TOP INDUSTRY NEWS

Medical Design Excellence Award for bioMérieux Medical Design Excellence Award for bioMérieux
bioMérieux has been presented with an exclusive 2010 Medical Design Excellence Award for its PREVI Isola. This highlights the automated media streaker's breakthrough technology, which has revolutionised front-end media processing tasks. The award was based on the PREVI Isola's design and engineering features, including innovative use of materials, improvements to healthcare delivery, and the ability of the product development team to overcome design and engineering challenges to meet clinical objectives. The fully automated system is capable of processing up to 300 plates per hour, standardising routine agar plate inoculation and offering fast turnaround times with improved traceability. Colony isolation is maximised and cross-contamination eliminated, streamlining laboratory workflows to save time and free staff for other tasks.

Other News...

Bio-bin reduces carbon emissions and saves space and money
Huddersfield Royal Infirmary’s pathology laboratories have switched to using environmentally friendly Bio-bins for the disposal of non-sharp laboratory waste, significantly reducing the amount of plastic they incinerate and saving money. In addition to complying with the NHS Carbon Reduction Strategy, the move away from traditional ‘sweetie jar’ containers has massively reduced the storage space required and saved on transport costs.
Stem cell banking pioneer wins Queen's Award
The UK's first accredited private cord blood bank, which has pioneered the collection and long-term cryogenic storage of stem cells from umbilical cords since 2002, has become the first such company to win a prestigious Queen's Award for Enterprise. East Midlands-based Future Health Technologies, which started operating eight years ago, was the first UK-based family cord blood bank to receive full accreditation as a human tissue bank from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) in 2004.
Positive impact on immunohistochemistry
The intelliPATH FLX automated slide stainer from Menarini Diagnostics has made a positive impact in immunohistochemistry (IHC) laboratories across the country since it was launched. Currently, for example, it is in routine use at the Christie Hospital in Manchester, Southport Hospital, Dewsbury Hospital, Manchester Children’s Hospital and Sunderland Royal Hospital. Fast and with a large slide capacity and throughput, the intelliPATH FLX has been designed with input from pathologists and staff in immunohistochemistry, making it the most user-friendly and innovative IHC slide stainer available.
Comprehensive solutions for biobanks showcased
Thermo Fisher Scientific highlight its comprehensive portfolio of offerings for biobanks and biorepositories during the Biobanking 2010 conference, held at the Earls Court Conference Centre, London, in February. Thermo Fisher Scientific has the world’s widest range o offerings for biobanks, from biospecimen collection, processing, testing and storage to sample and data management. The end-to-end portfolio includes centrifuges, concentrators, freezers, robotics, two-dimensional (2D) barcodes, microplate readers, mass spectrometers and comprehensive services that enable turn-key biobanking solutions. 
Milestone for Seward paddle blender
Seward has recently sold its 7500th Stomacher 400 Circulator. This success can be attributed to its growing US-based sales and technical support office, opened in Long Island, New York, backed up by Seward’s global headquarters in the UK, where all Stomacher blender systems are manufactured.
Laboratory stock control at Royal Preston Hospital
The cobas Inventory Management System (cIMS) from Roche was installed at the Royal Preston Hospital in October 2007. It has resulted in significant time savings and increased efficiency in the management of analyser reagents at the Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

COVER STORY

Glasgow grows up: the changing landscape of pathology Glasgow grows up: the changing landscape of pathology
The laboratories of NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde have undergone considerable growth and change since the installation of new automation started back in 2005. However, far from being restrictive, the pathology solution chosen has enabled the laboratories to evolve.

PRODUCT NEWS

Improved and safer ultraviolet sterilisation
The GLE-UVSC UV sterilisation cabinet from Scie-Plas is an essential item for every molecular biology laboratory carrying out polymerase chain reaction (PCR) reactions. The cabinet provides decontamination of reagents and equipment before carrying out sensitive PCR reactions, particularly when amplifying DNA sequences that are either in limited supply or of low copy number.
Accelerated LC/MS analysis
Phenomenex has introduced Clarity Oligo-MS columns for rapid and efficient LC/MS characterisation and quality control of synthetic RNA and DNA. Based on the company’s core-shell particle technology, the new C18 columns deliver significantly shorter run times than traditional media, along with increased resolution and sensitivity. With the high resolving power of Clarity Oligo-MS, impurities in complex synthetic mixtures can be separated from the peak of interest in less than 10 minutes.
Life science imaging software
Olympus has introduced its new cellSens software for life science imaging applications. Consisting of three different packages, cellSens Entry, cellSens Standard and cellSens Dimension, all user requirements can be met with ease. Incorporating a user-definable interface, the imaging process can be personalised from start to finish.
High-capacity/high-speed shakers
Using a newly engineered direct drive mechanism, almost no load is too heavy for the Lab Companion SKC shakers, even at high speeds. A large selection of models is available based on platform size and stroke diameter. Programmable motion control, light-emitting diode (LED) displays, unbalanced load sensors, and self-protecting cut-off function make these shakers versatile and safe.
Mycobacteria: faster detection and lower contamination
Invitech has announced the UK availability of NAC-PAC N30, a convenient, systematic approach to pre-analytical acid-fast bacilli (AFB) specimen processing. NAC-PAC improves recovery of positive AFB specimens (most notably mycobacteria) and helps to reduce the number of contaminated/reprocessed samples through rigid control of pH during pre-analytical processing. Laboratories can now benefit from its easy-to-use format that can improve recovery of mycobacteria, ensure fewer false-positive results, and increase diagnostic effectiveness.
Advanced and user-friendly confocal imaging
The new Olympus FluoView FV10i confocal laser scanning microscope system brings a new level of accessibility to confocal microscopy. Designed to remove all the complex steps involved in setting-up and using confocal microscopes, the system ensures that users can concentrate on the images and data without the need for prior expertise.
Supplier Search
Story Search

FEATURE ARTICLE

Supporting pathology partners: long-term training options are now available
Rapidly evolving changes in pathology configurations require ongoing support, training and education. This is where Siemens Academy Training and Education Centre, which opened towards the end of last year, can help hard-pressed laboratory staff. The move towards the commercialisation of pathology, coupled with an increase in diagnostic testing and technologies, has placed more pressure on laboratories to reconfigure services for efficiency and quality.

PRODUCT ARTICLE

Rubella monoclonal antibodies
The rubella virus is the cause of German measles, and infection in children results in a rash but is usually mild and of short duration. However, pregnant women who become infected are susceptible to a more serious condition that can lead to congenital rubella syndrome of the fetus. Thus, serological detection, especially for IgM antibody, is crucial for early intervention.