TB) disease rates in some parts of London are as high as in Sub-Saharan Africa, and drug-resistant strains are becoming increasingly common. These require specific treatments, and if doctors know that a bug is resistant they can start therapy earlier, often leading to better outcomes. Whole genome sequencing reveals the complete...
Kleindiek Nanotechnik have partnered with EM Resolutions, a Saffron Walden-based consumables and accessories supplier for electron microscopy, to supply and install their range of MM3A nanomanipulators and force measurement systems to the UK research community.
For example, FMS-EM force measurement systems are enabling researchers at Imperial College London to investigate the root cause of failures in electrochemical devices such as fuel cells and batteries. Imperial College is also using them for testing during the development of nano robots and other nanostructures. The FMS-EM is a compact force readout tool that allows tensile measurements to be made inside an SEM/FIB. Whilst existing...
A new report from Exeter Analytical demonstrates how the Model 440 CHN Analyser provides precise and accurate determination of percentage Carbon, Hydrogen and Nitrogen on samples as small as 0.3 milligrams (mg).
Using Atropine (8-Methyl-8-azabicyclo[3.2.1]oct-3-yl) 3-hydroxy-2-phenylpropanoate) as the test compound the Model 440 produced data from 0.3mg samples which only varied within +/- 0.12% of the theoretical CHN values. In environments such as pharmaceutical research and synthetic chemistry laboratories, where the weight of new compounds for analytical purposes is often limited, the ability to reliably generate reliable CHN data on...
The virus and prion validation group at Octapharma GmbH (Frankfurt, Germany) reports how implementing an INTEGRA VIAFLO 96 has enabled them to reduce the time taken to undertake PCR assays by greater than 60%.
Since its foundation in 1983, Octapharma has specialised in the development and manufacture of preparations from human plasma. The virus and prion group has been set-up for small scale production of plasma based drugs from human blood which must be tested to be free of contaminating viruses. The virology PCR assay developed by Octapharma involves fixing a PCR template on the well surface of 96-well plates and then undertaking a protocol that includes 3 washing steps...
This year, Inoviem Scientific has raised over €1 million ($1,12 million) to produce and market its innovative services for selecting leads and determining molecule mechanisms of action under physiological conditions
Inoviem Scientific, a Contract Research Biotech (CRB) company today announces that it has received additional funding of €545,000 ($611,000) from French public investment bank bpifrance. The company leverages two proprietary technologies to offer pharmaceutical players increased speed and enhanced safety at all stages of drug development; from drug discovery (the identification of secondary targets and detection of potential...
With the efforts of its scientists and other staff members, Creative Biolabs announced Dual Variable Domain Immunoglobulin (DVD-Ig) Production Service. This service is able to provide immunoglobulin molecules that simultaneously target two mediators of disease with a single pharmaceutical entity.
The DVD-Ig is an IgG-like molecule, except that each light chain and heavy chain contains two variable domains in tandem through a short peptide linkage instead of one variable domain. As simultaneous blockade of multiple targets may yield better therapeutic efficacy than inhibition of a single target, they were originally designed for the treatment of complex diseases in which multiple mediators contribute to overall disease pathogenesis by distinct or redundant mechanisms....
A new technical poster from Haydale Ltd. describes a cost-effective and repeatable method for characterisation of functionalised carbon nanomaterials.
Two key, but independent, problems facing the graphene industry are the requirement for chemical functionalisation (essential for homogenous dispersion and application) and the pressing need for reliable, cost-effective, rapid, easy-to-use and accurate characterisation techniques to determine the type and extent of functionalisation present on graphene material. Current chemical characterisation techniques including X-ray photoelectron...
To date, chip-based retinal implants have only permitted a rudimentary restoration of vision.
However, modifying the electrical signals emitted by the implants could change that. This is the conclusion of the initial published findings of a project sponsored by the Austrian Science Fund FWF, which showed that two specific retinal cell types respond differently to certain electrical signals – an effect that could improve the perception of light-dark contrasts. "Making the blind really see – that will take some time", says Frank Rattay of the...
The encouraging recent results of a 14-year study by the UK Collaborative Trial of Ovarian Cancer Screening could herald a radical departure from the approach established by other screening tests for cancer, providing the final data is sufficiently conclusive, says an analyst with research and consulting firm GlobalData.
