FEATURE ARTICLES

The Biomedical Science Congress is now less than 10 months away. More than just a scientific meeting, this complete experience demonstrates the vital importance of the close relationship between the commercial sector and the profession it supports.

A European programme to enhance the training of young researchers working on prostate cancer concluded next year. Its priority is a focus on clinical application, as Jennie Wilde explains.

Modern laboratory medicine relies heavily on automation and sophisticated data analysis. Here, Wendy Leversuch and Stephen Knight examine a system that supports cutting-edge haematology.

The past few years have seen unprecedented change in the way pathology services are delivered, and nowhere is this more apparent than in histopathology. Now, cutting-edge processing technology is helping laboratories meet Department of health targets.

Screening for Down’s syndrome is an important part of antenatal care, and ideally should be undertaken within the first three months of the pregnancy. Assay combinations now offer a means to achieve this aim.

Methotrexate, a toxic chemotherapeutic agent used to treat various conditions, requires close laboratory monitoring. Here, Rick Allan and Kevin Sensier describe their evaluation of two assays.

Much has changed in coagulation testing over the past several decades but the partnership that has developed between Glan Clywd Hospital in North Wales and Sysmex continues provide satisfaction.

Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics recently held two user meetings, one to consider the latest in pathology service configuration efficiency, and the other to address the latest developments in point-of-care testing

Effective and efficient management of point-of-care testing across a large hospital trust requires a dedicated team and the latest technology, as this overview of the situation in Cambridge illustrates.

The experiences of two large hospital trusts demonstrate the advantages of working with Sysmex UK and using the company’s range of fully automated haematology and coagulation solutions.

The two-day VBMPS congress, to be held at the International Convention Centre in Birmingham on 15-16 October, aims to highlight the link between human and animal health, focusing on the study, diagnosis and treatment of animal diseases. Concurrent sessions will be held in Cellular Pathology, Haematology/Clinical Chemistry, Microbiology/Infection and Pharma Science, and delegates may attend any presentation in any of the streams

As human papillomavirus testing is rolled out on the NHS Cervical Screening Programme in England for use at triage, Tracy Huggins examines its benefits and its potential as a future primary screening technique.

The NHS Cervical Screening Programme is reaping the benefits of automation through the use of liquid-based techniques and automated technology, as Wilma Anderson explains.

An individual’s phenotype can be influenced by their lifestyle, and this can determine how they respond to drugs and other treatments. Now, a legacy of the London Games aims to investigate the human phenome on an unprecedented scale.

In order to transform haematology services at Kingston Hospital, a partnership forged with Beckman Coulter has facilitated staff retraining, the updating of IT systems and the installation of state-of-the art analysis systems.

Automation is forging ahead in microbiology and is being helped by the application of liquid-based technologies and the latest developments in the design of the humble yet ubiquitous swab. Here, Rachel Adams takes a look at the latest innovations.

Tendering for, and implementing, new laboratory equipment can be a fraught process, but the partnership approach adopted by Ipswich Hospital NHS Trust and Sysmex ensured a positive outcome.

Flow cytometry has found application in cell analysis across a wide range of scientific fields. Now, small-footprint, easy-to-use instruments are able to offer the very highest levels of performance, as Danny Köhler explains.

Requests for vitamin D testing are on the increase and three laboratories, in Coventry, Kingston and central London, are reaping the benefits of using an Elecsys assay from Roche. Dawn Wallace reports.

Adoption of the Uri semi-automated urine analysis system from Mast has reduced turnaround times and increased staff productivity in microbiology, as Chris Baker explains.