TOP INDUSTRY NEWS

Purified water supplies in Medway Purified water supplies in Medway
Recently, Medway Maritime Hospital in Gillingham commissioned the installation of two Elga Process Water Medica PRO RE120 water purification units in its biochemistry laboratory. The Elga Process Water MEDICA Pro range includes four models that deliver up to four litres/min of high-purity water to individual or multiple clinical analysers in alternative configurations depending on whether the analysers require a pressurised or non-pressurised supply.

Other News...

Prize for neurobiology
An investigator carrying out research on the basic cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying synaptic plasticity and memory storage has won the Eppendorf and Science Prize for Neurobiology 2008. By revealing the importance of translational control in the formation of long-lasting memories, Dr Mauro Costa-Mattioli’s research could help to develop new treatments for major brain disorders including impaired memory function in ageing and neurodegenerative diseases.
Capillary electrophoresis milestone
Sebia UK is celebrating the placement of its 50th automated capillary electrophoresis instrument at the Royal Preston Hospital. Developed with Sebia’s sound expertise and sophisticated technology, Capillarys and Minicap are innovative, fully automated systems.
SmaRTStore supports commercial-scale biorepository
RTS Life Science has supplied its A3 SmaRTStore as part of the commercial-scale biorepository at the Broad Institute. The Broad Institute’s Biological Samples Platform (BSP) is a sample management programme with expertise in sample storage and processing technology, procedures for the collection and use of human samples in biomedical research, histological analyses of human tissues, and the development of laboratory informatics management systems for detailed sample tracking. A poster (pictured) detailing the BSP is available from the Broad Institute website.
A finger on the pulse of haematopoiesis
Researchers at the Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, Oxford, are using Chip-Man Technologies’ Cell-IQ platform to study multipotent live cells during differentiation. The Institute is a world leader in translational medical research and, in this project, the Molecular Haematology Unit is attempting to understand the signalling pathways involved in haematopoiesis.
Literature on packaging products
Sterilin has announced the availability of its newly rebranded comprehensive literature for packaging products. It features a range of products to meet the needs of selected markets within the packaging field, as an extension of its success in the laboratory, medical and pharmaceutical industries.
Agreement on open-track automation
Olympus Life Science Europa has signed an agreement with Thermo Fisher Scientific for open-track automation for clinical laboratories.

COVER STORY

Managing change in pathology practice Managing change in pathology practice
Laboratory medicine has undergone significant change and has seen increasing workloads compounded by financial pressures. According to Carla Deakin, this is an area in which commercial companies should work together with their NHS customers to provide a full range of products to support change.

PRODUCT NEWS

Flexible cell-imaging system
GE Healthcare has launched the IN Cell Analyser 2000, a flexible cell-imaging system for high-content analysis with excellent image quality, speed and ease of use for all screening and research needs. The flexibility of the system enables scientists to perform a wide variety of previously challenging experiments with a single instrument.
Water purification system
The Elga LabWater PURELAB 7000 is ideal for laboratories needing a compact system to supply high-quality type II water to small distribution loops. Up to 120 L per hour can be distributed to feed polishers and two or three dispense point in addition to the main application, while an internal 50 L wrap-around reservoir dispenses at rates of up to 4 L per minute to ensure peak demand is met.
New genomics tools for RNA analysis
Applied Biosystems has released a new set of genomic analysis tools to aid disease research and agricultural studies. These tools are available through the latest release of the TaqMan gene expression assays product line to evaluate levels of RNA
PCR run directly from whole blood
It is now possible to perform the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) directly from whole blood samples with the new KAPA Biosystems’ blood PCR kits, available in the UK and Ireland from Anachem. For the first time, direct amplification can be performed from fresh or frozen whole blood, blood collected in EDTA tubes or on FTA elute cards (Guthrie cards) or filter paper.
Next-generation capillary electrophoresis system
Agilent Technologies has introduced its next-generation Agilent 7100 capillary electrophoresis (CE) system. It offers the industry’s widest selection of detectors for flexibility and sensitivity, and the new instrument is reverse-compatible to the previous Agilent CE platform, so existing methods can continue to be used.
State-of-the-art cell culture platform
Preston-based Image Solutions has added the ONIX dynamic cell culture platform to its suite of scientific and industrial digital imaging technology. The move follows a partnership agreement signed between Image Solutions and ONIX developer CellASIC.
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FEATURE ARTICLE

Blood on demand: a roadshow experience
Dispensing blood from a vending-style machine located inside the operating theatre has now become a reality, as Pathology in Practice discovered at a recent UK patient safety roadshow.

PRODUCT ARTICLE

Entry-level confocal microscopy
Carl Zeiss has set a new performance standard for entry-level confocal microscopy with the introduction of the LSM 700 laser scanning microscope, which uses proven modules from the world’s largest range of fluorescence and laser scanning microscope systems to offer flexibility in both application and system structure. The LSM 700 can be combined with a large number of microscope stands to deliver innovative image analysis solutions with exceptional sensitivity and quality, tailored to the personal requirements of each user.