The study, which involved 46,237 post-menopausal women aged 50 and over, tracked increases in levels of a protein, CA-125, in their blood. Using statistical analysis, 86% of women developing invasive epithelial ovarian cancer were correctly identified through this method. Final data analysis is expected in late 2015, when researchers hope to demonstrate that finding a rising level of CA-125 in the blood can be used to detect cancer at an...
QCMD (Quality Control for Molecular Diagnostics) results have confirmed that Fast-track diagnostics infectious disease detection kits have successfully identified 97% of tested samples since 2012.
The kits consistently score high levels of detection accuracy in assessments across a range of syndromic groups, reflecting Fast-track’s ongoing commitment to quality control in the development and manufacture of its products. “We are dedicated to manufacturing high quality, reliable assays that are sensitive, specific and consistent,” said Dr Bill Carman, CEO of Fast-track diagnostics. “Participation in external quality assessments, like the programmes offered by QCMD...
Scientists gain unique insight into the function of a key muscle protein.
Thanks to the first high-resolution structural analysis of the muscle protein α-actinin, scientists now have a better understanding of how muscles work. The analysis provides crucial information about the structure and function of this complex muscle protein and could lead to the development of new treatments for major muscular disorders. The results of the project, which is funded by the Austrian Science Fund FWF and the European Commission...
As we all know, many cellular activities are controlled by post-translational modifications, the study of which is stuck by the lack of specific reagents due greatly to their nature of ubiquitousness and non-immunogenicity. With great efforts, Creative Biolabs has developed PTM-Ab™ technology, which offers services for post-translational modification specific antibody discovery.
Post-translational modifications are modifications that occur on a protein, catalysed by enzymes after its translation by ribosomes is complete. Post-translational modification generally refers to the addition of a functional group covalently to a protein as in phosphorylation and neddylation. Protein post-translational modifications play an important role in many cellular processes, such as cellular differentiation, protein degradation, signaling and regulatory processes, regulation of gene expression, and protein-protein interactions.....
Read MoreSolving the Problem of Lignin Characterization - Malvern Presents Proven Strategies for Successful GPC/SEC AnalysisJun 2, 2015
Chromatography specialists from Malvern Instruments will present a reliable optimized solution for lignin characterization at a series of upcoming conferences in 2015, the first of which is Nordic Polymer Days, Denmark, June 1 – 3.
Lignin is a vital industrial polymer but presents significant challenges when it comes to measurement of the properties that define its performance. Through experimental study Malvern has identified the best strategy to apply when using gel permeation/size exclusion chromatography (GPC/SEC) to secure reliable information. The results of this work will also be presented at the 13th Annual UNESCO/IUPAC Conference on...
LaVison BioTec, developers of advanced microscopy solutions for the life sciences, announces the dates and venue of the first international users' meeting on their UltraMicroscope light sheet microscopy products.
The first LaVision BioTec UltraMicroscope User Meeting will take place at the Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine in Münster, 21-22 September. Participants are cordially invited to join with all active and prospective UltraMicroscope users in a forum on the latest developments in light sheet microscopy. With this scientific gathering, LaVision BioTec is fostering the exchange of thoughts, experiences and views on this emerging and very active...
Deben, leading providers of in-situ testing stages together with innovative accessories and components for electron microscopy, report on the work of Microscopy & Histology Core Facility at the University of Aberdeen.
The Microscopy and Histology Facility provide access to assorted technologies to researchers at the University of Aberdeen. One core technique is Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) which was recently upgraded with the installation of a new JEOL JEM-1400 plus TEM with AMT camera system from Deben. The current research done using this equipment is varied and includes samples such as bone cells, yeast cells and macrophages. Some...
EKF Diagnostics, the global diagnostics company, announces that it has introduced the Stanbio Chemistry Procalcitonin (PCT) LiquiColor® Assay.
This new test enables the quantitative determination of PCT in serum samples, EDTA or lithium heparin plasma samples by latex enhanced immunoturbidimetric methodology. Procalcitonin is a marker for bacterial infection and sepsis and has been recognized as an important adjunct marker in the diagnosis of sepsis*. The new Stanbio Chemistry Procalcitonin (PCT) LiquiColor® Assay is fast, accurate and convenient. The test provides...
LaVison BioTec, developers of advanced microscopy solutions for the life sciences, report on the research of Dr Matteo Iannacone of the San Raffaele Scientific Institute in Milan where intravital microscopy is being applied to the study of host-viruses and associated immune responses.
Matteo Iannacone, MD, PhD is the Group Leader in the Division of Immunology at the San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy. His research program seeks to dissect the complex dynamics of host-virus interactions with a particular focus on the development and function of adaptive immune responses. Since it is still beyond the reach of even the most sophisticated in vitro methodology to simulate the complex interplay of physical...
Five years ago, few people had heard of 3D printing, but now computer-generated images are being used to create body parts.
Scientists at University College London are using 3D printing to create ears made out of polyurethane-type polymers, to be implanted onto children with severe disfigurements in the first clinical trial of its kind. The scientific team has been testing the process by implanting a 3D ear on a rat. The operation is a major medical breakthrough and could radically change organ transplants. Professor Seifalian’s Group at University College London...
In February 2015 Oxford Global’s 10th Annual Biomarkers Congress gave delegates the opportunity to present a poster and have the chance of winning an award of £3,000.
The award was decided by a panel of five judges made up from some of the esteemed congress speakers presenting across the two days. Mari Enoksson, of Novo Nordisk won the award by presenting: Biomarker discovery study for detection of a haemophilic joint bleed. Mari decided to donate the £3,000 award prize to a charity of our choice. Oxford Global continually supports the work of Cancer Research UK and therefore we made...
A new technical poster from Haydale Ltd. describes a cost-effective and repeatable method for characterisation of functionalised carbon nanomaterials.
Two key, but independent, problems facing the graphene industry are the requirement for chemical functionalisation (essential for homogenous dispersion and application) and the pressing need for reliable, cost-effective, rapid, easy-to-use and accurate characterisation techniques to determine the type and extent of functionalisation present on graphene material. Current chemical characterisation techniques including X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy...
Scientists from the Hubrecht Institute and the University Medical Center Utrecht (UMC Utrecht) have developed a cell culture model of human colon cancer progression.
This model mimics the situation in patients more closely than any other colon cancer model so far. It enables researchers to study processes involved in colon cancer development and find new cancer drugs. The work by Clevers and colleagues is published online in Nature this week. Colon cancer is one of the most common and deadly forms of cancer. Like all cancers, it arises through an accumulation of DNA changes (mutations) in the...
This could help health service providers to better treat disease, control transmission of this infection, and monitor outbreaks. Tuberculosis (TB) disease rates in some parts of London are as high as in Sub-Saharan Africa, and drug-resistant strains are becoming increasingly common. These require specific treatments, and if doctors know that a bug is resistant they can start therapy earlier, often leading to better outcomes. Whole genome sequencing reveals the complete...
For example, FMS-EM force measurement systems are enabling researchers at Imperial College London to investigate the root cause of failures in electrochemical devices such as fuel cells and batteries. Imperial College is also using them for testing during the development of nano robots and other nanostructures. The FMS-EM is a compact force readout tool that allows tensile measurements to be made inside an SEM/FIB. Whilst existing...
Since its foundation in 1983, Octapharma has specialised in the development and manufacture of preparations from human plasma. The virus and prion group has been set-up for small scale production of plasma based drugs from human blood which must be tested to be free of contaminating viruses. The virology PCR assay developed by Octapharma involves fixing a PCR template on the well surface of 96-well plates and then undertaking a protocol that includes 3 washing steps...
Inoviem Scientific, a Contract Research Biotech (CRB) company today announces that it has received additional funding of €545,000 ($611,000) from French public investment bank bpifrance. The company leverages two proprietary technologies to offer pharmaceutical players increased speed and enhanced safety at all stages of drug development; from drug discovery (the identification of secondary targets and detection of potential...
The DVD-Ig is an IgG-like molecule, except that each light chain and heavy chain contains two variable domains in tandem through a short peptide linkage instead of one variable domain. As simultaneous blockade of multiple targets may yield better therapeutic efficacy than inhibition of a single target, they were originally designed for the treatment of complex diseases in which multiple mediators contribute to overall disease pathogenesis by distinct or redundant mechanisms....
Two key, but independent, problems facing the graphene industry are the requirement for chemical functionalisation (essential for homogenous dispersion and application) and the pressing need for reliable, cost-effective, rapid, easy-to-use and accurate characterisation techniques to determine the type and extent of functionalisation present on graphene material. Current chemical characterisation techniques including X-ray photoelectron...
Researchers identify fly strains that exhibit morning- and evening-like behaviour.
However, modifying the electrical signals emitted by the implants could change that. This is the conclusion of the initial published findings of a project sponsored by the Austrian Science Fund FWF, which showed that two specific retinal cell types respond differently to certain electrical signals – an effect that could improve the perception of light-dark contrasts. "Making the blind really see – that will take some time", says Frank Rattay of the...
The study, which involved 46,237 post-menopausal women aged 50 and over, tracked increases in levels of a protein, CA-125, in their blood. Using statistical analysis, 86% of women developing invasive epithelial ovarian cancer were correctly identified through this method. Final data analysis is expected in late 2015, when researchers hope to demonstrate that finding a rising level of CA-125 in the blood can be used to detect cancer at an...
The kits consistently score high levels of detection accuracy in assessments across a range of syndromic groups, reflecting Fast-track’s ongoing commitment to quality control in the development and manufacture of its products. “We are dedicated to manufacturing high quality, reliable assays that are sensitive, specific and consistent,” said Dr Bill Carman, CEO of Fast-track diagnostics. “Participation in external quality assessments, like the programmes offered by QCMD...
Thanks to the first high-resolution structural analysis of the muscle protein α-actinin, scientists now have a better understanding of how muscles work. The analysis provides crucial information about the structure and function of this complex muscle protein and could lead to the development of new treatments for major muscular disorders. The results of the project, which is funded by the Austrian Science Fund FWF and the European Commission...
Lignin is a vital industrial polymer but presents significant challenges when it comes to measurement of the properties that define its performance. Through experimental study Malvern has identified the best strategy to apply when using gel permeation/size exclusion chromatography (GPC/SEC) to secure reliable information. The results of this work will also be presented at the 13th Annual UNESCO/IUPAC Conference on...
The first LaVision BioTec UltraMicroscope User Meeting will take place at the Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine in Münster, 21-22 September. Participants are cordially invited to join with all active and prospective UltraMicroscope users in a forum on the latest developments in light sheet microscopy. With this scientific gathering, LaVision BioTec is fostering the exchange of thoughts, experiences and views on this emerging and very active...
The Microscopy and Histology Facility provide access to assorted technologies to researchers at the University of Aberdeen. One core technique is Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) which was recently upgraded with the installation of a new JEOL JEM-1400 plus TEM with AMT camera system from Deben. The current research done using this equipment is varied and includes samples such as bone cells, yeast cells and macrophages. Some...
This new test enables the quantitative determination of PCT in serum samples, EDTA or lithium heparin plasma samples by latex enhanced immunoturbidimetric methodology. Procalcitonin is a marker for bacterial infection and sepsis and has been recognized as an important adjunct marker in the diagnosis of sepsis*. The new Stanbio Chemistry Procalcitonin (PCT) LiquiColor® Assay is fast, accurate and convenient. The test provides...
Matteo Iannacone, MD, PhD is the Group Leader in the Division of Immunology at the San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy. His research program seeks to dissect the complex dynamics of host-virus interactions with a particular focus on the development and function of adaptive immune responses. Since it is still beyond the reach of even the most sophisticated in vitro methodology to simulate the complex interplay of physical...
Scientists at University College London are using 3D printing to create ears made out of polyurethane-type polymers, to be implanted onto children with severe disfigurements in the first clinical trial of its kind. The scientific team has been testing the process by implanting a 3D ear on a rat. The operation is a major medical breakthrough and could radically change organ transplants. Professor Seifalian’s Group at University College London...
The award was decided by a panel of five judges made up from some of the esteemed congress speakers presenting across the two days. Mari Enoksson, of Novo Nordisk won the award by presenting: Biomarker discovery study for detection of a haemophilic joint bleed. Mari decided to donate the £3,000 award prize to a charity of our choice. Oxford Global continually supports the work of Cancer Research UK and therefore we made...
Two key, but independent, problems facing the graphene industry are the requirement for chemical functionalisation (essential for homogenous dispersion and application) and the pressing need for reliable, cost-effective, rapid, easy-to-use and accurate characterisation techniques to determine the type and extent of functionalisation present on graphene material. Current chemical characterisation techniques including X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy...
This model mimics the situation in patients more closely than any other colon cancer model so far. It enables researchers to study processes involved in colon cancer development and find new cancer drugs. The work by Clevers and colleagues is published online in Nature this week. Colon cancer is one of the most common and deadly forms of cancer. Like all cancers, it arises through an accumulation of DNA changes (mutations) in the...